New device uses electric wind to combat fires

February 05, 2025

Firefighting is a dangerous profession where every second counts. 
 
Researchers at Ohio State University have developed a novel portable tool for safer and more efficient fire suppression.  
 
This device uses the properties of conductive aerosols—tiny, electricity-conducting particles—to put out fires.

The tools of firefighting have remained largely unchanged for years. Hence, the team set out to refine existing fire management techniques. 
 
This new firefighting technology offers a more environmentally friendly option compared to traditional methods like chemical foams (which can be toxic) and hydrants (which can deplete water supplies).

Low cost bucket-like device
 
The main tech that makes this new device work is vortex rings, which are donut-shaped air bands that carry electrically charged particles. 
 
The conductive aerosols are made up of coarse copper solution. 
 
The rings create short, powerful bursts of wind that convert surrounding oxygen into ozone. 

It creates a turbulent wind that disrupts combustion and quickly extinguishes fires. 
 
“Using a combination of electricity and this vortex ring technology, we found a more efficient way of solving an environmental problem that will improve our quality of life,” said John LaRocco, lead author of the study and a research scientist in psychiatry at The Ohio State University College of Medicine.  
 
The launcher is a small, bucket-like device worn on the arm. The bucket is equipped with compressed air or an elastic diaphragm to propel aerosol-filled vortex rings to extinguish the flames. 
 
To improve the launcher’s power, the team tested two prototypes.  
 
One version was made with compressed air with a conical muzzle, and the second used an elastic diaphragm with a square muzzle. Both versions were designed to generate vortex rings.

Could be used in military vehicles
 
After the testing, the team found that the compressed air version was much more efficient. Despite design differences, both vortex generator prototypes had a comparable effective range of around 6.5 feet (2 meters). 
 
“The design of our Vortex Launcher is actually really simple in nature. One of the benefits of that simplicity is it’s also very scalable,” said John Simonis, co-author of the study and an undergraduate student.  
 
“It’s maneuverable in tight spaces so that you can walk through doors and indoor environments, but also large enough to have the practical benefits of generating those vortex rings,” Simonis added in the press release.  
 
Moreover, these vortex rings can carry chemicals further than other methods, which would allow firefighters to stay at a safer distance from the flames. This is because the rings maintain their shape over a long distance.  
 
The team plans to add sensors and image analysis (computer vision) to the device, enabling it to target fires from various causes. 
 
This low-cost, portable device could also be equipped on military vehicles and spacecraft to protect the interiors from fire. 

“There are lots of applications for our device to make a difference,” added Simonis. 
 
Multiple devices would likely be needed to fight a real fire, depending on the fire’s size and the number of firefighters present.