FOAM SYSTEM

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Chapter 1: Introduction

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• Where foam is used?

• Why use foam?
• Applications
• What is foam?
• Terminology
• Mechanisms of extinction
• Methods of applications

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Where foam is used?

Where a spill of flammable liquid

can occur
Certain risks, both by nature
and by the stored products
require a special type of
protection based foam agents.

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Where foam is used?

• transport
• Vessels - Tankers
• Bulk Chemical
• Piers
• aviation
• railroad
• tank Trucks

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Where foam is used?

Chemical / Petrochemical Industry
• extraction
• refining
• transport
• storage
• packing

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Where foam is used?

Industry
• stores
• Processing and handling of
flammable products
• Pumps
• Spray booths

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Where foam should not be used?

Electrical fires class "C"

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Where foam should not be used?

Three dimensional fires

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Where foam should not be used?

Pressurized gas
• propane
• butadiene
• butane
• Vinyl chloride

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Where foam should not be used?

Combustible metals

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Why use foam?

Can firefighting class "B", but the foam allows:

• Prevents against ignition / reignition

• Deletes flammable vapors, causing a
physical separation of oxygen from air with
the fuel surface

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Applications
• Spills Fire

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Applications
• Storage Tanks Fire

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Applications
• Fire at truck loading shelters

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Applications
• Aviation

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Applications
• Marine
• Ship
• Oil Platforms
• Pantalane

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What is foam?

The foam intended for firefighting is a set of

bubbles formed from a bubble formed from
an aqueous solution of lower density than
liquid fuels on which it is applied, has the
ability to meet and adhere to the surfaces
of both and the vertical and horizontal flow
freely on the burned surface forms a
strong, continuous film that isolates the
ambient air. It also prevents reignition of
the fire because it suppresses the
formation of flammable vapors.

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How does the foam?

• Lowers the surface tension of water

• Isolates the oxygen since the foam layer
displaces air
• Produces a cooling effect of the fuel and
the surrounding objects
• Prevents re-ignition of flammable vapors

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How does the foam?

Isolates oxygen

It produces vapor dejection It produces a cooling effect

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Terminology
Liquid Foam Concentrate:
Liquid concentrate, it serves as the manufacturer, mixed
with the ratio
suitable for fresh or salt water, gives rise to the foaming
mixture.
Foaming Blend:
Foaming liquid mixture with the proper proportion of water

Foam:
It is the mixture of liquid foam, water and air

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Stages in the production of foam

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Coefficient of Expansion

Foaming Blend = 1 liter Foam = 10 liters

Foam
Coefficient of Expansion =
Foaming Blend

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FOAM TYPES:

• LOW EXPANSION: TO 20:1

• Storage Tanks
• aviation
• Spills Fire

• MEDIUM EXPANSION: FROM 20:1 TO 200:1

• Vapor suppression
• Discharges of limited size

• HIGH EXPANSION: FROM 200:1 TO 2000:1

• ship
• stores
• hangars

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Application Methods

• Foam Lances
• Foam Monitors
• Facilities foam deluge
• Foam Sprinklers
• Foam generators / Foam Pourer
• Foam chamber

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Chapter 2: Properties of Foam

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What can we expect from a good foam?

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• Forming a strong, cohesive layer

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• Flammable vapors are dejected by the foam

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• Maintain its water content

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• That has a high fluidity

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• That is resistant to fuel contamination

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• Resist heat well

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• That has sealing properties against

hot surfaces
• Have good properties against
reignition (burnback resistance)

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Chapter 3: Types of Foam Concentrate

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Types of Foam Concentrate

Proteinaceous Synthetics
Proteinaceous Synthetics (High Expansion)
Fluoroprotein (FP) Aqueous Film Forming Foam
(AFFF)
Film Forming Alcohol Resistant
Fluoroprotein (FFFP)  Aqueous Film Forming Foam
(AR-AFFF)
Alcohol Resistant Film
Forming Fluoroprotein (AR-
FFFP)

