Sound wave fire extinguisher: putting out fire with sound
How low-frequency sound waves put out a flame, the 2015 George Mason prototype, the Sonic Fire Tech infrasound system and its limits.
· By the Agent Pompier editorial team · Lire en français
A sound wave fire extinguisher puts out a flame with low-frequency waves instead of water or powder. The idea made two George Mason University students known in 2015. It is back today with Sonic Fire Tech, a company selling an infrasound-based home protection system. Here is what the primary sources say, without the promises of the videos.
How sound can put out a flame
Sound is a pressure wave. Air is compressed then released, dozens of times per second. US patent US10569115B2 describes this back-and-forth motion as a way to move the air around a fire. The wave thins and disperses the narrow layer where fuel meets oxygen. Without that mix, the flame cannot hold.
Low frequencies do the work. The two George Mason students first thought big high-frequency speakers would be enough. They found the opposite, the university reports. The patent covers a range of about 20 to 160 Hz.
The George Mason prototype in 2015
Viet Tran and Seth Robertson were senior electrical and computer engineering students at George Mason University, in Virginia. Their senior design project was a 20-pound extinguisher, about 9 kg. They paid US$600 out of their own pockets. The university presented it on February 5, 2015.
The two students saw the device on a drone above a forest fire, in an urban fire or in space. It leaves no chemicals and no water damage. The resulting patent was granted on February 25, 2020. It belongs to the company Force SV and uses isopropyl alcohol flames in its examples.
Sonic Fire Tech, the home system
Sonic Fire Tech describes itself as a company founded by former NASA acoustics engineers. Its home defense system pairs UL-certified infrared sensors with infrasound emitters, sounds too low for human or pet ears. According to the company, the waves break the chemical chain reaction of combustion and keep embers from reigniting. The system uses no water. It is installed by professionals.
The company website publishes no test report. It gives no frequency, no maximum fire size and no certification as a suppression system.
What it changes for firefighters
Nothing for now. In Quebec, water, foam and the portable extinguisher remain the recognized tools. For the home, Québec.ca recommends a dry chemical extinguisher rated at least 2A 10B C. Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are still required by the Safety Code. What to buy and install is in fire prevention at home.
Sound has physical limits. It pushes air without cooling the fuel. A hot ember can reignite. Published tests involve small flames. A building fire is another matter.
Further reading
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Frequently asked questions
Can you put out a fire with sound?
A small flame, yes. The George Mason students showed it in 2015 with low-frequency waves. No public test shows a room fire put out by sound alone.
What frequency puts out a fire?
Low frequencies. Patent US10569115B2 covers about 20 to 160 Hz. Sonic Fire Tech says it uses infrasound, below the threshold of human hearing.
Does a sound wave extinguisher replace a regular one?
No. No sound wave extinguisher carries a rating like 2A 10B C. Québec.ca still recommends a dry chemical extinguisher for the home.
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Thank you. It is anonymous, and it tells us what to write next.
Sources
- George Mason University, College of Engineering and Computing, Pump Up the Bass To Douse a Blaze: Mason Students' Invention Fights Fires, February 5, 2015
- Google Patents, US10569115B2, Methods and systems for disrupting phenomena with waves, granted February 25, 2020, accessed October 28, 2026
- Sonic Fire Tech, How it Works, undated page, accessed October 28, 2026
- Government of Quebec, Extincteur d'incendie pour la maison, updated October 10, 2025