Seawater Capsule-Based Flexible Fire Blanket for Efficient Fire Suppression in Semi-Enclosed Environments

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Fire Safety Engineering
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Traditional fire blankets have limited extinguishing efficiency and adaptability in semienclosed environments.
• Small-scale fires in kitchens and vehicles pose a growing challenge requiring improved suppression methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a flexible fire blanket with integrated seawater capsules for enhanced fire suppression in confined spaces.
• To leverage microfluidic technology for fabricating uniform, robust seawater capsules.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of seawater capsules using microfluidic technology with controlled composition and robust shells.
• Dispersion of capsules within a flexible blanket matrix for homogeneous distribution.
• Evaluation of capsule thermal responsiveness and shell rupture time under heat stress.

Main Results:

• Optimized capsules ruptured within 2 ms upon heating, rapidly releasing seawater.
• The composite blanket demonstrated efficient flame suppression via evaporative cooling and steam-induced oxygen displacement.
• Superior response speed, extinguishing efficiency, and environmental adaptability were observed compared to traditional methods.

Conclusions:

• The developed seawater-capsule-integrated fire blanket offers a sustainable and effective solution for fire control in semienclosed environments.
• This technology shows significant potential for practical engineering applications in fire safety.
• The dual-mechanism suppression strategy enhances performance in challenging fire scenarios.