INTRODUCTION

1.1 FIRE

Fire is an exothermic chemical reaction in which rapid oxidation of a material takes

place resulting in release of heat, light, and smoke particles etc.

Fires start when a flammable or a combustible material, in combination with a

sufficient quantity of an oxidizer such as oxygen gas is exposed to a source of heat or
ambient temperature above the flash point for the fuel/oxidizer mixture and is able to
sustain a rate of rapid oxidation that produces a chain reaction. Fire cannot exist without
all of these elements in place and in the right proportions. For example, an inflammable
liquid will start burning only if the fuel and oxygen are in the right proportions. Some
fuel-oxygen mixes may require a catalyst, a substance that is not consumed, when
added, in any chemical reactions during combustion, but which enables the reactants to
combust more readily.

Fire is important because it helps in stimulating growth and maintaining various

ecological systems. But fire also has the potential to cause physical damage through
burning. It includes hazard to life and property, atmospheric pollution, and water
contamination. When the forest is burned, the nitrogen contains is released into the
atmosphere. Fire is a necessary evil for mankind.

1.1.1 TYPES OF FIRE

Class A

Class A fires are fires in solid combustible such as wood, paper, cloth, trash, and
plastics.

Class B

Class B fires are fires in flammable liquids such as gasoline, petroleum oil, and paint.
Class B fires do not include fires involving cooking oils and grease.

Class C

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Class C fires are fires involving flammable gases such as propane, CNG, LPG,
and butane.

Class D

Class D fires are fires in combustible metals such as potassium, sodium, aluminium,
and magnesium.

Electrical fire

Electrical fires are fires involving electrical equipment such as motors, transformers,
and appliances.

Class K

Class K fires are fires in cooking oils and greases such as animal’s fats and vegetable
fats.

1.1.2 FIRE TETRAHEDRON

The fire tetrahedron is a four-sided geometric representation of the four factors

necessary for fire: fuel (any substance that can undergo combustion), heat (heat energy
sufficient to release vapor from the fuel and cause ignition), an oxidizing agent
(oxygen), and uninhibited chemical chain reaction.

Figure 1.1 Fire Tetrahedron

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1.1.3 COMBUSTION

Combustion is a high-temperature exothermic redox reaction between a fuel and

an oxidant, usually atmospheric oxygen that produces gaseous products as smoke.
Combustion in a fire produces a flame, and the heat produced can make combustion
self-sustaining. Combustion is often a complicated sequence of elementary radical
reactions. Solid fuels, such as wood and coal, first undergo endothermic pyrolysis to
produce gaseous fuels whose combustion then supplies the heat required to produce
more of them. Combustion is often hot enough that light in the form of
either glowing or a flame is produced.

According to its nature combustion may be classified as follow: -

1. SLOW OR INCIPIENT COMBUSTION: The amount of heat and light emitted is

feeble.

2. RAPID OR ACTIVE COMBUSTION: The amount of heat and light are emitted
within a short period of time.

3. DEFLAGRATION: This is the type of combustion that takes place with rapidly,
evolving heat and light.

4. EXPLOSION/DETONATION: This is very rapid combustion accompanied by a

loud sound and impact within an extremely short time. it generates very high pressure
and temperature.

1.1.4 FLAME

Flame is a zone in which chemical reaction takes place between gases with the
evolution of heat and light accompanied by vigorous combustion. Flame is the visible
portion of the fire. All types of the flame may be divided into two broad classes.

1.1.4.1 DIFFUSION FLAME

A diffusion flame is a type of flame where oxidizer and fuel gradually diffuse into one.
In an ordinary fire, the fuel vapor and air meet and are mixed by a process called
diffusion within the reaction zone. At high temperature, this mixing of fuel with air
takes place very quickly and mixing within the reaction zone is very effective. It is

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usually red/orange in color, reflecting the emission of soot particles. an example of a
diffusion flame is a luminous flame. This is the most common flame which can be easily
found on burning candles and matchsticks. It is red/orange in color and produces soot
which pollutes the air.

Figure 1.2 Candle Flame is a Diffusion Flame

1.1.4.2 PREMIXED FLAME

Unlike diffusion flame, it is where oxidizer and fuel are premixed. This type of flame
is shorter but hotter and its color ranges from yellow to green. An example of a
premixed flame is the non-luminous flame. A non-luminous flame is very light blue in
color or colorless. It does not produce soot. However, it is much hotter than luminous
flame and is very dangerous as it cannot be seen from far.

Figure 1.3 Premixed Flame

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1.1.4.3 LUMINOSITY OF FLAME

Flame color depends on several factors, the most important typically being black-body
radiation and spectral band emission, with both spectral line emission and spectral line
absorption playing smaller roles. In the most common type of flame, hydrocarbon
flames, the most important factor determining color is oxygen supply and the extent of
fuel-oxygen pre-mixing, which determines the rate of combustion and thus the
temperature and reaction paths, thereby producing a different color.

