Elide Fire Ball – Recently, the development of a new fire suppression technology generated global headlines. The Elide Fire Extinguisher Ball utilizes mono-ammonium phosphate (“MAP”) to extinguish fires very rapidly. This brief article explores this fascinating new fire suppression tool.
Reportedly, an inventor in Israel developed the Elide Fire Ball as a way to quench flames quickly without the use of water. The product, manufactured today in Thailand, bears a strong resemblance to an ordinary plastic ball.
Available in a variety of diameters (including four inches and six inches), the Elide Fire Ball contains powdered MAP. Manufacturers of fire extinguishers employ this chemical extensively in their products. MAP occurs widely as a component of the chemicals used in Class A, Class B, and Class C approved extinguishers. The Elide Fire Ball reportedly maintains an active shelf life of around five years. Click here for the Best-Selling Fire Safety Products.
Using The Elide Fire Ball
How does someone put out a fire with the assistance of the Elide Fire Ball? Unlike a conventional fire extinguisher, this flexible tool requires virtually no training to use as a means of fire suppression. Simply drop, toss, or roll the ball into the flames. Within three to five seconds of coming into contact with a blaze, the Elide Fire Ball explodes. The detonation results in a loud cracking sound measured at around 120 decibels. The MAP powder disperses and suppresses flames coming into contact with it.
Ease of Maintenance
The Elide Fire Ball differs from conventional fire extinguishers by requiring no periodic maintenance. Its simplicity makes is a very convenient tool in this respect. As long as the ball remains intact, it supplies a readily accessible fire suppression device for use during an emergency. Only direct contact with flames causes the Elide Fire Ball to detonate. This product weighs under five pounds in most sizes, a feature contributing to its ease of use.
Pros And Cons
This simple mechanism of fire extinction offers both advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, the Elide Fire Ball does not require extensive training to detonate. Young children, the infirm, and the elderly may readily wield this tool to suppress flames within the immediate vicinity. On the other hand, a single Elide Fire Ball offers only one good opportunity to put out a raging fire. It will control flames within its contact zone, but it lacks the versatility of a mobile fire extinguishing unit. You cannot re-use the Elide Fire Ball to control flames in other parts of a room after it detonates.
A Non-Toxic Fire Suppression Method
The detonation of the Elide Fire Ball results in MAP powder billowing through the location. Fortunately, this material proves non-toxic to plants, animals, and people. Although breathing air laden with particulates is never a great idea, MAP won’t harm anyone by landing briefly on their clothes or skin. It also does not damage electrical systems, a big plus in terms of property conservation during house fires.
Reportedly, the active agents in the MAP powder serve to quench flames rapidly by physically separating the three essential components of dry chemical fires: heat, oxygen, and fuel. MAP won’t prove effective against conflagrations caused by agents not susceptible to Class A, Class B, or Class C fires, however (e.g. it doesn’t prove reliable against fires caused by combustible metals, cooking oils, or electrical system malfunctions).
The Elide Fire Ball For Affordable Home Fire Suppression
One use for the Elide Fire Ball offers potentially lifesaving benefits for some homeowners. Currently, many home fire sprinkler systems utilize water-emitting spray nozzles to fight flames. These units supply valuable time for residents to leave the premises when a conflagration occurs. By suppressing fire within the immediate area, a sprinkler system gives people an opportunity to escape the scene unharmed. One popular use of the Elide Fire Ball involves affixing this item to walls or ceilings where a fire might ignite. If flames come into contact with it, the Elide Fire Ball will detonate of its own accord with a loud noise.
Conventional Water-Based Sprinkler System Drawbacks
Conventional water-based fire sprinkler systems represent a gold standard in terms of fire suppression. Yet these systems hold at least two significant drawbacks. First, installing these units often proves costly. The process typically requires plumbing system modifications in older homes. In 2013, the cost of a conventional home sprinkler system averaged $1.35 per square foot nationwide. While affordable in some locales, these systems prove quite costly in others.
Second, the activation of the sprinkler nozzles (even during a false alarm) drenches home furnishings within the vicinity; cleanup usually necessitates professional water-extraction assistance. Sometimes flooding stemming from home sprinkler system activation produces significant property losses, even if only a minor blaze or a false alarm occurs.
The Elide Fire Ball’s Use in Home Fire Suppression
The use of Elide Fire Balls in addition to a water-based sprinkler system might offer a welcome home improvement in some situations. Since this fire suppression tool makes a loud noise upon detonation, it would likely alert people nearby to the presence of a fire. Additionally, homeowners who cannot afford the modifications required to install home fire sprinkler systems might find the installation of a series of Elide Fire Balls financially feasible. The Elide Fire Ball does hold the drawback of only activating upon contact with flames. The use of a well-maintained fire alarm system in conjunction with this technology would prove prudent for anyone hoping to use Elide Fire Balls as a poor man’s home sprinkler system alternative.
Final Thoughts
While not a cure-all in terms of controlling house fires, the Elide Fire Ball will likely help save many lives during coming decades. This exciting technology requires no maintenance. It supplies a readily accessible, affordable fire suppression tool for everyone. Even young children and the elderly can employ the Elide Fire Ball successfully to quench a small fire in a matter of seconds!