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Types of Concentrates (Water Additives)

Types of Concentrates (Water Additives). Not to be mistaken for Class A concentrate. Foam Concentrate - Water Additives. Wetting agents Class A foam concentrate Class A Foam Class B foam concentrate Protein & Film Forming Fluoroprotein (FFFP) Aqueous Film Forming Foams (AFFF)

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Types of Concentrates (Water Additives)

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  1. Types of Concentrates(Water Additives)

  2. Not to be mistaken for Class A concentrate Foam Concentrate - Water Additives • Wetting agents • Class A foam concentrate • Class A Foam • Class B foam concentrate • Protein & Film Forming Fluoroprotein (FFFP) • Aqueous Film Forming Foams (AFFF) • Alcohol Resistant-AFFF (AR-AFFF) • Emulsifiers / Spill response agents • Gels

  3. Concentrate Usage • Class A foam (Proportioned 0.1-1.0%) • Wood, paper, tires, any Class A combustible • Effective in initial attack, overhaul, mop-up and exposure protection • Does NOT affect application rates or manpower requirements • Class B foam (Proportioned 1.0-6.0%) • Hydrocarbons and polar solvents • Emulsifier/Spill response agent (Various rates) • “Fuel neutralizer” and hydrocarbon recovery • Gel (Various rates) • Exposure protection

  4. Class A Foam

  5. Class A Foam Characteristics Finished foam adjusted by concentrate percentageusing the proportioner Wet 0.2% Overhaul Fluid 0.5% Initial Attack Dry 1.0% Exposure

  6. Wet Foam At 0.2% - Overhaul Small bubble structure and quick drain time

  7. Fluid Foam At 0.5% - Initial Attack Medium bubble structure and slower drain time

  8. Dry Foam At 1.0%Exposure Protection - Long Lasting Produces a dry foam blanket with a very slow drain time

  9. Foam Properties • Expansion ratio • Volume of finished foam to volume of foam solution • Hose-end appliance dictates expansion ratio • Based on amount of air introduced • Low Expansion 1:1 - 20:1 • Medium Expansion 20:1 - 200:1 • High Expansion 200:1 +

  10. Exterior Low Expansion Application

  11. Medium Expansion Foam

  12. High Expansion Foam High expansion generator Flowing down a hillside

  13. The Value Of Using Class A FoamImproves Fire Fighting EffectivenessBy 2 To 4 Times

  14. Salem TestsFire Engineering, February 1993 • Temperature drop from 1,000° F to 212° F, at a four foot level Water: 223 Seconds Foam: 103 Seconds CAFS: 39 Seconds Water Foam CAFS

  15. Dr. Holger de Vries (Germany) Fire Chief Magazine, August 1999 • Crib burn - controlled test conditions • Class A foam vs. plain water • 40% less solution than plain water • 43% less extinguishing effort than with plain water (extinguishing agent volume x time to extinguish) • Conclusion • Reduced exposure to hostile environments and improved fire fighter safety

  16. Palmdale StudyFire Chief Magazine, August 2001

  17. Palmdale Study • L.A. County Fire Dept. scientifically conducted tests to compare effectiveness of: • Plain water • Foam solution • Compressed air foam • Temperature readings obtained via wall and ceiling mounted thermocouples at one foot increments

  18. Palmdale Study • Three identical 1100 sq./ft. homes and contents

  19. Cubic Feet Involved100 = GPM 9,075100 = 91 Critical Application Rate • The IOWA formula was used to calculate flow rate

  20. Water Foam CAFS Knockdown Time Results Water: 50 seconds Foam: 25 seconds 50% better than water CAFS: 11 seconds 78% better than water 66% better than foam

  21. Water Foam CAFS Gallons Required To Knockdown Water: 73 gallons Foam: 44 gallons 40% better than water CAFS: 16 gallons 79% better than water 64% better than foam

  22. After 225 gallons, IC ordered foam to aid overhaul Total Gallons Used Water: 320 gallons Foam: 95 gallons 71% better than water CAFS: 45 gallons 86% better than water 53% better than foam Water Foam CAFS

  23. Time To Cool: 600°F To 200°F Water: 6:03 min Foam: 1:45 min 71% better than water CAFS: 1:28 min 76% better than water 17% better than foam Water Foam CAFS

