A decade prior, a pair of college students engineered a fire extinguisher utilizing solely a booming 10-inch subwoofer to put out flames. This captivated the internet, leading to a demonstration booking on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
However, following that brief viral sensation, the technology has seen little more than passing mentions.
This isn’t due to a lack of effort. The college students were not the pioneers of the concept. DARPA tackled it in 2012, and a review of scientific publications reveals numerous researchers exploring the concept.
Currently, a startup asserts it has resolved the challenge. Sonic Fire Tech has developed an acoustic fire suppression system that not only puts out fires but may also shield homes and other structures from wildfires. TechCrunch has exclusively discovered that the startup has secured a $3.5 million seed round from investors, including Khosla Ventures and Third Sphere.
Wildfires inflict annual costs on the U.S. that can reach $424 billion. The problem has escalated to the point where insurers in regions like California are declining policy renewals following repeated fires that have turned vast areas of the state to ashes.
Sonic Fire Tech has been refining its technology over the past several years. Michael Thomas, the chairman of the startup’s board, had been experimenting with sound-based fire suppression. When he encountered an obstacle, he contacted Geoff Bruder via LinkedIn. Bruder had previously worked at NASA, concentrating on heat and acoustics.
“This is a somewhat contemporary founding narrative,” Bruder, the startup’s CEO and CTO, stated to TechCrunch.
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Bruder found Thomas’s concept intriguing and began building a prototype. Bruder recalled, “I acquired a subwoofer and various components from Home Depot and AutoZone, deciding to see if we could outperform past attempts. “We successfully extinguished a fire from seven feet away in my driveway.”
The startup quickly abandoned the subwoofer, opting for lower frequencies. Bruder explained that the issue with audible frequencies lies in the potential hearing damage from any system powerful enough to suppress a fire. He stated, “You essentially have to discard the speaker design and begin anew.”
There are differing theories explaining how acoustic energy might disrupt combustion, yet the silent demonstrations strongly imply Sonic Fire Tech is on the right path.
The updated system employs a reciprocating piston, similar to those in a car’s engine, albeit substantially larger. An electric motor rotates a crankshaft, which drives the two-foot piston to generate infrasound, the scientific term for sound below human hearing range, roughly 20 Hz.
Bruder mentioned, “Given our complete in-house design, we decreased the frequency to an inaudible level, enhancing transmission distance and ensuring safety.”
Sonic Fire Tech’s current range record is 25 feet. Bruder noted that a larger system could potentially reach 330 feet. The company intends to sell and install its system for approximately 2% of a home’s value and is engaging with insurance providers to qualify the technology.
To safeguard a residence, Sonic Fire Tech channels infrasound from a single generator via rigid ducts positioned on the roof’s ridge and beneath the eaves. On the ridge, they project downwards to intercept any fires igniting from debris in the gutters. Beneath the eaves, they focus towards the ground to extinguish any flames emerging near the walls. The system activates upon flame detection by sensors.
A residential system consumes around 500 watts, and Sonic Fire Tech is developing plans to incorporate lead-acid batteries for backup power in case of outages. Unlike sprinkler systems, it doesn’t need a water source, which can be scarce in wildfire-prone areas.
The startup is collaborating with PG&E and Southern California Edison to showcase the technology on homes and has signed a letter of intent with a chemical storage facility.
Bruder stated, “The logical next step is, upon sprinkler replacement certification, to simply run a pipe into your home, protecting your kitchen and any area requiring protection.”
