Wrapping buildings with fire blankets is a feasible way to protect them from wildfires. This is the first study to scientifically evaluate this defense method.

By rigorously testing different fabric materials in the laboratory and using them to shield structures exposed to increasing fires, this research published in Frontiers of Mechanical Engineering confirms that existing blanket technology can protect structures from transients. Wildfires. In order to successfully deploy in areas with severe fires and high housing density, technological advances in blanket materials and deployment methods, as well as multi-structure protection strategies are required.

"Whole house fire blankets are a viable way to prevent fires at the junction of wasteland and cities," said the lead research author, Fumiaki Takahashi, a professor at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, and a co-worker with NASA, said Glenn Research Center, American Lin The Department of Public Affairs, the New Jersey Forest Fire Department, and Cuyahoga Community College conducted the study.

He continued, “Current technology can protect an isolated structure from relatively short wildfires, and further technological developments may enable this method to be used in harsh situations.”

Wildfires in urban and suburban environments can have devastating effects on communities and constitute one of the greatest fire challenges of our time.

People living and working in fire-hazardous areas contacted Professor Takahashi to find out if there are commercial products that can help reduce the possibility of structure fire, thereby reducing fire losses and improving the safety of the public and firefighters. These requests inspired this research, and preliminary investigations revealed that the concept of a monolithic fire blanket has existed for a long time.

"I thought of a way to reduce the damage of wildfires, and discovered a US patent "flame retardant curtain", that is, a fire blanket issued during the Second World War. In addition, the US Forest Service firefighters used fireproof materials to It was wrapped up and successfully saved a historic forest hut," Takahashi reports.

Although there are rumors about the ability of fire blankets to protect buildings from fire, Takahashi's research highlights the serious lack of scientific evidence to support these claims. To solve this problem, with a research grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the team conducted multiple experiments to test the ability of different blanket materials to protect the structure from increasing fires.

"Fire exposure tests have determined the degree of protection of fire blankets to various wooden structures, from birdhouses in combustion chambers to full-size sheds in real forest fires. We tested four types of fabric materials: aramid, fiberglass , Amorphous silica and pre-oxidized carbon. Each material has and does not have an aluminum surface. In addition, we conducted laboratory experiments under controlled thermal exposure and measured the insulation of these materials to direct flame contact or radiant heat. Thermal capacity."

Laboratory and real fire assessments show that fire blankets can protect the structure from short-term exposure to wildfire, but it also highlights the technical limitations of its existing form. Further technological advancements are needed in the areas of material composition, deployment methods, and multi-structure protection strategies.

Takahashi explained: "Glass fiber or amorphous silica fabric laminated with aluminum foil performs best. This is due to the fabric’s high reflection/radiation and good thermal insulation. New technologies are needed to enhance the long-term performance of fire blankets. Thermal insulation to prevent fire between structures. In addition, if dozens or hundreds of households are protected by this advanced fire blanket at the same time, the effect will be better, especially in high-density wasteland-urban interface communities."

Finally, he suggested that communities that may be affected by wildfires work together to make the concept of the entire building's fire blankets a reality.

"Fire blanket protection is of great significance to people living and fighting fires at Wildland-Urban Interface, and provides opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors. The current survey results mean that the technical community, the public, and the fire department must work together to take a step-by-step approach. Method to successfully apply this technology."

Reference: "The whole house fire blanket is protected from the wasteland-urban interface fire", Fumiaki Takahashi, Frontier of Mechanical Engineering. DOI: 10.3389/fmech.2019.00060

RNG Performance Materials produces various types of fire blankets made of aluminized glass fiber, aluminized Kevlar fiber, glass fiber, and silicone-coated glass fiber

The helicopter can lower the tent like a covering on the house in front of the line of fire. Drinkable, movable, easy-to-roll and unfold fire blanket walls distributed along the road can also be used to prevent the fire from spreading. Read Ron McCune's Facebook page from Chicago, Illinois for more ideas

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