In a laboratory under normal conditions and with a closed oxygen valve, a Bunsen
burner burns with yellow flame (also called a safety flame) at around 1,000 °C
(1,800 °F). This is due to incandescence of very fine soot particles that are produced in
the flame. With increasing oxygen supply, less black body-radiating soot is produced
due to a complete combustion and the reaction creates enough energy to excite
and ionize gas molecules in the flame, leading to a blue appearance. The spectrum of a
premixed (complete combustion) butane flame shows that the blue color arises
specifically due to the emission of excited molecular radicals in the flame, which emit
most of their light. In the blue and green regions of the visible spectrum.

The colder part of a diffusion (incomplete combustion) flame will be red, transitioning
to orange, yellow, and white as the temperature increases as evidenced by changes in
the black-body radiation spectrum. For a given flame's region, the closer to white on
this scale, the hotter that section of the flame is. The transitions are often apparent in
fires, in which the color emitted closest to the fuel is white, with an orange section
above it, and reddish flames the highest of all. A blue-colored flame only emerges when
a number of soot particles decreases and the blue emissions from excited molecular
radicals become dominant, though the blue can often be seen near the base of candles
where airborne soot is less concentrated.

1.1.5 FLAMMABILITY LIMIT

Mixtures of dispersed combustible materials (such as gaseous or vaporized fuels, and

some dust) and air will burn only if the fuel concentration lies within well-defined lower
and upper bounds determined experimentally, referred to as flammability

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limits or explosive limits. Limits vary with temperature and pressure but are normally
expressed in terms of volume percentage at 25 °C and atmospheric pressure.

1.1.5.1 LOWER EXPLOSIVE LIMIT / LOWER FLAMMABILITY LIMIT

Lower explosive limit (LEL): The lowest concentration (percentage) of a gas or a

vapour in air capable of producing a flash of fire in presence of an ignition source (flame,
heat). The term is called as the lower flammable limit (LFL). At a concentration in air
lower than the LEL, gas mixtures are "too lean" to burn. Methane gas has a LEL of
5.0%. If the atmosphere has less than 5.0% methane, an explosion cannot occur even if
a source of ignition is present.

1.1.5.2 UPPER EXPLOSIVE LIMIT/ UPPER FLAMMABILITY LIMIT

Upper explosive limit (UEL): Highest concentration (percentage) of a gas or a vapor in

air capable of producing a flash of fire in presence of an ignition source (arc, flame,
heat). Concentrations higher than UFL or UEL are "too rich" to burn. Operating above
the UEL is usually avoided for safety because air leaking in can bring the mixture into
combustibility range.

1.1.6 SMOKE

Smoke is defined as visible non luminous, suspended particles originated when a

material undergoes pyrolysis or combustion. Smoke consists of soot particles ranging
from 10 to 0.1 micron in size. Specific smoke colour may indicate the nature of the fuel.
Almost all smoke to appear white in very cold weather.

1. Dense black smoke may indicate large quantities of carbon particle, burning
rubber, oil, and, tar etc.
2. Brown smoke may indicate nitrous fumes.
3. Paper and cloth yield grey smoke.

The composition and quantity of smoke depend on a number of things they are: -

1. The material that is burning.

2. The temperature of the combustion process.
3. The availability of oxygen
4. In special cases of pressure as well

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1.2 SOUND WAVE

1.2.1 WAVE

A wave is an oscillation accompanied by a transfer of energy. Frequency refers to the

addition of time. Wave motion transfers energy from one point to another, which
displace particles of the transmission medium–that is, with little or no associated mass
transport. Waves consist, instead, of oscillations or vibrations (of a physical quantity),
around almost fixed locations.

A wave is a disturbance that transfers energy through matter or space. There are two
main types of waves. Mechanical waves propagate through a medium, and the
substance of this medium is deformed. Restoring forces then reverse the deformation.
For example, sound waves propagate via air molecules colliding with their neighbours.
When the molecules collide, they also bounce away from each other (a restoring force).
This keeps the molecules from continuing to travel in the direction of the wave.

1.2.2 SOUND

Sound is a form of energy. When you strike a bell, it makes a loud ringing noise? The
movement or shaking, i.e. the to and fro motion of the body is termed as Vibration. The
sound moves through a medium by alternately contracting and expanding parts of the
medium it is travelling through. This compression and expansion create a minute
pressure difference that is called as sound.

Sound is a vibration that propagates as an audible wave of pressure, through

a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid.

Humans can hear sound waves with frequencies between about 20 Hz and 20 kHz.

Sound above 20 kHz is ultrasound.

Sound below 20 Hz is infrasound.

Sound wave is a mechanical wave. it is further divided into two waves depend on the
median of propagation they are listed below

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1.2.2.1 LONGITUDINAL WAVE

In longitudinal waves, the displacement of the medium is parallel to the propagation of

the wave. Sound waves in fluids are longitudinal waves.

