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Sonic Fire Tech technology uses low-frequency sound waves to drive oxygen away from flames, extinguish small fires without water or chemicals, and prevent damage caused by sprinklers in domestic environments.
Technology that fights fires with sound waves, without water or chemicals, has been patented by Sonic Fire Tech as an alternative to extinguish small-scale flames. The solution uses infrasound to interfere with combustion, driving oxygen molecules away from the fuel.
The proposal was created by Geoff Bruder, an aerospace engineer who researched thermal energy conversion at NASA and co-founded the company.
The initiative addresses the limitations of traditional firefighting, as water can be scarce or cause damage, and chemicals affect health and the environment.
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How fires are extinguished by sound
Fire depends on heat, fuel, and oxygen. The technology emits low-frequency sound waves to prevent the fire from receiving enough oxygen and maintaining the chemical reaction.
Bruder stated that the method vibrates the oxygen faster than the fuel can use it, blocking the reaction. The company does not claim to be the pioneer in using sound against fires.
Infrasound solves an old challenge
The acoustic influence on flames was already known in combustion. DARPA studied the subject in the early 2000s, and academic researchers had been conducting experiments for decades.
Albert Simeoni, from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, told Scientific American that the challenge was to scale up the technology without sound effects. Sonic Fire Tech used infrasound, with waves of 20 Hz or less, inaudible and capable of traveling far.
Testing and residential use
Firefighters in San Bernardino tested a wearable device developed by the company. Sonic Fire Tech also offers integrated home solutions, triggered by sensors, to extinguish flames without wetting floors or damaging furniture.
Remington Hotchkis told CBS News that sprinklers are ineffective in grease fires and can spread the fire. The company says its system suppressed flames with autonomous detection, but the acoustics still only work on a small scale.