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Proteinaceous

Chemical
Basically consisting of products from
the hydrolysis of proteins of animal
origin, which have been added:
• Stabilizers
• Biocidal
• Corrosion inhibitors
• Antifreeze

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Proteinaceous

Characteristics
Form a layer of thick, stable foam, but with a low flow
Due to their low tolerance to fuel contamination, should
gently apply

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Proteinaceous
• advantage
• High stability and cohesion
• high stability and cohesion
• Very good resistance to heat and reignition
• economic
• disadvantages
• low fluency
• slow drainage
• Low tolerance to pollution
• longevity lower
• applications
• Very rare, usually in low expansion

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Fluoroprotein
Chemical
Mainly comprising products from deprovenientes
hydrolyzing proteins hydrolyzing animal proteins, which
have been added and fluorinated active tense:
• Stabilizers
• Biocides
• Corrosion Inhibitors
• Antifreeze
• Etc

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Fluoroprotein
Characteristics
Fluorinated surfactants for changing the properties of
the foam bubbles:
• Improving the flow of bubbles
• They make them waterproof and resistant to fuel
contamination
Foam blanket flows faster

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Fluoroprotein
• advantage
• Good stability and cohesion
• Good stability and cohesion
• Highly resistant to heat
• Good tolerance to fuel contamination
• disadvantages
• Low fluidity and speed of extinction than film forming foams
• applications
• Low and Medium Expansion
• Low and Medium Expansion
• Most accidents involving hydrocarbons, except for situations
involving rescue

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AFFF (Aqueous Film Forming Foams )

Chemical
Composed primarily of a mixture of synthetic
tensoactives among which are fluorinated compounds

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AFFF (Aqueous Film Forming Foams )

Characteristics
Fluorinated tensoactives modify the surface tension of
the foam layer
Foam blanket flows very quickly on the layer

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AFFF (Aqueous Film Forming Foams )

• advantage
• Very good flow
• Very good flow
• Less sensitive microbacteriológico attack (long service life)
• High speed of extinction
• Good sealing effect
• disadvantages
• Not much resistance to heat and reignition
• high price
• applications
• Low, Medium and High Expansion
• Spills Fire
• rescues

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Synthetic
Chemical
Composed primarily of a mixture of synthetic tensoactives,
including those who do not usually have, or are in short
supply, fluorinated compounds

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Synthetic
Characteristics
Generally used for High Expansion

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• advantage
• It can be used in low, medium and high
expansion
• economic
• disadvantages
• Not much resistance to heat and reignition
• applications
• Medium and High Expansion

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FFFP (Film Forming FluoroProtein )

Film Forming FluoroProtein. It seeks to combine the
benefits of AFFF with the Protein
Characteristics
Fluorinated tensoactives modify the surface tension of the
foam layer
Foam blanket flows very quickly on the layer

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FFFP (Film Forming FluoroProtein )

• advantage
• good flow
• good flow
• Good speed of extinction
• good stability
• disadvantages
• Not as good resistance to heat and reignition as
Fluoroprotein high price
• applications
• Low, Medium Expansion
• Spills Fire
• rescues

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Anti Alcohol foam

• They can be used in hydrocarbon and polar solvents
• Film-forming hydrocarbons, but not in polar solvents, in the
membrane-forming
• The polymer content makes the viscous foaming liquid

Separating the polymeric layer of the polymer foam fuel

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Anti Alcohol foam

Tends to flow faster than fluoroprotein foam, but more

slowly than the AFFF foam
Resistance lower than Fluoroprotein reignition, but well
above the AFFF

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Anti Alcohol foam

• advantage
• Can be used in hydrocarbon and polar solvents
• Greater stability

• disadvantages
• Viscosity

• applications
• Any application except for rescue situations

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 Chapter 4: Dosing Systems

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Conventional mixing systems

• Venturi
• Membrane tank
• Balanced pressure systems

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Venturi
Advantage
• Low cost