Figure 1.4 Propagation of Longitudinal Wave

1.2.2.2 TRANSVERSE WAVES

For transverse waves, the displacement of the medium is perpendicular to the direction
of propagation of the wave. A ripple on a pond and a wave on a string are easily
visualized transverse waves. Transverse waves cannot propagate in a fluid because
there is no mechanism for driving motion perpendicular to the propagation of the wave.

Figure 1.5 Propagation of Transverse Wave

1.2.3 SOUND WAVES IN AIR

The sound waves are generated by a sound source, such as the vibrating diaphragm of
a stereo speaker. The sound source creates vibrations in the surrounding medium. As
the source continues to vibrate the medium, the vibrations propagate away from the
source at the speed of sound, thus forming the sound wave. At a fixed distance from the
source, the pressure, velocity, and displacement of the medium vary in time. At an
instant in time, the pressure, velocity, and displacement vary in space. This is intuitively

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obvious for a solid, and the same is true for liquids and gases (that is, the vibrations of
particles in the gas or liquid transport the vibrations, while the average position of the
particles over time does not change). During propagation, waves can
be reflected, refracted, or attenuated by the medium

A single-frequency sound wave traveling through the air will cause a sinusoidal
pressure variation in the air. The air motion which accompanies the passage of the
sound wave will be back and forth in the direction of the propagation of the sound, a
characteristic of longitudinal waves.

Figure 1.6 Pressure difference in Longitudinal Wave

1.2.4 CHARACTERISTIC

1.2.4.1 WAVELENGTH

Wavelength (λ) is the length of a wave, measured in the distance The wavelength is
typically measured crest to crest or trough to trough.

1.2.4.2 AMPLITUDE / LOUDNESS

Amplitude refers to the maximum vertical displacement of the wave from its mean
position. Larger the amplitude higher the energy.

In sound, amplitude refers to the magnitude of the amplitude of a sound wave

determines its loudness or volume. Larger amplitude means a louder sound, and smaller
amplitude means a softer sound. In sound, amplitude refers to the magnitude of

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compression and expansion experienced by the medium the sound wave is travelling
through.

1.2.4.3 FREQUENCY / PITCH

Frequency is the number of waves in a given time.

The frequency of a sound wave refers to the rate of the vibration of the sound travelling
through the air. Frequency decides whether a sound is perceived as high pitched or low
pitched. In sound, frequency is also known as Pitch

1.2.4.4 TIME PERIOD

The time period is the time required for the wave to complete one cycle. Frequency and
period have an inverse relationship. If frequency goes up, the period goes down. If
frequency goes down, the period goes up.

Figure 1.7 Characteristics of a Wave

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1.3 BACKGROUND FOR PROJECT

1.3.1 CONVENTIONAL FIRE EXTINGUISHING TECHNIQUE

1.3.1.1WATER

Water extinguishes the fire by taking away the heat element of the fire triangle. Foam
agents also separate the oxygen element from the other elements. Water is used for
Class A fires only - they should not be used on Class B or C fires.

 Problem: -There is a huge scarcity of water to drink. Also, it is a well-known

fact that any water cannot be used to extinguish the fire. Type of water
drastically effects the performance of pumps and the efficiency of the operations
which in overall sense will lead to maintenance cost

1.3.1.2 FOAM

Foam agents extinguish the fire by separating the oxygen element from the other
elements. foam agent can be used on Class B & C fires.

 Problem: -Although Foam is an excellent extinguishing media however its

storage requires special measures and arrangements. Recent reports regarding
toxicology have shown toxic effects of foam firefighting.

1.3.1.3 CARBON DIOXIDE

Carbon Dioxide extinguishes the fire by taking away the oxygen element of the fire
triangle and also be removing the heat with a very cold discharge. Carbon dioxide can
be used on Class B & C fires and electrical fire. They are usually ineffective on Class
A fires.

 Problem: - It’s an asphyxiate, so care should be exercised when using in

confined spaces. Limited cooling properties and no protection against
reigniting. A non-insulated horn can cause frost burn if the user accidentally
touches the horn when in use. Frost- free horns offer some protection against
this (a frost free horn has a honeycomb ring on the internal lining; non-insulated
horns have a single layer of plastic).

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1.3.1.4 DRY CHEMICAL POWDER

Dry Chemical powder extinguishes the fire primarily by interrupting the chemical
reaction of the fire triangle. This agent also works by creating a barrier between
the oxygen element and the fuel element on Class A fires. The ordinary dry chemical
is for Class B & C fires only. special fusing power is used for class D fire.

 Problem: - Can be messy, as it’s a fine powder. Clean up can be costly and time-
consuming, so consideration should be given where misuse/accidental use
would be an issue. Reduces visibility when discharged, so consideration
required when placing near escape routes, stairwells, etc. May aggravate
respiratory conditions when discharged. Limited cooling properties. While
Powder is safe for use on electrical fires, it can cause corrosion.

