New formulation tools for fire-extinguishing foams with optimal properties and environmental profile
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | Dafo Fomtec Aktiebolag - Dafo Fomtec Aktiebolag, Helsingborg |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 1 520 000 |
| Project duration | November 2012 - November 2014 |
| Status | Completed |
Purpose and goal
A firefighting foam has two important functions, it should extinguish fire quickly and efficiently and provide good protection against re-ignition (called burn back). The firefighting foams in this study contain three main components that interacts favourably with each other. We have during the project developed new formulations with improved firefighting performance and better pumpability. We have also developed new lab techniques that correlate with firefighting behaviour.
Results and expected effects
During this project, we have developed new formulations with improved fire performance and better pumpability. We have developed several new lab tests that we will be able to use in future product development. We have made a large multivariate analysis that yielded interesting correlations between the ingredients in the formulation, the lab tests developed in this project, the standard measurement of physical properties of foam liquids, firefighting characteristics, and type of fuel. The results will help us in future product development.
Approach and implementation
The design of the project was to develop effective new lab tests to characterize firefighting foam and fire foam fluids. The results from the lab tests were compared with the extinguishing characteristics and the lab methods were refined if necessary. In the project´s final phase, there was a large multivariate analysis yielded interesting correlations between the components, the methods developed in this project, the standard measurement for physical properties of foam liquids, firefighting characteristics, and type of fuel.