Efficient water use during fire suppression is a critical yet often under-examined aspect of modern firefighting operations. When battling a fire, every second and every liter of water counts. Traditional firefighting methods can consume thousands of liters of water per minute, often leading to shortages, runoff contamination, and strain on local supplies. With the assistance of modern suppression methods and agents, such as fire protection foams, firefighters can control blazes more effectively while minimizing water waste.
In this article we will explore the superior water saving properties of GreenFire® products.
How GreenFire Fire Protection Foam Works
GreenFire® technology employs a very novel method in the way that it attacks fires. Traditional firefighting foams only slow the spread of fire, rather than extinguish it. In contrast, GreenFire® technology attacks three out of the four faces of the fire tetrahedron simultaneously: the cooling capabilities remove heat from the fire triangle, while the foam-generating capabilities remove oxygen from the fire triangle, and the retardant capabilities render the fuel itself un-burnable, effectively eliminating the third leg of the fire triangle. This retardant capability functions even long after all the moisture has evaporated away.
● Cooling Capabilities
Water has always been an ideal liquid for extinguishing fires. However, much of water’s efficacy is hampered by the Leidenfrost effect. This is a phenomenon in which a droplet of water is unable to make physical contact with its target surface due to a steam barrier that forms between them.
GreenFire® technology has overcome this hurdle by employing a unique blend of biodegradable, high boiling point carbohydrates which allow it to break through this steam barrier and provide immediate cooling. This allows for much faster fire knockdown with far less water usage.
● Wetting Abilities
Another factor that often limits the effectiveness of water against fires is the high surface tension. Rather than wetting the surface, the water often forms beads that simply roll off the surface to the ground.
GreenFire® technology employs a surfactant blend that functions as a wetting agent promoting increased absorption and penetration into the target surface. This also greatly reduces water usage and runoff while speeding up extinguishment.
● Retardant Capabilities
Another aspect of GreenFire® is the incorporation of retardant properties which provide an additional facet to its ability to extinguish fires. There are two major mechanisms by which the retardants function. One is that they promote the formation of char on the material’s surface. The retardants employed also function by sequestering the free radicals that propagate the oxidation reaction. These unique properties allow it to attack the chain reaction face of the fire tetrahedron.
While current products lose all effectiveness after the water has evaporated, GreenFire® technology’s retardants continue to function even after all the moisture is gone.
In Summary
The cooling effect of GreenFire® technology removes heat from the fire tetrahedron, the foam generating capabilities remove oxygen, and the retardant capabilities impede the chain reaction.
According to a pilot test run at one Southern California fire department, our fire protection foam reduced water consumption when fighting structural fires by approximately 90%!
Benefits of Water Saving Properties
Water Alone Doesn’t Suffice: Fires involving cooking oils and greases, as well as fuels such as gasoline or diesel will be made worse if water is used in an effort to extinguish them. GreenFire® foam prevents oxygen from reaching the fuel and prevents vapors from leaving the fuel surface thereby extinguishing the fire.
Speed of Fire Extinguishment: The goal is to save lives and property. Thus, the faster a conflagration is extinguished the better. With GreenFire®’s fire protection foam, fires are extinguished much faster, up to 90%.
Minimized Water Runoff: Runoff water from firefighting is often a cocktail of hazardous combustion byproducts, toxic chemicals from the pyrolysis of plastics and petroleum products, and carcinogenic soot and ash. Runoff from other products, such as the red substance that is dumped from airplanes, cause algae blooms in lakes and streams. When 90% less water is used to extinguish a fire, it also means that this hazardous runoff is reduced by 90%.
Less Water Damage: The reduction in water usage also reduces the damage caused by the firefighting water itself. After a structure fire, many observe that water has done more damage than the fire. The massive amounts of water used often result in mold and fungous outbreaks in the structure’s walls and subfloors. With less water needed, water damage is also greatly reduced when using GreenFire® products.
Corrosion & Microbial Growth Inhibition: GreenFire® products have a stabilized pH, contain corrosion inhibitors, and can retard microbial growth. Since many hoses and fixtures used to extinguish fires hold stagnant water for long periods of time, these factors make our products advantageous.
Contact GreenFire®
For more information about our water saving extinguishing products please visit our website. Our products are available for professional use and also DIY applications. To place an order for fire protection foam contact us at: 1.888.766.7327 or sales@gogreenfire.com.
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