1.3.1.5 CLEAN AGENT

Halogenated or Clean Agent includes the halon agents as well as the newer and less
ozone depleting halocarbon agents. They extinguish the fire by interrupting
the chemical reaction of the fire triangle. Clean agent can be used in Class A, B, C and
electrical fires.

1.3.1.6 SHOCK WAVES

Oil well fires are more difficult to extinguish than regular fires due to the enormous fuel
supply for the fire. In fighting a fire at a wellhead, typically high explosives, such
as dynamite, are used to create a shockwave that pushes the burning fuel and local
atmospheric oxygen away from a well. (This is a similar principle to blowing out a
candle.) The flame is removed and the fuel can continue to spill out without catching
fire.

1.3.3 SOUND WAVE- FLAME INTERACTION

Acoustic suppression of flame is viable. It can happen in one of two ways:

(1) Continuous sound waves may interact with flames and accelerate air and vaporized
fuel particles, which drops the temperature of the flame and disrupts the flame boundary
layer between the hot gas flame and the vaporized fuel. When flames are extinguished,

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vaporized fuel ceases to burn. However, if un-vaporized fuel remains hot enough, it
will flare up again when the sound waves cease.

(2) A shock wave, or blast wave, may displace hot gas and vaporized fuel from the
source of a fire, and spread it over a wide area, cooling it and extinguishing the flame.
This method is used with oil and gas wellhead fires. If un-vaporized fuel at the wellhead
remains below combustion temperature, this allows time for fire fighters to stop the
flow of fuel.

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1.4 PROBLEM STATEMENT

Firefighting philosophy behind extinguishers is the famous PPP model

Figure 1.8 PPP Model

But our present extinguishing media seems to be losing the gravity of concept by posing
threats such as toxic to humans and leaves a residue (for dry chemical base fire
extinguisher) while water base fire extinguishing techniques freeze in cold climates and
conduct electricity.

The driving force behind the project was the thought to find or develop new ways of
addressing fire being equally effective at the same time.

Using sound wave with a certain frequency as a fire extinguisher will have significant
advantages such as leaving no residues and non-toxic.

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 LITERATURE SURVEY

2.1 INTRODUCTION

The idea of fire being affected by sound is not a new concept, it

goes back to the year 1857 when an Irish scientist, John Tyndall, recognized that sound
waves could extinguish flames. According to him, There were specific frequencies
where the flames were extinguished. He found that frequencies between 30Hz to 60Hz
were able to extinguish the flame. All the other experiments performed and the paper
published related to the topic were based on the experiments done by John Tyndall.

2.1.1 EXPERIMENT-1

TOPIC – Modelling Premixed Combustion-Acoustic Wave Interactions

YEAR - 2003

A paper published in the “Journal of Propulsion and Power, Vol. 19

(2003)” titled “Modelling Premixed Combustion-Acoustic Wave Interactions (No. 5,
pp. 765-781)” by T. Lieuwen states that the interaction between acoustic waves and the
premixed combustion process can play an important role in the characteristics
unsteadiness of combustion devices. The paper also said that the interactions are often
responsible for the occurrence of self-excited, combustion driven oscillation that is
determined by combustor life and performance. A tutorial review was provided in the
paper for the understanding of the interaction. This was organised in four parts,
depending on its treatment of 1) linear or 2) non-linear of 1) flamelets or 2) distributed
reaction zones. However, essentially no serious experimental effort was performed to
critically assess the predictions (as made in the paper). For them, it was difficult to
determine the state of understanding in this area. On the other hand, good agreements
were achieved between well-coordinated experiment and theory describing the
interaction between inherent flame stabilities and acoustically induce flow oscillations.
Similarly, both the linear and nonlinear kinematics response of simple laminar flames
to acoustic velocity disturbances appear to be well understood, as evident by the
arrangements between surprisingly simple theory and experiment. Other than kinematic
nonlinearities, an additional potential mechanism that introduces heat release acoustic

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nonlinearities, such as flame holding, or extinction have been analysed theoretically,
but lack experimental verification. Unsteady reactor models were used extensively to
model combustion process in the distributed reaction zone regimes. None of these
predictions were appeared to have been subjected to direct experimental scrutiny. It was
unlikely that this modelling approach would be useful for quantitative combustion
response calculations, due to their largely heuristic nature and the difficulty in the
rationally modelling the key interaction between reaction rate and the global
characteristics of the combustion region, such as its volume. Several areas were
highlighted which were in the need of work. These include finite amplitude effects,
modelling approaches for the interaction outside of the flamelet regime, turbulent flame
wrinkling effects, and unsteady vortex-flame interaction.

2.1.2 EXPERIMENT-2

TOPIC – Suppressing Flame Using Acoustic Waves

YEAR - 2008

An experiment was done by DARPA (Defence advance research

project agency) in 2008. The main aim of the experiment was extinguishing the fire
using acoustic waves, their driving force for this experiment were the fires in enclosed
areas, like cockpits, military vehicles, war ships, etc. DARPA’s main realization was
that flames are cold plasmas, and thus could be manipulated by physical forces such as
electromagnetic radiation and acoustic waves. Although, the there experiment was a
success they were unsure about the application, i.e., how it could be applied in real life.

