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Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel
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Page 1: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel

Page 2: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

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Objective

Upon the successful completion of this module, participants will be able to develop foam-use strategies for controlling / fighting fires associated with ethanol-blended fuels.

Page 3: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

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Introduction

Production of ethanol large & likely to continue to increase

Predominate danger from tanker trucks & rail cars carrying large amounts of ethanol, manufacturing facilities, & storage facilities

Responders need to be prepared for large-scale emergencies & prepared with most effective techniques & extinguishing media

Page 4: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

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Basic Foam Principles

What is foam?– “…an aggregate of air-filled bubbles formed

from aqueous solutions which is lower in density than flammable liquids. It is used principally to form a cohesive floating blanket on flammable and combustible liquids, and prevents or extinguishes fire by excluding air and cooling the fuel. It also prevents reignition by suppressing formation of flammable vapors. It has the property of adhering to surfaces, which provides a degree of exposure protection from adjacent fires” (NFPA 11).

Page 5: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

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Basic Foam Principles

Why use foam?– Only agent capable of suppressing

vapors & providing visible proof of security

– Foam blanket on unignited spill can prevent fire

– Suppression of vapors prevents them from finding ignition source

Page 6: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

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Basic Foam Principles

Why use foam?– Can provide post-fire security by

protecting hazard until it can be secured / removed

– Can provide protection from flammable liquids for fire & rescue personnel during emergency operations

Page 7: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

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Basic Foam Principles

How foam works:– Foam can:

Exclude oxygen from fuel vapors Cool fuel surface with water content of foam Prevent release of flammable vapors from

fuel surface Emulsify fuel

Page 8: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

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Basic Foam Principles

How foam works:– Foam tetrahedron:

Before being used must be proportioned & aerated

4 elements:– Foam concentrate– Water– Air– Aeration

Copyright 2007, TEEX/ESTI

Page 9: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

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Basic Foam Principles

What is foam not effective on?– Foam is not effective on Class C

electrical fires: Foam contains 94–97% water & water

conducts electricity Class C fires can be extinguished using

nonconductive extinguishing agents

Page 10: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

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Basic Foam Principles

What is foam not effective on?– Foam is not effective on 3-dimensional

fires: Recommended to first control spill fire Extinguish flowing fire using dry chemical

agent

Page 11: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

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Basic Foam Principles

What is foam not effective on?– Foam is not effective on pressurized gases:

Vapor pressure too high for foam to be effective Examples:

– Acetylene– Butadiene– Butane– LPG– Propane– Vinyl chloride

Page 12: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

Basic Foam Principles

What is foam not effective on?– Foam is not effective

on combustible metals: Combustible metals

usually react with water

Fires involving combustible metals require specialized techniques & extinguishing agents

12

Copyright 2009, IAFC

Copyright 2009, IAFC

Page 13: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

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Basic Foam Principles

What is foam effective on?– Effective at suppressing vapors &

extinguishing Class B fires– 2 categories of Class B products:

Hydrocarbons Polar solvents

– Hydrocarbons– Polar solvents

Page 14: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

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Basic Foam Principles

Foam terminology:– Foam concentrate– Foam solution– Finished foam

Page 15: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

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Basic Foam Principles

Types of foam:– Protein foam– Fluoroprotein foams– AFFF– FFFP– AR foam

Page 16: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

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Basic Foam Principles

Foam characteristics:– Knockdown– Heat resistance– Fuel tolerance– Vapor suppression– Alcohol tolerance

Page 17: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

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Foam Characteristics

Property Protein Fluoroprotein AFFF FFFP AR-AFFF

Knockdown Fair Good Excellent Good Excellent

Heat Resistance

Excellent Excellent Fair Good Good

Fuel Tolerance

Fair Excellent Moderate Good Good

Vapor Suppression

Excellent Excellent Good Good Good

Alcohol Tolerance

None None None None Excellent

Source: National Foam

Page 18: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

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Basic Foam Principles

Foam proportioning & delivery systems:

Concentration levels:– Hydrocarbons: 3%– Polar solvents: 6%

Foam proportioning systems:

