DARPA Creates Machine Which Extinguishes Fires With Sound 121
SchrodingerZ writes "The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is known for making odd scientific advances ranging from hypersonic unnamed rockets to bionic prosthetic limbs to insect-sized reconnaissance drones. But recently DARPA has made a interesting advancement in the field of fire suppression. Using two speakers arranged on either side of an open liquid fuel flame, an acoustic field was emitted and engulfed the fire. 'The sound increases air velocity, which then thins the area of the flame where combustion occurs, known as the flame boundary.' This make the flame weak and much easier to douse. Another wonderful thing about this: it's not even that loud! DARPA began its testing in 2008, stating that despite extensive research in this area, there have been no new methods for extinguishing and/or manipulating fire in almost 50 years. The agency plans to expand on this experiment and try to make it successful on a practical scale."
DARPA is doing Mythbusters reruns, now? (Score:5, Informative)
The Mythbusters did that already, in Episode 76 (http://mythbustersresults.com/episode76). So we know that works already...
Re:CO2? (Score:5, Informative)
"The Instant Fire Suppression project was specifically launched to devise new ways of tackling fires in enclosed spaces, such as aircraft cockpits and ship holds, where fires are obviously devastating and incredibly difficult to control." - TFA
Re:DARPA is doing Mythbusters reruns, now? (Score:4, Informative)
it's been a topic of research since 1900
Mythbusters don't do research, they only do experiments.
Obligatory XKCD [xkcd.com]