Labile bromine fire suppressants

Abstract

A class of fire suppressant compounds which have labile bromine atoms bound to atoms other than carbon have been discovered to be more effective at suppressing fires than Halon 1211 and Halon 1301. Moreover, this class of fire suppressant compounds hydrolyze or oxidize rapidly in the troposphere and as a consequence thereof, they have minimal ozone depletion potential.

1. A fire suppressant composition consisting essentially of: at least one brominated, non-carbon compound in a liquid state selected from the group consisting of PBr 3 POBr 3 , SOBr 2 , BrF 3 , BrF 5 , PBr 5 , TiBr 4 , SiBr 4 , IBr, CuBr, NOBr, BrF,  and BBr 3 , which is combined with ; and a propellant combined with the compound for propelling the composition such that the ozone depletion potential of   sufficient bromine atoms are liberated from the composition to suppress a fire, wherein the composition is less than  0.1  has no ozone depletion potential.    
     
     
       2. The fire suppressant composition of  claim 1  wherein ozone depletion potential is defined on a scale where the ozone depletion caused by CFl 3  is 1.0. 
     
     
       3. A  The fire suppressant composition consisting of at least one labile brominated compound selected from the group consisting of PBr 3 , POBr 3 , SOBr 2 , BrF 3 , BrF 5 , TiBr 4 , SiBr 4 , IBr, CuBr, NOBr, BrF, BBr 3 , and BrCl, which is combined with a  of  claim 1 , wherein the propellant is selected from the group consisting of CO 2 , N 2 , and compressed airand HCFC-123 (CF 3 CCl 2 H) . 
     
     
       4. The fire suppressant composition of  claim 3  wherein ozone depletion potential of the propellant equals 0.016. 
     
     
       5. The composition of  claim 1  wherein said brominated compound is PBr 3   .   
     
     
       6. The composition of  claim 1  wherein said brominated compound is BBr 3   .   
     
     
       7. The composition of  claim 1  wherein the propellant is nonflammable. 
     
     
       8. The composition of  claim 7  wherein said brominated compound is PBr 3   .   
     
     
       9. The composition of  claim 7  wherein said brominated compound is BBr 3   .   
     
     
       10. The composition of  claim 1  wherein said brominated compound is not stable in, and said sufficient bromine atoms are liberated in, the presence of oxygen. 
     
     
       11. The composition of  claim 10  wherein said liberated bromine atoms are sufficient to catalytically suppress the fire. 
     
     
       12. The composition of  claim 1  wherein said brominated compound is not stable in, and said sufficient bromine atoms are liberated in, the presence of heat. 
     
     
       13. The composition of  claim 12  wherein said liberated bromine atoms are sufficient to catalytically suppress the fire. 
     
     
       14. The composition of  claim 1  wherein said brominated compound is not stable in, and said sufficient bromine atoms are liberated in, the presence of water. 
     
     
       15. The composition of  claim 14  wherein said liberated bromine atoms are sufficient to catalytically suppress the fire. 
     
     
       16. The composition of  claim 1  wherein the ratio of the volume of propellant to the volume of brominated compound is  7  to  2 . 
     
     
       17. The composition of  claim 1  wherein the quantity of the composition required to suppress a fire is between  100  and  1000  times less than the quantity of CF 3   Br required to suppress the fire.   
     
     
       18. The composition of  claim 5  wherein said brominated compound is not stable in, and said sufficient bromine atoms are liberated in, the presence of oxygen. 
     
     
       19. The composition of  claim 18  wherein said liberated bromine atoms are sufficient to catalytically suppress the fire. 
     
     
       20. The composition of  claim 5  wherein said brominated compound is not stable in, and said sufficient bromine atoms are liberated in, the presence of heat. 
     
     
       21. The composition of  claim 20  wherein said liberated bromine atoms are sufficient to catalytically suppress the fire. 
     
     
       22. The composition of  claim 5  wherein said brominated compound is not stable in, and said sufficient bromine atoms are liberated in, the presence of water. 
     
     
       23. The composition of  claim 22  wherein said wherein said liberated bromine atoms are sufficient to catalytically suppress the fire. 
     
