Importance

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Abstract

A system for suppressing fire in an enclosed space, e.g. an aircraft cabin or freight compartment, includes nitrogen tanks and/or generators to rapidly supply a limited quantity of nitrogen with-a high flow rate, and a membrane system to supply an essentially unlimited quantity of nitrogen at a lower supply rate for a long duration. The membrane system includes a selectively permeable membrane that separates nitrogen gas from ambient environmental air that is supplied into the membrane system. Once a fire is detected, nitrogen is supplied from the nitrogen gas tanks and/or generators at a high rate to rapidly increase the nitrogen concentration and establish a reduced oxygen concentration (e.g. 12 vol. %) in the enclosed space. Then, nitrogen is supplied from the membrane system at a reduced rate for a long duration to maintain the reduced oxygen concentration in the enclosed space until the fire is extinguished by oxygen starvation.

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First Claim