– Eductors: In-line

eductors: Advantages

Property of Chauncey Naylor, reprinted with permission

Property of Chauncey Naylor, reprinted with permission

Page 19: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

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Basic Foam Principles

Foam proportioning & delivery systems:– Foam proportioning

systems: Eductors:

– Bypass eductors– Common eductor

failures

Copyright 2007, TEEX/ESTI

Property of Chauncey Naylor, reprinted with permission

Page 20: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

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Basic Foam Principles

Foam proportioning & delivery systems:– Foam proportioning systems:

Foam nozzles:– Foam proportioning nozzles:

Advantages

Copyright 2007, TEEX/ESTI

Page 21: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

Hydrant With Foam Nozzle

21

Property of Steve Hergenreter, reprinted with permission

Page 22: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

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Basic Foam Principles

Foam proportioning & delivery systems:– Foam proportioning

systems: Air aspirating

nozzles Non-air aspirating

nozzles

Copyright 2007, TEEX/ESTI

Page 23: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

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Basic Foam Principles

Application techniques:– Never plunge foam directly into the fuel– Bounce-off:

Effective if there is an object in / behind spill area

– Bank-in: Particularly effective with non-air aspirating

fog nozzles

Page 24: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

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Basic Foam Principles

Application techniques:– Rain-down:

Nozzle elevated & foam allowed to fall over spill as gently as possible

Page 25: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

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Foam and Ethanol and Ethanol-Fuel Blends

Foams not developed for application on alcohol- / ethanol-blended fuels:– Ineffective on fuels containing alcohols /

ethanol: Alcohol / Ethanol attacks & absorbs foam

solution

Page 26: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

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Foam and Ethanol and Ethanol-Fuel Blends

AR foams:– Forms tough membrane between foam

blanket & alcohol-type fuel– Crucial to use in combating

ethanol-blended fuel fires– Apply gently to surface of alcohols &

ethanol-blended fuels

Page 27: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

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Foam and Ethanol and Ethanol-Fuel Blends

AR foams:– Use Type II application techniques:

Apply indirectly to fire

– Type III application: Effective only when deflected off surfaces Best option may be to protect surrounding

exposures

Page 28: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

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Foam and Ethanol and Ethanol-Fuel Blends

Require higher flow rate of foam to extinguish fires:– AFFF-type: 1 gpm foam / 10 ft2 burning

surface on hydrocarbon-type fuel– Ethanol-blended fuels: 2 gpm foam / 10

ft2 of AR type foam

Page 29: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

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Foam Recommendations for Fire Departments

Consider converting to AR foam concentrates

Develop means of having cache of AR foam readily available:– Use of airport resources as a mutual aid

source may not be feasible Ensure foam is UL certified

Page 30: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

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Foam Recommendations for Fire Departments

AR foams effective on both alcohol & hydrocarbon fires:– Some have quicker knockdown abilities &

longer foam retention times than protein-based hydrocarbon foams

– Thermal imaging camera use recommended

– Foam delivery systems such as foam tanks & totes cannot be shaken & remixed easily

– Foam can stratify; must have maintenance program for re-agitation

Page 31: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

Ethanol Fire Through a Thermal Imaging Camera

31Property of Steve Hergenreter, reprinted with permission

Page 32: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

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Foam Recommendations for Fire Departments

Copyright ERG

Page 33: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

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Foam Recommendations for Fire Departments

AR foams effective on both alcohol & hydrocarbon fires:– Uncertain if fire is

alcohol- / ethanol-blended: Consider doubling application rate

– Foam of choice

Page 34: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

EERC Video

“Responding to Ethanol Incidents”

34

Copyright 2009, TEEX/ESTI

Page 35: Module 5: Fire Fighting Foam Principles and Ethanol-Blended Fuel.

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Summary

AR-AFFF foam best choice for incidents

AR-AFFF foam recommended choice for all fuel fires involving gasoline- / ethanol-blended fuels

AR-AFFF foam performs on hydrocarbon fires as well:– Preferred choice from response

standpoint if nature of burning fuel is unclear