Disadvantages
• High pressure loss
(between 35 and 40%)
• Dosed for a single flow
• Difficult to adjust
• Sensitive to counter
pressure

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Membrane tank

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Membrane tank

• advantage
• Allows for variable flow
constant dosage
• Metering accuracy
• No mechanical system
• disadvantages
• Limited time use. It can not be
used as fill
• The membrane is a delicate
element
• Sensitive system overpressure
• complex functioning
• Not valid for mobile
applications
• Filling level determination
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Balanced pressure systems

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Balanced pressure systems

Balanced pressure systems are extremely versatile and accurate. Most often
these systems are associated with fixed systems and specialized mobile
equipment. Their design and operations are complex. For additional de-tails,
please contact your National Foam representa-ive
The principle of operation is based on the use of a modified venturi proportioner
commonly called a ratio controller. As water passes through a jet at the inlet of
the ratio controller, it creates a reduced pressure area between the jet and a
downstream section called a throat or receiver. This reduction in pressure
causes foam liquid to flow through a foam liquid metering orifice and into the
reduced pressure area

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Balanced pressure systems

As the water flow through the ratio controller jet in-creases so does the level of
pressure reduction, thereby affecting a corresponding pressure drop across the
foam liquid metering orifice. This corresponding pressure drop results in a foam
liquid flow which is proporionate to the water flow through the ratio controller. As
both the water and foam liquid flow into a common reduced pressure area, it is
necessary only to maintain identical water and foam liquid pressures at the
inlets of the ratio controller.
Pressure sensing lines lead from the foam liquid and water lines upstream of
the ratio controller water and foam inlets to the diaphragm valve. This valve
automatically adjusts the foam liquid pressure to correspond to the water
pressure. A duplex gauge monitors balancing of foam liquid and water
pressures on a single gauge.

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Balanced pressure systems

For manual operation, the diaphragm valve is not required. The pressure of
the foam liquid is adjusted to correspond to the water pressure by means of
a manually operated valve in the foam liquid bypass piping.

The pressure loss across the proportioner is approximately 25-30 psi at

maximum flow depending on the ratio controller size selected. The minimum
flow for which this device will proportion correctly is approximately 15% of
the maximum flow for which it is de-signed. Standard sizes of ratio
controllers and performance data are available from National Foam.

Balanced proportioning allows for a wide range of flows and pressures

without manual adjustments while placing no limitations on inlet pressure
during foam operation

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Chapter 5: Typical Equipment: For

generation and application of foam

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UL Classification for discharge devices

TYPE I
A device very smoothly
discharge the foam on the
surface of the liquid burning
without the foam is
immersed or agitation on the
liquid surface occur.

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UL Classification for discharge devices

TYPE II
A foam discharge device onto
the surface of a burning liquid in
soft or indirectly. The foam is
partially immersed and partially
occurs and produces a
restricted agitation
on the surface of the liquid.

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UL Classification for discharge devices

TYPE III
A foam discharge device in a manner that the foam
falls directly on the liquid surface is burned and thus,
this method generally cause agitation of the liquid
surface

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Chapter 6: Low Expansion Foam Systems

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Uses of low-expansion foam

• Fuel storage tanks in the open.

• Conical roof tanks.
• Floating Roof Tanks.
• Covered floating roof tank.
• Tanks inside buildings.
• Truck loaders.
• Areas within dikes.
• supplementary protection

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Conical Roof Tanks

• Hoses and foam monitors.

• Surface application of foam through holes fixed
download.
• Foam application below the surface.
• Injection of semi-surface foam.

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Conical Roof Tanks: Fire hose reels and fire monitors

• Limitations
• The monitors are not considered as primary
protection for cone roof tanks larger diameter to
18 m (60 ft).
• Hoses with spikes for foam, not allowed as
primary protection for cone roof tanks larger than
9 m (30 ft) or higher than 6 m (20 ft).
• Foam application rate
• The minimum application rates according to table
5.2.4.2.2.
• To determine solution requirements should be
considered possible losses caused by wind or
other external factors.