2.1.3 EXPERIMENT-3

TOPIC - Extinguishing fires with the aid of acoustic wave

YEAR - 2013

An experiment was done by captain Dr. Tomasz WĘSIERSKI,

1) Dr. Stefan WILCZKOWSKI and 2) Dr hab. Eng. Henryk RADOMIAK in the year
2013, titled “Extinguishing fires with the aid of acoustic waves (pp. 59-64)” as
published in “ BiTP Vol. 30 Issue 2(2013)”. According to them, their study confirmed

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the firefighting effects of the sound, however, the use of this technology requires the
selection of appropriate extinguishing frequency as well as focus bundles in the smallest
possible area. Therefore, it is necessary to link the solution to the system Flame
detection so that you can hit the spotlight in the fire source. According to them, this
technology could be used as a safety element in warehouses, industrial halls and liquid
fuel tanks operating on the principle of fixed fire protection system. The main
discussion was about the impact of this technology on the health of the victims and the
victims of direct interfering in the stream of the wave because such situation would
occur while rescue missions and in case of any trapped casualty.

2.1.4 EXPERIMENT-4

TOPIC - Sound Based Fire Extinguisher

YEAR - 2015

An experiment was done by the students of George Mason University,

Viet Tran and Seth Robertson in the year 2015, basically their experiment was based on
the one as done by DARPA. Their experiment consists of simple appliances like
speakers, collimator, and amplifier. Their experiment was also successful but they only
tested the apparatus for small flames. However, they provided a wide range of
applications for the experiment. They suggested that the sound based fire extinguisher
can be used for small kitchen fires, and can be used in space if used with proper
frequency. They concluded that the frequency below 100Hz can be used for suppressing
the fire. They also concluded that the chances of re- ignition of fire are not reduced to
zero because sound alone cannot provide sufficient cooling for the system.

2.1.5 EXPERIMENT-5

TOPIC – Study of Sound Waves as Flame Extinguisher

YEAR - 2015

In the same year, i.e.2015 another student Alan Arulandom

Alexander, from the Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS. The experiment he performed
was mainly to test which class of fire can be extinguished using a sound based fire

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extinguisher by varying the parameters of the collimator. He basically performed two
experiment the first one was to verify the experiment done by DARPA, the other
experiment was done for the different type of fuels for fire, i.e., for solid liquid and
gaseous fuel. He found that using a converged collimator class of fire fuel (solid,
liquid) type can be extinguished. He stated in his result that Since a converged
collimator gives a high output of air velocity (based simulation results and basics of
fluid mechanics), that explains the instant extinction observed from three different
sources. The gush of high velocity stream of air onto the flame causes widening of the
flame boundary, which disperses the heat of the flame and fuel (for gas fuel fire). This
is also eliminating one of the components of fire in fire tetrahedron.

2.1.6 EXPERIMENT-6

TOPIC – Sound Fire extinguisher in Space

YEAR - 2016

In the year 2016, a paper was published in “International Journal of

Advanced Trends in Computer Science and Engineering, Vol.5 (2016)” titled, “Sound
Fire Extinguisher in Space (No.1, Pages: 85 -87)” by, Shaik Salauddin, Paparao
Nalajala, and Bhavana Godavarthi. The main motive of the paper was to eliminate fire
disasters in space using sound. The paper demonstrates an idea of a developing device
which can extinguish the fire using sound. Most of the things, when compared to space,
are different from earth one of such is a fire which is a major threat in an International
space station or in any other space ship. If a fire breaks out in space station astronauts
would fight the flames in slightly different ways than they would on earth. First, they
will turn off the ventilation system to slow the spread of fire, next they will shut off the
power supply to the effected unit. Finally, astronauts will seal the area and fill the area
with a chemical extinguisher. Extinguisher used in this process may extinguish the fire
and will ravage the total system in that particular area. So the purposed deals with fire
without effecting any other system around it and avoid all messy chemical, therefore
resulting in an electronic extinguisher.

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2.2 FLOATING HYPOTHESIS

1) Displacement of chain reaction carriers, OH radical throwing it out of the active

portion of the flame.

Figure 2.1 OH Radical displacement

2) The combination of varying high and low pressure and coupled with high flow air
velocity, which in then causes disturbances in the air-fuel ratio at the flame boundary
(leading to thinning of the flame boundary, is one of the possible explanation leading
to flame extinction.

Some important terms:

 Flash Back: Flash back is the occurrence when the flame enters and propagates
through the burner tube without quenching.
 Blow-off: Flame will be unstable if the reactant flow rate is too high. This then
results in the flame’s inability to maintain its position, and blow-off occurs.

