Foam
High, medium and low expansion systems and equipment
The Ideal Solution to Prevent Risks
Foams, like wetting agents, are the recommended fire-fighting solution for industrial applications. In fact, for some classes of fire the sole action of water is not enough because it is heavier than the combustible, so it would only help the flames to spread. The ideal solution to prevent this kind of risk is using a mix of water and a concentration of foam, capable of floating on the surface of the liquid combustible and creating an insulating blanket.
Products
- Mixing systems
- Foam mixers
- Portable foam branch pipe
- Fixed branch pipe
- Foam chamber
- Foam nozzles
- Water/ foam nozzles
- Storing foam system
- High expansion generators
- Fire monitors
- Foam trailers and accessories
- Foam stations
Operation
The foam used to fight fires is composed by a mass of bubbles generated by a mix of water and concentrated foam (at 3% – 6% mixing ratio). This mass is heavier than the water and any other liquid combustibles. For this reason, foam floats on top of the burning products, forming a vapour resistant insulating blanket. This phenomenon causes the mechanical separation of the combustible from the combustive agent. Furthermore, thanks to the high percentage of water in its solution, foam has a high cooling power and reduces the quantities of combustible vapours.
In relation to the expansion ratio (litres of foam generated by every litre of water and foam mixture) foams are divided into:
Low expansion foam: from 5 to 20 expansion ratio
Medium expansion foam: from 20 to 200 expansion ratio
High expansion foam: from 200 to 1000 expansion ratio
Applications
Low expansion:
- Process areas
- Loading platform
- Oil tanks
Medium expansion:
- Hydrocarbons spill
- Basis of containing
- Equipment on free areas (pumping room, etc..).
High expansion:
- Storage areas and Deposits
- Warehouses
Components
The main components of a Foam system are:
Water supply systems: water reservoir, fire pumps and distribution network.
Storing foam systems: closed tanks able to reduce the contact with the air and the consequent oxidation. They are atmospheric cylinders equipped with mainhole, designed for a predicted time of 30 minutes per hour.
Mixing systems:
Mixers which set the foam concentration exclusively by Venturi
Mixers that set the foam concentration through a high pressure metering valve
Mixers which operates on the basis of various principles: they calibrate the foam concentration, automatically increasing the pressure and bringing it to a higher level than water (Self regulating systems)
Discharge equipment: they rapresents the terminal part of the portable and fixed systems. Our portfolio includes: branch pipe for low, medium and high expansion, nozzles for low and medium expansion, fire monitors, foam chambers, etc… The typology of the discharger depends of the characteristics of the fire fighting system.