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Rate and time of application

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Tanks containing flammable and combustible liquids

requiring alcohol-resistant foam.

• For liquids whose depth is greater than 25.4 mm (1 in.).,

Monitors and hoses should be used only alcohol-resistant
foams listed and approved for such use.
• When monitors and hoses are used to protect these tanks
application time is 65 minutes at a listed rate of application,
unless the manufacturer established in tests less time is
allowed

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Design criteria for the protection of cone roof tanks by means
of fixed chambers

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Number of chambers

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Rate and time of application

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Design criteria for the protection of conical ceiling by

injection below the surface of foam

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Number of points of application. Below the surface injection

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Notes to Table 5.2.6.2.8

• Liquids with defamation points below 22.8 º C (73 º F) combined
with boiling points below the 37.8 ° C (100 ° F) require special
consideration. (Qp )
• Table 5.2.6.2.8 is based on extrapolation from test tanks of 7.5
m, 27.9 m and 34.5 m containing gasoline, oil and hexane
respectively.
• The more viscous fluid which has been extinguished by
subsurface injection of foam when stored at room temperature
(15.6 ° C) had a viscosity of 2000 SSU (400 centistokes) and a
pour point (pour point) of -9.4 ° C. Injection foam below the
surface is generally not recommended for fuels with a viscosity
greater than 400 (2000 ssu) at the lowest temperature
anticipated storage
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Detail of the connection to the tank

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Times and minimum rates

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Notes to Table 5.2.6.5.1

• The maximum application rate of foam shall be 8.1 L / min m2

(0 2 gpm/ft2) L/min-m2 (0.2 gpm/ft2)
• For high viscosity liquids heated above 93.3 ° C (200 ° F), low
application rates are desirable to minimize foaming (frothing)
and expulsion of the stored liquid. Good judgment should be
used to apply foam to tanks containing hot oils, asphalts, or
liquids having a boiling point above the boiling point of water.
Although low water content of the foams may be beneficial to
cool the surface of said fuel, this can also cause overflow "slop
over" of the tank contents.

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Protection of floating roof tanks

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Floating roof tanks

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Protection seal only

• Tanks usually protected with foam systems for the seal area are only a type:
• Double deck floating roof.
• Roof deck structure supported by flotation (Pontoon)

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Protection throughout the surface

• The following types of floating roof should not be protected in

the area of ​pgúnicamente seal, protection should be done to
the entire surface of the liquid.
• Roofing floating diaphragm.
• Floating roofs of plastic or other floating material, even if
they are encapsulated in metal or fiberglass.
• Roofing whose buoyancy depend on elements that can be
easily submerge.

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Protective methods

• The most common for fire protection seals on tanks fire seals
on floating roof tanks methods are:
• Fixed foam (cameras, etc).
• Monitors foam.
• Hoses foam.

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Application Methods
• The NFPA 11 standard allows two methods of applying the
foam by foam chambers:
• Download foam above the mechanical seal, protective
covers or secondary seals. This method requires the use of
a screen to contain foam.
• Foam discharge below the mechanical seal directly on the
liquid surface or below the protective covering over the tube
seal or secondary seal below and above the primary seal

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Application Methods

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Application over the seal

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Application under seal

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Protection of closed tanks with internal floating roof

• The NFPA 11 standard provides that the following types of
floating roof should not be protected in the area of ​the seal only
be protected in the seal area only, must be done to protect the
entire surface of the liquid.
• Roofing floating diaphragm.
• Floating roofs of plastic or other floating material, even if
they are encapsulated in metal or fiberglass.
• Roofing whose buoyancy depend on elements that can be
easily submerge.

