Source: Ars Technica
MIT researchers have demonstrated that infrasound waves can suppress cooking oil fires by disrupting the flame's chemistry, offering a novel alternative to water-based suppression in kitchens where sprinkler damage costs money and disrupts service. The mechanism—using low-frequency sound to cool flames and separate fuel from oxygen—works on grease fires that water actually worsens. Restaurants and equipment manufacturers face a straightforward adoption question: whether to retrofit when cheap sprinklers already exist and insurance already covers the aftermath.