Comparison of Extinguishing Agents: Water vs. Compressed Air Foam

There are different opinions when it comes to choosing the right extinguishing agent. This animation shows how the extinguishing agent water and the extinguishing agent compressed air foam fight a fire.
Many fire departments use water as an extinguishing agent on class A fires. Water is often used as an extinguishing agent for environmental and health protection reasons. Both arguments are unfounded. The use of PFSA (perfluorosulfonic acid), which is harmful to the environment and health, in foam concentrate has been banned in the European Union since 2006. Residual stocks of PFSA-containing extinguishing agent or foam concentrate had to be used up by 2011. Therefore One Seven foam concentrate does not contain any fluorides which are harmful to the environment and health since many years. The fluorine-free One Seven compressed air foam is 100% biodegradable. Independent institutes have certified that One Seven compressed air foam class A is already 99% biodegradable within only 7 days. In addition, this compressed air foam has been classified as "not hazardous to water" by the German Federal Environment Agency. According to the guidelines of the Bavarian State Ministry for Environment and Consumer Protection, fluorine-free One Seven foam concentrate is considered "unrestrictedly compatible with the environment and water".
One Seven also focuses on health protection and safety of firefighters when developing its extinguishing agent and foam concentrate. Compressed air foam produced with One Seven foam concentrate does not irritate skin or eyes. Because One Seven foam concentrate does not contain polymers there is no risk of slipping on floors covered with One Seven compressed air foam.
For more information about One Seven foam concentrate visit the One Seven website: www.oneseven.c....
Back to the comparison of the extinguishing agent water with the extinguishing agent compressed air foam regarding their extinguishing effect: When water is applied as an extinguishing agent to burning material the largest amount immediately bounces off the material´s surface or flows off. Therefore the largest part of the extinguishing agent water is lost without any extinguishing effect. As a consequence very large quantities must be applied when choosing water as extinguishing agent, in order to achieve an extinguishing effect. The result is major damage caused by extinguishing water which results in high consequential costs, especially in residential buildings and production facilities. The only extinguishing effect of the extinguishing agent water is cooling by evaporation: The small amount of water which adheres to the material as an extinguishing agent absorbs heat energy, heats up to 100 °C and dissipates the heat energy by evaporation. This leads to a (slow) cooling of the material below its ignition temperature.
Compressed air foam is more effective and more efficient as an extinguishing agent. One Seven compressed air foam (or rather the One Seven foam concentrate) has special surfactants as ingredients. These and the patented technology with which One Seven compressed air foam is produced ensure a dense and stable foam blanket with high adhesion power. These properties make One Seven compressed air foam an excellent extinguishing agent:
1. Unlike water as an extinguishing agent, compressed air foam adheres to the burning material as soon as it is applied. A covering layer is formed and the extinguishing agent suppresses the escape of flammable pyrolysis gases from the hot material.
2. The compressed air foam adhering to the burning material absorbs heat energy (like the extinguishing agent water) and dissipates it by evaporation of the water contained in the compressed air foam.
3. The foam concentrate does not only ensure the foaming but also reduces the surface tension of the water. So the solution consisting of water and foam concentrate quickly penetrates the material. Thus the material is cooled by the extinguishing agent not only from outside but also inside.
4. Due to its adhesion to the burning material compressed air foam ensures longer-lasting extinguishing effects. In addition less extinguishing agent is required when using compressed air foam because the compressed air foam does not run off.
The extinguishing agent compressed air foam is therefore four times more effective than water.
Do you have any questions about compressed air foam or about foam as an extinguishing agent? Please contact the One Seven fire protection experts: www.oneseven.c.... They will also advise you on fluorine-free foam concentrate.
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