Method and apparatus for detecting smoke and smothering a fire

An aircraft comprising a body enclosing a first space, a housing enclosing a second space inside said first space, an opening in said housing, a closure for closing said opening of said housing, a defined gap (4) communicating between said first space and said second space even when said closure closes said opening, and a fire resistant intumescent material installed alongside said defined gap, said fire resistant intumescent material having a temperature responsive expansion characteristic such that said fire resistant intumescent material does not expand to close said defined gap in response to a first temperature that is sufficient to generate smoke and insufficient to generate a fire in said second space whereby said defined gap (4) first remains open to permit smoke generated in said second space to escape from said second space to said first space through said defined gap (4) to enable detection of said smoke in said first space, said temperature responsive expansion characteristic of said fire resistant intumescent material providing expansion of said fire resistant intumescent material in response to a second temperature that is higher than said first temperature and that is sufficient to generate a fire in said second space whereby expanding fire resistant intumescent material fills and substantially seals said defined gap (4) so as to prevent or inhibit air from entering said second space thereby to smother a fire in said second space inside said aircraft, said aircraft further comprising a guide surface positioned alongside said defined gap (4) and adapted to guide said expanding fire resistant intumescent material into said defined gap (4), wherein said guide surface leaves an exposed area of said intumescent material uncovered and unconfined, and said exposed area of said intumescent material faces toward said defined gap, whereby said intumescent material during said expansion will be guided by said guide surface to expand outwardly from said exposed area toward and into said defined gap.

An aircraft comprising a body enclosing a first space, a housing enclosing a second space inside said first space, an opening in said housing, a closure for closing said opening of said housing, a defined gap (4) into said housing, and a fire resistant intumescent material installed alongside said defined gap inside said housing, said fire resistant intumescent material having a temperature responsive expansion characteristic such that first an expansion of said fire resistant intumescent material is prevented in response to a first temperature that is sufficient to generate smoke in said second space and insufficient to expand said fire resistant intumescent material whereby said defined gap (4) first remains open to permit smoke generated in said second space to escape from said second space through said defined gap (4) for detecting said smoke, said temperature responsive expansion characteristic of said fire resistant intumescent material permitting expansion of said fire resistant intumescent material in response to a second temperature higher than said first temperature, said second temperature being sufficient for generating a fire in said second space and for expanding said fire resistant intumescent material, whereby expanding fire resistant intumescent material fills and substantially seals said defined gap (4) for preventing air and oxygen from entering said second space to smother a fire in said second space inside said aircraft, further comprising a groove alongside said defined gap in said housing, said fire resistant intumescent material being installed in said groove, and wherein at least one wall of said groove is a guide surface for guiding said expanding fire resistant intumescent material in a desired direction into said defined gap.

An aircraft comprising:

• an aircraft body enclosing a first space;
• an enclosure housing that encloses a second space within said first space, and that has a defined gap in said enclosure housing forming an airflow communication passage between said first space and said second space;
• a guide structure that is arranged alongside said defined gap on said enclosure housing;
• and
• an intumescent material that is arranged along said guide structure alongside said defined gap, and that is arranged and adapted to undergo a heat-induced expansion into said defined gap so as to close said airflow communication passage at an elevated temperature associated with generation of fire by combustion in said second space;
• wherein said guide structure leaves uncovered and unconfined an exposed area of said intumescent material facing toward said defined gap, and said guide structure is configured and arranged so as to guide said intumescent material during the expansion thereof so that said intumescent material expands outwardly from said exposed area toward and into said defined gap so as to close said airflow communication passage.