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Protection of closed tanks with internal floating roof

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Protection of all the surface

• When the base is a fire design covering all the surface, the
closed internal floating roof tank is regarded as equivalent to
a conical fixed roof tank with the same diameter for the
purpose of system design.
• For this type of tank is not required that each chamber has a
separate feed with your valve. Equally it is not necessary that
the chambers have a frangible seal for fumes.
• Do not use foam injection system below the surface for
protection of internal floating roof tanks, the possibility of an
inappropriate distribution of the foam on the liquid surface

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Seal Protection

• When the database design is a fire in the seal, closed internal

floating roof tank shall be considered as equivalent to an open
floating roof tank of the same diameter for the purpose of
system design.
• The foam system was designed according to the requirements
of the table 5.3.5.3.1 using fixed to the foam discharge

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Chapter 7: Foam-Water Sprinklers Systems

Foam-Water spray nozzles Systems

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Foam-Water Sprinklers Systems

Foam-Water spray nozzles Systems

• Fire protection systems that use sprinklers or nozzles

specifically designed to generate foam from concentrated
solutions of protein type, Fluoroprotein or aqueous film forming.

• Additionally these sprinklers or nozzles discharge water in a

particular pattern and satisfying

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Objectives
• Extinction: The objective is to extinguish a fire in the protected area. To
achieve adequate density of solution must be discharged by means of
nozzles or sprinklers compatible with the concentrate.
• Prevention It is achieved by activating the system manually for download
foam or water from sprinklers or nozzles by the presence or storage of
materials or the presence or storage of hazardous materials or liquids due to
spills that occur. This prevents ignition while cleaning operations are
performed
• A Fire Control: When the termination is impractical, the application of foam or
water, while allowing a controlled combustion is achieved extinction
otherwise.
• Protection from Exposure: Water or foam layer protects equipment and
structures, reducing heat transfer between the fire and to be protected

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Protecting process area

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Protecting a deposit

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Reminders

• Any type of foam is considered suitable for staining and

suitable for extinguishing liquefied or compressed gases such
as butane, propane, etc. gases.
• Also not be used on those substances that react substances
that react violently with water or produce hazardous materials
by reacting with water

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Other cautions
• The foam is electrically conductive, so this risk should be
considered when selecting this type of system.
• Finally, it is important to remember, that there are fires where
liquid soluble in water or polar solvents, use concentrates
specially formulated and approved for these fluids and the
method of application

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Main components

• Discharge devices
• Sprinklers and nozzles
• Control Station
• Shutoff
• Alarm valve or deluge
• Proportioning
• Local and remote alarms
• Concentrate supply system
• Connection test
• Pipes and fittings

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Typical components

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System Types

• NFPA 16 allows the following types of Foam-Water

Systems
• Closed Sprinkler Systems
• Wet pipe type
• Type dry pipe
• Type Pre-Action
• Spray Systems

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The design of the system

NFPA 16, Standard for the Installation of Foam-Water Sprinkler

and Foam-Water Spray Systems, standard requires that the
design must conform to the requirements of the standards
indicated below, unless you specify a different NFPA 16
requirements.
• NFPA 11, Low-, Medium-, and High-Expansion Foam.
• NFPA 13, Installation of Sprinkler Systems.
• NFPA 14, Installation of Standpipe and Hose Systems.
• NFPA 15, Water Spray Fixed Systems for Fire Protection.
• NFPA 30, Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code.

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The design of the system

• Criteria for applying foam-water
• The design density should be according to the standard
covering the occupation for systems of water or foam-water
but in no case less than 6.5L/min-m2 (0.16 gpm/ft2).
• Liquid water soluble polar solvents and combustible liquids
that destroy certain regular foams should use alcohol
resistant foam.
• In all cases concentrate manufacturers and application
equipment should be consulted for limitations and
recommendations based on the evidence and specific
listings

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The design of the system

• Duration of discharge
• The solution supply system must be designed for the system
to discharge foam for a period of 10 minutes (based on the
minimum density) over the entire area which protects the
system flood or spray of water and foam-design area
systems for wet, dry, preaction sprinkler.
• If the foam application equipment download an application
rate higher than the minimum required, you can make a
proportional reduction of the application, provided that time
is not less than 7 minutes

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The design of the system

• Proportioning system
• The system must be in select System z is selected must be
able to meet the following conditions:
• Meet the actual demand of the system calculated the
percentage of foam suitable for hydraulic worst condition.
• Meet the actual demand of the system calculated the
percentage of foam suitable for the less favorable hydraulic
condition.