2.3 ONE POSSIBLE EFFECT

Sound waves are produced by variation in the pressure of a

medium. The energy from the vibration producer moves to air particles in a pattern of
high and low-pressure zones. The pressure fluctuations due to the sound wave
propagation will cause a significant change in temperature profile near the flame. High
pressure to low pressure and vice versa will cause immediate change in the temperature

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according to the first law of thermodynamics. The combination actions of fluctuating
temperature, pressure and air-fuel ratio to the flame will affect the flame behaviour
under the regulated sound wave environment. Pressure deviation is known to have an
influence on the burning rate of a material and cause combustion instabilities, which
could eventually lead to flame extinction. High frequency excitation on a reaction will
be able to enhance the combustion as well as delaying and perturbing the chemical
reaction which depends on the affected bonding for every specific chemical compound
on certain frequencies.

2.3 OBJECTIVES
The main objective is loud and clear i.e. to study the
phenomenon (flame suppression due to sound), discover principle, test and verify
hypothesis through various experiments which have not been performed previously.

At the same time exploiting the phenomenon to create a portable fire extinguisher and
find out the suitable applications in present world scenario.

Analyse and asses the advantages and shortcomings of this way over traditional and
conventional techniques of firefighting i.e. water, DCP (Dry Chemical Powder), Foam,
Inert gases.

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 METHODOLOGY & EXPERIMENTATION

3.1 INTRODUCTION
Sound is a mechanical wave & the quest for finding the principle is initiated by the
basic design approach. since mathematics is the language of science, the principle must
stand on the mathematical basis which is based on the measurement of different
parameters and pin them down in an empirical relationship. Characteristic parameters
assumed to be related are as

- Frequency of sound
- Type of fuel (class B liquid)
- Heat of combustion
- Flame height & colour

Some of the data is available on standard datasheets while other parameters can be
studied through following designed experiment.

3.2 EXPERIMENT NO. 1

3.2.1 OBJECTIVE:
To direct the sound waves at the collar of the Bunsen burner and measure the flame
parameters at a constant gas flow rate and collar position & try to find the relationship
between fuel and frequency of sound.

3.2.2 APPARATUS:
portable fire extinguisher, Bunsen burner, smithell separator, pyrometer, measuring
scale.

3.2.3 THEORY:
The Bunsen burner provides an interesting example of a combination of both diffusion
and pre-mixed flames. If the air inlet hole at the base of the burner tube is closed, then
the gas burns at the end of the tube as a simple diffusion flame. When the hole is opened,
air is entrained and mixes with the gas because the flow in this region is turbulent. Air
is entrained into the burner in the same way that it enters a foam making branch, and
with the same limitations on expansion ratio. In fact, only half of the air needed for the

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combustion is premixed with gas, and the remainder has to be obtained from the air
surrounding the flame. So an aerated Bunsen flame is really in two parts: an inner pre-
mixed cone that is usually bright blue, and an outer diffusion flame that is thicker and
less luminous. The fact that there are two different flames can be demonstrated by a
simple device called a smithell’s separator.

3.2.3.1 SMITHELL SEPARATOR

This is a glass tube of slightly larger diameter than the Bunsen tube that is slipped over
the open end of the Bunsen burner and sealed to it. When the right adjustments have
been made to the position of tube and flow, the two flames separate. The premixed
flame continues to burn at the end of the burner, and the diffusion flame burns of the
top of the glass tube.

Figure 3.1 Smithell Separator

Two predominant effects visible with Bunsen burner are: -

1) Flash back
2) Blow off

Flame is held stationary on Bunsen burner by matching the gas velocity with the flame
propagation velocity. Whenever they are unequal one of the above mentioned

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phenomena occurs. Base area of the flame cone can be altered along with height and
they are related to Bunsen burner through the following relationship.

A X V = F X SU

Where,

A = area of burner tube

V = average velocities of gases up it

F = total area of flame

SU = burning velocity (the subscript u simply indicates that we are talking about the
speed of flame relative to the unburnt gases)

3.2.3.2 HOW TO USE THE PRINCIPLE?

When air fuel mixture for the combustion is disturbed its flame characteristics change
which can be best described by the flammability limits of a fuel i.e. LFL & LFL.
Assuming that mixture is disturbed when sound is introduced into the flame, if the
degree of disturbance is such that mixture comes below LFL or above HFL flame
extinguishes.

Between LFL & HFL flame is pre mixed at some mixtures while diffusion elsewhere.
This transition can be observed from the flame height, width, colour, and flame
turbulence which are all measureable quantities.

While to get the maximum effect in the flame parameters we need to maximize the
output from our portable extinguisher keeping the other factors (gas flow rate, the
position of collar) constant.

3.2.3.3 HOW TO MAXIMIZE THE OUTPUT FROM THE EXTINGUISHER?

Vortex output is expected to be dependent on frequency, length of the collimator, the

diameter of the opening, rated power of subwoofer. Their optimum values are found
out with the help of designed experiment and these values are tried to be pinned down
in a relationship for mathematical basis and further reference.