  24. Total Foam Concentrate Used Foam CAFS Concentrate Cost: $15/gal Foam Solution: 31 oz = $3.63 CAFS: 5.8 oz = $0.68

  25. What These Tests Prove • Naturally aspirated foam (NAF) beats water • Time to knockdown • Gallons to knockdown • Total water used • Cooling • Compressed Air Foam beats NAF - in all categories

  26. Why Does Foam Work? • Smaller droplets – faster heat absorbtion • Reduces surface tension – penetrates and wets fuel • Foam blanket – provides protection

  27. Water And Class A Concentrate Surface tension causes water to bead up on fuel…

  28. Water And Class A Concentrate Add Class A foam to plain water… solution spreads and penetrates the fuel…

  29. Water And Class A Concentrate Chance of rekindle lessens with Class A solution

  30. Give It A Try • Place a small drop of plain water on piece of corrugated cardboard (Note: it maintains beaded shape, caused by surface tension) • Place a small drop of soapy water next to it (soap is a surfactant similar to Class A) • Which would provide better extinguishment and have less runoff?

  31. CAFS Foam Water Why Use Water Additives?

  32. Class A Foam Applications

  33. Fire Reported! • 1890’s brick schoolhouse • 4 miles outside of town • No hydrants • First pumper on scene • 6 minute response • 750 gallons of water • FoamPro 2001

  34. Fire Knocked Down! • Initial attack • 2-1/2” line • 328 gpm • 0.5% Class A foam • Knockdown • 6 seconds • 33 gallons of water • 0.17 gallons of Class A foam concentrate

  35. Tire Fire Class A Foam Effectiveness On Tire Fires • Class A foam: • 60 gpm @ 0.5% • Medium expansion • 20 minute knockdown Tire Fire Plain Water • Water: • 750 gpm supplied by: • Two 2-1/2” • Two 1-3/4” • No effect

  36. Fully Involved Garage! Class A foam attack - 125 gpm at 0.5%

  37. Garage After 35 Second Attack NOTE: Lack of smoke; ability of Class A foam to bond with carbon

  38. Structural – Exterior Attack • 200' x 24' x 35' wood frame structure • Attack with single 1 ½" CAFS line with 1" tip • Approximately 50 gpm, 20 cfm at 0.5%

  39. Structural – Exterior Attack Exposure on left protected with foam CAFS attack begins

  40. CAFS attack continues Structural – Exterior Attack

  41. Exterior Structure Attack with Low Expansion CAFS stream

  42. Benefits Of Class A Foam To The Department • Improves firefightersafety • Increases efficiency of plain water 2 to 4 times • Faster fire knockdown • Reduces heat rapidly • Reduces property damage • Reduces overhaul • Fewer rekindles • Exposure protection • Preserves evidence • Faster cleanup • Reduces on scene • time

  43. Points To Ponder • Immediately reduce your fire losses by 50 to 75% … just by implementing Class A foam or CAFS. • What other initiative would have as significant an impact for your department? • If this is not a top priority for your department, why not?

  44. Class B Foam & Emulsifiers

  45. Class B Foam • Designed to form a film and seal vapors • Applied at 1%, 3%, or 6% per foam manufacturer • Polar solvents require alcohol resistant (AR) foam • Multi-use foam can be used on both • Concentration ratios are 1%x3%, 3%x3%, and 3%x6% (second percentage for polar solvents)

  46. Class B Foam Fuel must be contained to form film

  47. Containment Challenges • Training • Real life • If no containment: • No film forming seal • Then alternatives are: • Class A foam • Emulsifiers

  48. Types Of Class B Concentrate • Film Forming FluoroProtein (FFFP) • Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) • Alcohol Resistant-Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AR-AFFF)

  49. Film Forming FluoroProtein(FFFP) • Capabilities: • Biodegradable • Excellent fuel shedding • Long lasting foam blanket and high burn-back resistance • Limitations: • Requires aspiration • Used at ratios 3% or 6% • Poor at flowing and wetting (messy and smelly)

  50. Aqueous Film Forming Foam(AFFF) • Capabilities: • Does not require specialized delivery equipment • Fluid foam that spreads across the fuel surface • Quick knockdown • Long shelf life in original sealed container (unopened) • Limitations: • Fast drain time • Limited burn-back resistance • May be hazardous • Storage and shelf-life once original container is opened • Use only on hydrocarbons at 1%, 3% or 6% ratios

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