Published
04/02/2026 às 21:37
Technology that extinguishes flames with sound is the title given to a system created by former NASA acoustic engineers, developed in the United States, that makes use of sound waves to smother hearth by eradicating oxygen from the burning space, without water or chemicals, with the purpose of decreasing materials harm, stopping harmful reactions and making firefighting extra environment friendly in properties, industries, forests and electrical automobiles.
The answer was developed by Sonic Fire Tech, an American startup based by acoustics specialists who labored on aerospace tasks. The concept arose from research on how sound impacts particles in the air and developed right into a system able to interrupting the chemical response of fireplace in a very bodily approach.
How sound waves can extinguish flames by interfering with the chemical response of fireplace.
For hearth to exist, three parts have to be current concurrently: oxygen, gasoline, and warmth. The know-how that extinguishes flames with sound acts instantly on oxygen, one in all the pillars of combustion.
The system emits infrasonic waves, with frequencies under 20 hertz, which aren’t perceptible to the human ear. These waves trigger oxygen molecules to vibrate at a pace better than combustion can sustain with. As a end result, the chemical response of the hearth is damaged and the flames are extinguished.
According to Sonic Fire Tech, the course of doesn’t contain bodily contact with the hearth. The main supply for this text explains that the sound creates an unstable setting for combustion, stopping oxygen from constantly feeding the flames.
The system reaches up to 7,5 meters and will be put in like conventional sprinklers.
The loudspeakers developed by the firm can extinguish flames at a distance of over 7,5 meters. In indoor environments, the design resembles conventional sprinkler methods, however without water.
Metal tubes type a hard and fast community in the ceiling or partitions. These tubes conduct the impulse generated by a central acoustic unit to emitters scattered all through the room. Sensors establish irregular temperature will increase and routinely activate the sound cone directed at the hearth’s supply.
The key distinction is that, after use, there isn’t any flooding, chemical residue, or extra harm to objects that weren’t affected by the hearth. This reduces losses and the time wanted to resume use of the area.
One of the most promising makes use of of the system is in fires precipitated by lithium batteries, widespread in electrical automobiles, electrical bicycles, and digital gadgets.
In these instances, using water or chemical extinguishers can worsen the state of affairs, as the chemical response can reignite the flames. Sound know-how would not remove the so-called thermal escape from the battery, however it will possibly hold the hearth confined to the authentic space, stopping it from spreading.
Sonic Fire Tech has raised $3,5 million in a seed funding spherical to speed up certifications, scale up manufacturing, and launch pilot tasks. The funding was co-led by funds corresponding to Khosla Ventures and Third Sphere, which specialize in environmentally impactful applied sciences.
The funds might be used for certifications with establishments corresponding to UL and FM Global, increasing manufacturing to up to 500 items by 2026, and implementing testing in properties, dealerships, and hearth departments.
With this, the know-how that extinguishes flames with sound could stop to be only a laboratory innovation and turn into an actual software in preventing fires, particularly in a world more and more depending on electrical energy and batteries.