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3.3 EXPERIMENT NO. 2

3.3.1 OBJECTIVE:
To optimize the vortex output from the extinguisher by changing frequency, the
diameter of the opening, length of the collimator, the intensity of sound.

3.3.2 APPARATUS:
Signal generator, audio amplifier, subwoofer, collimator, vibration sensor, power
supply.

3.3.3 THEORY:

Figure 3.2 Block diagram

3.3.1 SIGNAL GENERATOR

A tone generator, also known as a signal generator, described as electronic audio
acoustics and equipment testing and setup, or informational signals, commonly
associated with a telephone system. In each case, electrically generated audio pulses
are sent to specific components. In the case of audio equipment testing, frequency
response and sound evaluation are noted, and the acoustic properties of a studio or hall
may be determined. With a telephone system, the dial tone, busy signal, and ring tone
are the result of this pulsed tone generation.

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These devices will not only generate a tone but may also be used to replicate certain
electronically produced or recorded audio signals.

Figure 3.3 Model

3.3.2 SUBWOOFER
A subwoofer (or sub) is a woofer, or a complete loudspeaker, which is dedicated to the
reproduction of pitched audio frequencies known as bass. The typical frequency range
for a subwoofer is about 20–60 Hz for consumer products below 100 Hz for
professional live sound, and below 80 Hz in THX-approved systems. Subwoofers are
intended to augment the low frequency range of loudspeakers covering higher
frequency bands.

Subwoofers are made up of one or more woofers mounted in a loudspeaker enclosure—

often made of wood—capable of withstanding air pressure while resisting deformation.
Subwoofer enclosures come in a variety of designs, including bass reflex (with a port
or passive radiator in the enclosure), infinite baffle, horn-loaded, and band pass designs,
representing unique trade-offs with respect to efficiency, bandwidth, size, and cost.
Passive subwoofers have a subwoofer driver and enclosure and they are powered by an
external amplifier. Active subwoofers include a built-in amplifier

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 Figure 3.4 Subwoofer

3.3.3 VORTEX GUN:

An air vortex cannon is a device that releases doughnut-shaped air vortices — similar
to smoke rings but larger, stronger and invisible. The vortices are able to ruffle hair,
disturb papers or blow out candles after travelling several meters.

An air vortex cannon works primarily by applying force quickly and efficiently to air
molecules contained in a semi-enclosed space. When the stretchy balloon surface at the
back of the cannon snaps forward, it collides directly with air molecules, accelerating
them towards the opening of the cannon and setting off a chain reaction of high-speed
collisions with other air molecules and the sides of the cannon’s barrel. The only way
for all of these colliding high-speed air molecules to escape is out through the opening
at the end of the barrel. The rapid escape of the air molecules forms a stream, or jet, of
air that flows straight out of the cannon. When a jet of air escapes the opening of air
vortex cannon into the still air outside, it forms a stable donut-shaped gaseous projectile.
This flying gas donut is called a toroidal vortex or vortex ring, hence the name air vortex
cannon. A toroidal vortex is caused by the friction of the jet of air with the edges of the
cannon’s opening and the slow moving air outside the air cannon Fig. 3.8. As the speedy
jet of air brushes against the hard circular opening of the cannon and the slow-moving
air outside, its edges slow down and curl back away from the centre of the jet, forming
a donut shape, also called a torus.

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 Figure 3.5 Generation of Vortex ring

The still air around the vortex has a relatively high pressure that stabilizes the ring as it
travels forward, helping it to keep its shape. To see the Toroidal vortex generated by
your cannon, have an adult fill the barrel with a little fog from a fog machine or with
the CO2 gas collected from dry ice sitting in room-temperature water.

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 RESULTS & DISCUSSION

4.1 RESULTS
Sound is the form of energy whose transfer results in a controlled air movement due to
acoustic field perturbations.

Details of experiments;

Fuel used – Spirit Sterillium®

Composition (every 100 gms containing)-
2-propanol IP: 45 gms
1-propanol: 30 gms
Ethyl-hexadecyl-dimethyl ammonium-ethyl sulphate: 0.2 gms
Material of Vortex Tube – Aluminium sheet gauge-18

Subwoofer – 4 Ohms 60W RMS / 120W Max

Amplifier 5000W

To maximize the output from the vortex cannon we carried out several experiments and
their results are summarized in the table below.