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The design of the system

• Drains
• Needed to safely remove or retain spillage of flammable or
combustible liquid amount greater than can be anticipated,
more water is discharged onto the floor from fixed protection
systems and mobile infrastructure as hoses and monitors
should be provided

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The design of the system

• Sprinkler Systems Foam-Water, wet, dry, preaction
• The design area shall be 465 m2 (5000 ft2) unless the
specific rule that establishes a different occupation.
• The area covered by each sprinkler should not exceed 9.3
m2 (100 ft2) and not exceed a spacing of 3.7 m (12 ft)
between sprinklers.
• The activation temperature of the spray on the ceiling within
the range of 121 º C to 149 º C (250 º F to 300 º F).
Intermediate levels sprinkler activation temperature be in the
range of 57 º C to 77 º C (135 º F to 170 º F) unless
environmental conditions require a higher temperature

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The design of the system

• Deluge Systems
• In automated systems, detection equipment must be
connected to enable deluge valves and other control
equipment. Additional manual means to accomplish the
same task must be arranged properly.
• The injection of foam concentrate should also automatically
activated with the detection signal or the activation of the
valve that controls the water supply. Also manual means
must be provided for this same purpose

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Hydraulic calculations

• Friction losses in pipes leading solution shall be calculated as if

the fluid was water.
• In the pipes flowing concentrated losses are calculated using
Darcy's formula. For determining the Reynolds number of the
actual values ​of density and viscosity of the concentrate to the
density and viscosity of the concentrate to the lowest
temperature that can be used to anticipate.

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Hydraulic calculations
• Systems Foam-Water Sprinklers wet, dry or preaction type
• The piping system must be hydraulically designed to obtain
a reasonable degree of uniformity in the discharge of foam
or water and take into account the friction losses and
elevation in the piping system.
• Two hydraulic calculations should be made to:
• Determine the requirements of flow and pressure of
hydraulic worst area design, balanced with the
availability of water supply.
• Determine the requirements of flow and pressure of
hydraulic area less unfavorable design, balanced with
the availability of water supply

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Hydraulic calculations

• Systems Foam-Water Sprinklers wet, dry or preaction type

• When the hydraulic balancing and comparison with the
availability of water supply, verify that the actual system
discharge shall not exceed the capacity of the concentrate
supply to maintain the foam discharge the minimum time
required foam application

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Hydraulic calculations

• Systems Foam-Water Sprinklers wet, dry or preaction type:

• The friction loss calculations should include the
relationship between water supply and system
requirements.
• The calculation procedure is set out in NFPA 13,
Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems

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Hydraulic calculations

• Deluge Foam-Water Systems

• The piping system should be designed to obtain a
hydraulically reasonable degree of uniformity in the
discharge of foam or water. Should adjust the pipe sizes
based on a maximum variation of 20% above the specified
discharge rate for the sprinkler or nozzle.
• The calculation procedure for the pipes leading solution or
water were performed according to the requirements of the
NFPA 15 standard, "Standard for Water Spray Fixed
Systems for Fire Protection.

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Acceptance Tests

• Pipe cleaning.
• Hydrostatic
• Minimum 200 psi for 2 hours.
• 50 psi above the maximum static pressure when it
exceeds 150 psi.
• Performance testing.
• Tests proportioning equipment performance.

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QUESTIONS???

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 FOAM SYSTEM

THANKS

120 INSTRUMENTATION