FOAM APPLICATION TECHNIQUES

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FOAM APPLICATION TECHNIQUES

• HOSTED BY THE Jefferson County
  Fire and Rescue Training Academy

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TACTICS

• DO NOT START A FOAM OPERATION IF YOU DO NOT HAVE
  ENOUGH FOAM. (The fire will not go out and you
  will just waist foam)
• INSTEAD, ATTEMPT TO PROTECT EXPOSURES OR
  EVACUATE
• IF YOU HAVE AN ETHANOL FIRE, USE AR-FOAM
• IF AT A FIXED FACILITY, ASK THE PEOPLE THAT WORK
  THERE FOR HELP. (They are the experts with the
  product on fire.)

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OBJECTIVES

• TERMS
• HOW FOAM WORKS
• FOAM GENERATION
• TYPES OF FOAM
• APPLICATION RATES
• FOAM EQUIPMENT
• PRACTICAL EVOLUTION

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What is Foam?

• NFPA- 11 describes Foam as an aggregate of air
  filled bubbles and is lower in density than
  flammable liquids.
• Must be able to-
• Flow Freely
• Have a high resistance to heat
• Fuel tolerance
• Form a tough, cohesive blanket
• Must hold water

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Smothering prevents release of vapors
Foams Extinguishing Characteristics
Separating creates a barrier between the fuel
and fire
Cooling lowers temperature of the fuel
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Limitations of Foam

• Foam solution is 94-97 water
• Cannot be used on
• Electrical fires
• Three Dimensional Fires
• Pressurized Gases
• Combustible Metals

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Kinds of Foam

• Protein
• Fluroprotein
• Film Forming Protein (FFFP)
• Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF)
• Alcohol Resistant AFFF (ARFFF)

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Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF)

• Good penetrating characteristics
• Can be used with non-aerating nozzles
• Spreads a vapor-sealing film over fuels
• Can be pre-mixed
• Can be mixed with antifreeze
• Good low temperature viscosity

May be applied directly on fuel surface, applied
indirectly, or used with subsurface injection
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Foam Delivery Systems

• In-Line Eductors
• Around the Pump Eductor
• Compressed Air Foam System
• By-Pass Line Eductor

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Most commonly usedAttached to pump or at some
point in the hose lay
In-line Foam Eductors
The foam concentrate inlet to the inductor must
be no more than six feet above the surface of the
liquid foam concentrate
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Venturi Principle in Eductors
As water at a high pressure passes over a reduced
opening, it creates a low pressure near the
outlet side of the eductor
The low pressure creates a suction which draws
the foam concentrate into the water stream.
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REMEMBER

• MATCH NOZZLE TO EDUCTOR
• MAINTAIN 200 PSI INLET PRESSURE

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HYDRAULICS

• Back Pressure should not exceed 70 of inlet
  pressure
• Back PressureNPFLHFLE
• 250 of 1.75 and 0 elevation
• FLH 100 30psi 0 130 psi
• FLE 70 psi
• 130psi 70 psi 200 psi

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Foam Production

• Foam must be proportioned with water and aerated
  with air to be used effectively
• Most fire fighting foams are designed to be mixed
  at 3 to 6 concentrate in water

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Foam Foam Streams
To be effective, foam concentrates must be
matched to the fuel to which they are applied
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DETERMINE TYPE OF LIQUID

• POLAR SOLVENTS- .16 GPM SQ. FT.
• HYDROCARBONS - .10 GPM SQ. FT.

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HOW MUCH FOAM - NFPA 11

• DETERMINE SQUARE FOOTAGE
• 10 FT. X 1OO FT. 1000 SQ. FT.
• 2. DETERMINE TYPE OF LIQUID
• POLAR SOLVENT- .16 GPM/SQ. FT.
• HYDROCARBONS- .10 GPM/SQ.FT.

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APPLICATION RATEShydrocarbon fuels

• 3. DETERMINE AMOUNT OF FOAM CONCENTRATE.
• 100 GPM X .O3 3 Gal. Foam/Min.
• 4. AMOUNT REQUIRED FOR 15 MIN.
• 3 GPM X 15 MIN. 45. Gal of Foam will be
  required.

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APPLICATION RATEShydrocarbon fuels

• Determine amount of water needed
• 100 GPM X .97 97 GPM
• 97 X 15 1455 Gallons of Water

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Foam Application Methods

• Roll On Method
• Bank Down Technique
• Rain Down Method

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FOAM APPLICATION

• SCBA
• SWEEPING MOTION
• DO NOT PLUNGE FOAM
• DO NOT WALK IN LIQUID
• DO NOT TURN YOUR BACK TO FLAMMABLE
• DO PRESERVE THE FOAM BLANKET

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Causes of Poor Foam Generation

• Eductor and Nozzle Mismatch
• Too Much Hose between Eductor Nozzle
• Nozzle Elevation
• Partially closed Nozzle Shut Off
• Kinked Discharge Line

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• Fuel Mixture comprised of 85 ethanol and 15
  gasoline
• Fires should be treated differently than
  traditional gasoline fires-
• These mixtures are polar/water-miscible flammable
  liquids ( ie- they mix readily with water)
• Degrade effectiveness of fire-fighting foam which
  is not alcohol- resistant
• Refer to Guide 127 ( Flammable Liquids
  Polar/Water Miscible) of 2004 ERG

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PRACTICAL
FOAM

• HOOK-UP EDUCTOR
• MAKE SURE NOZZLE MATCHES EDUCTOR
• SET METERING DEVICE
• SET FLOWING PRESSURE
• INSERT PICK-UP TUBE INTO FOAM

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QUESTIONS?
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DETERMINE AMOUNT OF FOAM CONCENTRATE

• 600 GPM X .03
• 18 GAL. FOAM MIN.

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Fluoroprotein Foam

• Good water-retention capabilities
• W Excellent heat resistance
• W Not affected by freezing thawing
• W Can be mixed with antifreeze
• W Good fluidity on fuel surface

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W Excellent water-retention capabilitiesW High
heat resistance and re-ignition resistanceW
Performance can be affected by freezing and
thawingW Can be mixed with antifreeze W Can be
made resistant to alcohol
Protein Foam
Do not allow foam to plunge into burning liquids.