Parameters recorded/changed

Frequency from the Signal Generator (f in Hz)

Length of Vortex Tube ( L in cms)

Diameter of Collimator ( D in cms)

Vibration of the Collimator Plate ( no units)

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4.1.1 EXPERIMENT NO. 1

Diameter of Vortex Plate: 8.5 cm

Material of Vortex Tube: Aluminium sheet
Table No. 1

Sr. VIBRATION
NO. LENGTH(cms) FREQUENCY(Hz) MEAN MAXIMUM
1 54 35 1.3 1.6
2 54 37 1.2 2.3
3 54 40 2.2 2.5
4 54 43 1.4 2.7
5 54 45 0.9 2.6
6 54 47 0.8 2.2
7 54 50 0.6 2.2
8 54 53 1.9 2.6
9 54 55 2.4 2.8
10 54 57 2.7 3.0
11 54 60 3.5 4.6
12 54 63 2.5 3.1
13 54 65 2.6 3.1

4
y = 9E-07x6 - 0.0003x5 + 0.0335x4 - 2.1558x3 + 76.95x2 - 1446.5x + 11190
3.5 R² = 0.9435

2.5
OUTPUT

1.5

0.5

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
FREQUENCY(HZ)

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4.1.2 EXPRIMENT NO. 2

Diameter of Vortex Plate: 8.5 cm

Material of Vortex Tube: Aluminium sheet
Table No. 2

Sr. VIBRATION
NO. LENGTH(cms) FREQUENCY(Hz) MEAN MAXIMUM
1 50 35 1.4,1.9,2.0 1.8
2 50 37 2.1 2.5
3 50 40 3.1,3.2 3.4
4 50 43 2.8 3.5
5 50 45 1.3 2.1
6 50 47 0.5 1.8
7 50 50 0.7 1.4
8 50 53 1.7 2.4
9 50 55 2.0 3.1
10 50 57 2.5 4.1
11 50 60 2.8 3.3
12 50 63 2.6 3.0
13 50 65 2.4 3.1

3.5
y = 1E-06x6 - 0.0003x5 + 0.0367x4 - 2.3506x3 + 83.635x2 - 1565.2x + 12039
R² = 0.8822
3

2.5

2
OUTPUT

1.5

0.5

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
FREQUENCY (HZ)

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4.1.3 EXPERIMENT NO. 3

Diameter of Vortex plate: 8.5cm

Material of Vortex tube: Aluminium sheet
Table No. 3

S. VIBRATION
NO LENGTH(cm) FREQUENCY(H MEAN MAXIMUM
. z)
1 45 35 0.7 1.0
2 45 37 1.2 1.5
3 45 40 2.2 2.5
4 45 43 1.0 1.3
5 45 45 0.4 0.8
6 45 47 0.4 0.4
7 45 50 0.5 0.7
8 45 53 1.6 2.0
9 45 55 2.0 2.4
10 45 57 1.9 2.3
11 45 60 1.9 2.3
12 45 63 2.0 2.3
13 45 65 2.2 2.8

2.5
y = 9E-06x5 - 0.0022x4 + 0.2271x3 - 11.429x2 + 283.79x - 2778.7
R² = 0.8591

1.5
OUTPUT

0.5

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
FREQUENCY (HZ)

National Fire Service College, Nagpur Page 31

4.1.4 EXPERIMENT NO. 4

Diameter of Vortex Plate: 8.5cm

Material of Vortex Tube: Aluminium sheet
Table No. 4

SR. VIBRATION
NO. LENGTH(cms) FREQUENCY(Hz) MEAN MAXIMUM
1 27 35 2.8,2.9 3.1,3.2
2 27 37 2.5 2.8
3 27 40 4.5 5.6
4 27 43 4.4 5.4
5 27 45 4.4 5.5
6 27 47 3.7 4.8
7 27 50 1.4 3.6
8 27 53 1.8 3.2
9 27 55 2.3 3.0
10 27 57 2.5 3.3
11 27 60 2.8 3.4
12 27 63 2.9 3.4
13 27 65 3.1 3.5

6
y = 2E-06x6 - 0.0005x5 + 0.0575x4 - 3.8158x3 + 140.71x2 - 2734.5x + 21876
5 R² = 0.9204

4
OUTPUT

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
FREQUENCY(HZ)

National Fire Service College, Nagpur Page 32

It was tried whole heartedly to run a full factorial experiment but some parameters were
beyond the control of experimenters which possibly might be the source of error and
will most probably be responsible for any deviations if results are reproduced.

Results obtained through our experiments are subject to modification due to limitations
of apparatus, and design of the experiment.

Only selected data of the experiment has been presented since complete data is under
analysis. Another part of the data can be obtained from the part 2 of this thesis.

4.2 CONCLUSIONS: -

Based on our experiments and a crude mathematical analysis which is expected to be

more precise and accurate in phase –ii of our project, following conclusions can be
drawn.

 As local maxima’s of graph occurs at a frequency interval 40Hz & 60Hz with
minima at 50Hz, it was experimentally verified that this is the ideal range for
extinguishing a flame of spirit of flame width 9.5cm & 18.5 cm.
 Based on partial analysis 27cm was found to be most effective among all lengths
tested.
 While diameter was found to be dependent on several factors so it requires a
series of experiments to confirm exact relation and predict which will me most
suitable.
 Extinguishment time for 9.5 cm flame width with diameter 40mm was found to
be 0.88sec while it was ineffective for flame width of 18.5cm. On the other
hand, flame with width of 18.5cm was extinguished instantaneously with a
diameter of 95mm.

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13. The HG Law CK Axelbaum RL Opening of the Burke-Schumann Flame Tip and
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