Validation of a Fine Water Mist Fire Extinguisher

For the past five years ADA Technologies has been developing and refining a portable fire extinguisher (PFE) for use in microgravity environments. This technology uses fine water mist (FWM) to effectively and efficiently extinguish fires that are representative of spacecraft hazards. Fine water mist offers advantages of high heat transfer rates, high heat capacity, and compatibility with crew and shipboard systems that alternative technologies do not. The technology has been tested on a wide range of representative fires including tests in a 34% O2/8 psia environment to confirm its efficacy under spacecraft conditions. However, to date it has not been demonstrated in a microgravity situation to confirm that the design is tolerant of this aspect of orbital flight. Such a test is a logical next step in the evolution of our FWM extinguisher.

Paper (Jul 2013): Development of the International Space Station Fine Water Mist Portable Fire Extinguisher
Paper (Oct 2011): Zero Gravity Aircraft Testing of a Prototype Portable Fire Extinguisher for Use in Spacecraft

SBIR Phase II (2010)
SBIR Phase I (2009)
SBIR Phase II (2007)
SBIR Phase I (2006)
STTR Phase II (2005)
STTR Phase I (2004)

No information available.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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