     
       24. The composition of  claim 5  wherein the ratio of the volume of propellant to the volume of brominated compound is  7  to  2 . 
     
     
       25. The composition of  claim 24  wherein the quantity of the composition required to suppress a fire is between  100  and  1000  times less than the quantity of CF 3   Br required to extinguish the fire.   
     
     
       26. The composition of  claim 1  wherein the propellant is a non- flammable, pressurized gas.   
     
     
       27. The composition of  claim 1  wherein the propellant is a deflagrating, solid, gas- generating cartridge.   
     
     
       28. The composition of  claim 1  wherein the propellant is a pressurized liquid. 
     
     
       29. The composition of  claim 5  wherein the propellant is a non- flammable, pressurized gas.   
     
     
       30. The composition of  claim 5  wherein the propellant is a deflagrating, solid, gas- generating cartridge.   
     
     
       31. The composition of  claim 5  wherein the propellant is a pressurized liquid. 
     
     
       32. A fire suppressant composition consisting essentially of PBr 3    in a liquid state and a propellant combined with the PBr   3    for propelling the composition to catalytically suppress a fire, wherein the composition has no ozone depletion potential.   
     
     
       33. The fire suppressant composition of  claim 32 , wherein the propellant is selected from the group consisting of CO 2   , N   2   , and compressed air.   
     
     
       34. The composition of  claim 32  wherein the propellant is nonflammable. 
     
     
       35. The composition of  claim 32  wherein the PBr 3    is not stable in the presence of oxygen.   
     
     
       36. The composition of  claim 32  wherein the PBr 3    is not stable in the presence of heat.   
     
     
       37. The composition of  claim 32  wherein the PBr 3    is not stable in the presence of water.   
     
     
       38. The composition of  claim 32  wherein the ratio of the volume of propellant to the volume of PBr 3    is  7  to  2 .   
     
     
       39. The composition of  claim 32  wherein the quantity of the composition required to suppress a fire is between  100  and  1000  times less than the quantity of CF 3   Br required to suppress the fire.   
     
     
       40. The composition of  claim 32  wherein the propellant is a non- flammable pressurized gas.   
     
     
       41. The composition of  claim 32  wherein the propellant is a deflagrating, solid, gas- generating cartridge.   
     
     
       42. The composition of  claim 32  wherein the propellant is a pressurized liquid. 
     
     
       43. A fire suppressant composition consisting essentially of PBr 3    in a liquid state and a propellant combined with the PBr   3    for propelling the composition to an aircraft engine, such that sufficient bromine atoms are liberated from the composition to suppress a fire in the aircraft engine, wherein the composition has no ozone depletion potential.   
     
     
       44. The fire suppressant composition of  claim 43 , wherein the propellant is selected from the group consisting of CO 2   , N   2   , and compressed air.   
     
     
       45. The composition of  claim 43  wherein the propellant is nonflammable. 
     
     
       46. The composition of  claim 43  wherein the PBr 3    is not stable in the presence of oxygen.   
     
     
       47. The composition of  claim 46  wherein said wherein said liberated bromine atoms are sufficient to catalytically suppress the fire. 
     
     
       48. The composition of  claim 43  wherein the PBr 3    is not stable in the presence of heat.   
     
     
       49. The composition of  claim 48  wherein said wherein said liberated bromine atoms are sufficient to catalytically suppress the fire. 
     
     
       50. The composition of  claim 43  wherein the PBr 3    is not stable in the presence of water.   
     
     
       51. The composition of  claim 50  wherein said wherein said liberated bromine atoms are sufficient to catalytically suppress the fire. 
     
     
       52. The composition of  claim 43  wherein the ratio of the volume of propellant to the volume of PBr 3    is  7  to  2 .   
     
     
       53. The composition of  claim 43  wherein the quantity of the composition required to suppress a fire is between  100  and  1000  times less than the quantity of CF 3   Br required to suppress the fire.   
     
     
       54. The composition of  claim 43  wherein the propellant is a non- flammable, pressurized gas.   
     
     
       55. The composition of  claim 43  wherein the propellant is a deflagrating, solid, gas- generating cartridge.   
     
     
       56. The composition of  claim 43  wherein the propellant is a pressurized liquid.