Discharging fire and explosion suppressants

Apparatus for discharging a fire or explosion suppressant, comprising

• a discharge nozzle,
• storing means for storing the suppressant juxtaposed with the nozzle,
• discharge means for applying gas pressure to the stored suppressant without contact between the gas pressure and the suppressant, whereby to pressurise the suppressant and to cause it to discharge through the nozzle, and
• heating means for applying heat to the pressurised gas suppressant, whereby to cause at least partial vaporisation of the discharged suppressant,
• the discharge means comprising pyrotechnic gas generating means for generating high temperature gas under pressure,
• the heating means comprising bypass means for receiving part, only, of the high temperature gas and feeding it into contact with the pressurised suppressant.

Apparatus for discharging a fire or explosion suppressant agent, comprising

• a rigid-walled container having a hollow interior,
• nozzle means providing a discharge orifice mounted on the container,
• means within the hollow interior of the chamber defining an enclosure therein for receiving the suppressant agent,
• the means defining the enclosure including a rupturable barrier normally blocking the interior of the enclosure from the nozzle means and also including movable wall means within the hollow interior,
• gas producing means for generating high gas pressure within a region of the interior of the container separated from the enclosure by the movable wall means, whereby the movable wall means moves in response to the gas pressure to compress the suppressant agent within the enclosure until the rupturable barrier ruptures and the suppressant agent is forcibly discharged through the nozzle means, and
• heating means operative to apply heat to the compressed suppressant agent, whereby to cause at least partial vaporisation of the discharged suppressant agent.

Apparatus for discharging a fire or explosion suppression agent, comprising

• a rigid-walled container having a hollow interior,
• nozzle means providing a discharge orifice mounted on the container,
• means within the hollow interior of the chamber defining an enclosure therein for receiving the suppressant agent,
• the means defining the enclosure including rupturable barrier means normally blocking the interior of the enclosure from the nozzle means and also including movable wall means within the hollow interior,
• gas producing means operative when activated to generate gas at high pressure and elevated temperature within the container,
• means feeding a first portion of the generated gas into a region of the interior of the container separated from the enclosure by the movable wall means, whereby the movable wall means moves in response to the gas pressure to compress the suppressant agent within the enclosure until the rupturable barrier means ruptures and the suppressant agent is forcibly discharged through the nozzle means in at least partially atomised form, and
• bypass means for receiving a second portion, only, of the generated gas and feeding it to between the rupturable barrier means and the nozzle means so as to heat the suppressant agent when the rupturable barrier means ruptures, thereby causing vaporisation of the discharged suppressant agent.