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I think the idea's name pretty much sums up the description. The tank would be flat and wide and cover the entire ceiling and composed of a flammable material. In the event of a fire, the fire would melt or burn an area of the tank above the fire causing the tank to slowly pour water over the fire.
Despite
the fact that the tank will be ruptured long after the fire has begun and will not stop a fire which may have begun to burn furniture which is too high to be flooded by the water. It will release water over any hot areas which may emerge.
This idea may also be useful in aircraft and trains, where a sprinkler system may not activate in the event of a collision. The material used would be preferably a plastic which weakens with heat letting the water 'push' through.
Of course a sprinkler system is still more effective in the home.
Bear in mind that during a plane crash you are about to be coverred in a flow of burning fuel and will suffer an agonising death as plastic melts onto your skin and face whilst you slowly cook in an aluminium cabin. Having water sprayed on your slowly as opposed to having your cabin flooded as quickly as possibly is preferable.
Sprinklers
http://rollinsfire.com/learn.html
Same principle as this, well sort of, but more effective. [Worldgineer, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]
Roof Pools
http://www.halfbake...m/idea/Roof_20Pools
For [sirius] sake [Worldgineer, Oct 04 2004]
Boiling water in a paper cup
http://collection.n...ctivities/pots.html
"The temperature necessary to ignite paper is far higher than needed to boil water. Although the fire is hot enough to ignite the paper cup, the heat energy is absorbed by the water, causing it to boil. Wherever water is in contact with the cup, the paper will not burn." [Klaatu, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]
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Annotation:
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You have a tank which is mounted overhead and is pressurized by gravity. Sprinkler heads which are activated by proximate heat are already widely available, and could be readily plumbed to that gravity tank for spot control of flare-ups in the event of fire. |
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Why is a ruptured burning polyethylene-type tank a more efficient method of delivering water in an emergency than the targeted spray produced by the sprinkler? |
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And, in regard to plane and train crashes, if there's no fire to activate the sprinklers, perhaps an unnecessary flood of onrushing water would just make a bad situation worse. |
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This is how "The Towering Inferno" ends. |
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oh, so you'll crash in a plane and, while the flames eat you alive, you pray for the plastic to melt.. |
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See vehicle fire extinguisher system that works by melting pressurised plastic tube nearest to fire, already widely used in racing. |
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Any system like this would need to be made from a material that melts well below the boiling point of water. Otherwise, it won't activate until the fire has had a chance to grow significantly. |
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(you can actually boil water in a paper cup on a campfire. The cup above the water will burn away, and the rest of the paper will be kept cool by the water.) |
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Baked. Well, as long as you're melting your tank instead of burning it. And as long as the entire tank doesn't have to melt. And if the part that does have to melt is actually just a little piece of solder that opens a sprinkler valve. |
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I can imagine a farm of tanks sitting the the middle of a sultry California landscape ... just waiting for a fire. |
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How about a tank of flames that explodes when it rains? |
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Install both for true mahem. |
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Learn from the Inuit. Igloos never burn down because the sprinkler system turns on as soon as it gets above freezing. |
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"And, in regard to plane and train crashes, if there's no fire to activate the sprinklers, perhaps an unnecessary flood of onrushing water would just make a bad situation worse." |
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To prevent you from burning to death. |
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"oh, so you'll crash in a plane and, while the flames eat you alive, you pray for the plastic to melt.." |
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No, you'll pray to be coverred in cool extinguishing water. This preferable to having water sprinkled one you. |
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In a plane crash, tons of burning fuel enters the cabin and melts and cooks everyone within. I would prefer to have half a ton of water pour over me as opposed to nothing or a sprinkle of water. |
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I like the idea of the tank in the roof, but i would improvise and use the tank for roof top pool parties in summer. I'm sirius!! |
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//I'm sirius!!//
No, you are not. Sirius died at the end of Order of the Phoenix. |
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Why not a tank of liquid nitrogen
under great pressure, as well as
this idea? Then when the fire
breaks out, the water will coat the
inside of the area where it's
burning and the liquid nitrogen
will freeze it instantly. Then the
fire will be unable to burn
anywhere else until it has
expended a significant amount of
its energy melting the ice. |
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Of course, you'd need a way of
safely defrosting people who had
been put in instant cryo-stasis by
being encased in ice (well, that's
the way it works in Sci-Fi movies
anyway). |
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The other great advantage to this
idea is that it allows all your
furniture/art/et cetera to be
protected from fire with an icy
coating. |
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Weight is at a premium in an aircraft so carrying large amounts of extra water in case of a fire is probably a non-starter. |
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// In the event of a fire, the fire would melt or burn an area of the tank above the fire causing the tank to slowly pour water over the fire // |
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