Compressed Air Foam System

A Compressed Air Foam System for hand hose, abbreviated CAFS, is a system used in firefighting to deliver fire retardant foam for the purpose of extinguishing a fire or protecting unburned areas from becoming involved in flame.

A CAFS tanker Compressed air foam system can be defined as a standard water pumping system that has an entry point where compressed air can be added to a foam solution to generate foam … The air compressor also provides energy, which, gallon for gallon, propels compressed air foam farther than aspirated or standard water nozzles.

Typical components include a centrifugal pump, a water source, foam concentrate tanks, a rotary air compressor, a direct-injection foam proportioning system on the discharge side of the pump, a mixing chamber or device, and control systems to ensure the correct mixes of concentrate, water, and air.

It is proven that CAFS attacks all three sides of the fire triangle simultaneously. The foam blankets the fuel, thereby reducing the fuel’s capacity to seek out a source of oxygen. The CAFS solution adheres to ceilings and walls, more readily aiding in rapid reduction in heat. The opaque surfaces of the foam, as it adheres to walls and ceilings, shield the fuel source from radiant energy. Also the term is used for any pressurized water style extinguisher that is charged with

CAFS is able to deliver a range of useful foam consistencies, labeled from Type 1 (very dry) to Type 5 (wet), which are controlled by the air-to-solution ratio, and, to a lesser extent, by the concentrate-to-water percentage. Type 1 and 2 foams have long drain times (i.e., the bubbles do not burst and give up their water quickly) and long duration. Wet foams, Type 4 and 5, drain more quickly in the presence of heat

A major advantage of using CAFS is having the unique ability to produce a wide range of foam qualities or foam types to provide the most appropriate foam response to individual fire situations … This gives the fire officer the advantage of custom tailoring the best foam type for the tactical use and fire problem at hand.

After testing a dry Type 2 foam in several situations, it was noted that the dryer foams (Type II; maybe Type I) should be used to suppress vapors, protect unburned structures, build wildland fire lines involving unburned fuels; … and that structural fire suppression requires a wetter foam (Type IV or Type V); and that."

Дата добавления: 2014-12-27