Different type of fumes requires different types of extinguishing agents to put out the fire and prevent damage caused by the fire. Fire extinguishing agents are classified differently based on the type of flames and the type of fuel that causes the fire. There are five classes of fire extinguishers classified as A, B, C, D and K. Class A fire extinguishers are used to put out a fire caused by ordinary combustible materials such as wood and papers. Class B of fire extinguishers are used to put off fire-caused inflammable liquids for instant gasoline and petrol. Class C fire extinguishers are used to fire caused by some energized electric equipment, for example, the transformers as well as the electric appliances. The class D fire extinguishers are used against fires caused by combustible metals, for example, the magnesium and aluminum metals. Class K fire extinguishers are used to put off fire caused by greases and ordinary cooking oils such as animal fats and vegetable fats. The classification of the fire extinguisher determines the type of suppressant to be used and its effectiveness in extinguishing a flame. The paper discusses the combustion process of plastic products which is an ordinary combustible and petroleum oil which is a flammable liquid. Plastics are the most common as well as an ordinary form of combustible that are readily available. Plastics are used in over 75% of all households in the United States of America (Hirst & Booth, 2008). Recent research by environmental specialists indicates that due to a continued depletion of metallic and wooden materials, many people are currently turning to plastics for different reasons. Plastics have numerous advantages as part of ordinary combustibles. On the other hand, there is an increased use of flammable products in the world today. Some of the combustible products such as petrol that is imported and exported all around the globe and used for various reasons such as in factories and vehicles. Petrol is flammable, and there is need to know the most important suppressants applicable in putting out the fire of these flammable products (Saito, Ogawa, Saso, Liao & Sakei, 2011). Both ordinary and flammable materials need suppressants that are effective in extinguishing the fire. In the process of fire extinguishing, it is essential to study and understand the Fire Tetrahedron which is four-sided and geometrically represents the necessary factors to consider when extinguishing a flame (Saito, Ogawa, Saso, Liao & Sakei, 2011). In determining the most effective suppressant, oxygen supply, heat source as well as the source of fuel that causes the fire. The chemical process involved in the combustion of ordinary products, for instance, the burning of plastics is the breakdown of alkanes primarily in making plastic products. Some of the main components of plastic are the carbon-chain of n-alkanes(C16-C40), a di-2-Ethylhexyl phthalate used as the plasticizer, antiadhesives, antioxidants, 2,4-di-terbutylphenyl as well as Irganox 1079 and Irgafos 168 (TAMANINI, 2009). In the combustion process, the carbon bonds and the Van-Dar War’s forces that hold the components together are weakened and eventually broken. Once the bonds are broken, the plastic melts while the non-specific alkanes components produce smoke due to incomplete combustion. The chemical process involved in the combustion of petrol as one of the flammable liquids is hydrocarbon and oxygen reactions. When sparks come into contact with petrol, the liquid is ignited by the spark’s energy to break down the carbon-carbon bonds and also the oxygen-oxygen bonds. As a result, energy is released in the form of fire and the incomplete combustion results in smoke production. The chemical equation below shows the ideal combustion process of petrol as a flammable liquid: CH 4 +2O 2 =2H 2 O + CO 2 + Energy.
The equation briefly explains the process that takes place when a hydrocarbon element burns in the presence of oxygen resulting the water output inform of vapor and carbon dioxide in the form of smoke. Also, energy is produced in the form of heat that increases to cause a fire as the ultimate product and very destructive if left uncontrolled (Hirst & Booth, 2008).
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There are different types of fire suppressant agents such as Dry Powder, Clean Agents, Wet chemicals, Dry chemicals, Carbon dioxide, Water and Foam and Water Mist. The most effective agent used as a suppressant in the combustion of plastics is the non-halogenated and highly pure Magnesium hydroxide-powder which are classified as Clean Suppressants (Sheinson, Penner-Hahn & Indritz, 2010). Powder suppressant agent is most effective in preventing further combustion and smoke production when ordinary flammables are consumed up by fire. Also, water is applicable as a suppressive agent when sprayed on burning fire of plastics as well as other regular combustible materials. On the other hand, the most effective suppressant agent used for flammable liquid such as petrol is the carbon-foam mixed with some water. The carbon-form is one of the most effective methods used in putting off the fire of flammable liquids in this case petrol liquid (Sheinson, Penner-Hahn & Indritz, 2010). The energy in a combustion process is released in the form of fire or smoke in case the combustion is incomplete. The carbon-foam mixed with some water and applicable in extinguishing flammable flames acts in different ways to ensure that the fire is put-out. In the combustion of plastics, the necessary factor that non-halogenated and highly pure Magnesium hydroxide-powder suppressants attacks are the oxygen and fuel supply. Oxygen causes an ignition that triggers the fire, and in this case, the suppressant becomes handy as it reduced or stops the ignition. Carbon-foam mixed with some water which is the most effective suppressant for flammable petroleum fluid attacks the oxygen and the heat side of the tetrahedron (TAMANINI, 2009). In attacking the fuel side of the tetrahedron, the energy essential in causing an ignition that results in fire outbreak is significantly reduced. Also, the suppressant may attack the oxygen side by cutting off air supply that carries oxygen essential to the combustion process. Cutting off oxygen supply is made possible as the suppressant covers the because of its high density (TAMANINI, 2009). Unlike the water suppressant that is lighter than water and ineffective in extinguishing a flammable fluid flame and therefore not applied in putting off petroleum flames. The non-halogenated and highly pure Magnesium hydroxide-powder suppressants attack a flame through oxygen cut-off. The suppressant covers the flame and therefore acting as a buries between the burning material and the oxygen supply. The Halogenated suppressant contains the halo agents as well as the halocarbons that are essential in disrupting the chemical reactions that result in energy production (Vandersall & Kegeler, 2010). The energy in a combustion process is released in the form of fire or smoke in case the combustion is incomplete. The carbon-foam mixed with some water and applicable in extinguishing flammable flames acts in different ways to ensure that the fire is put-out. The suppressant acts by taking off oxygen supply away from the main material under fire because of its high density. The carbon dioxide suppressants are also applicable for the group B and also group C fire extinguishers (Vandersall & Kegeler, 2010). However, they are ineffective in extinguishing a fire in group A since most of them are made of ordinary combustible material.
In conclusion, fire extinguishing agents are classified differently based on the type of flames and the type of fuel that causes the fire. There are five classes of fire extinguishers classifies as class A, B, C, D and K. Plastics are the most common as well as an ordinary form of combustible that are readily available. Plastics are used in over 75% of all households in the United States of America. The chemical process involved in the combustion of ordinary products, for instance, the combustion of plastics is the breakdown of alkanes primarily in making plastic products. The chemical process involved in the combustion of petrol as one of the flammable liquids is hydrocarbon and oxygen reactions. The most effective agent used as a suppressant in the combustion of plastics is the non-halogenated and highly pure Magnesium hydroxide-powder which are classified as Clean Suppressants. The most effective suppressant agent used for flammable liquid such as petrol is the carbon-foam mixed with some water. In the combustion of plastics, the necessary factor that non-halogenated and highly pure Magnesium hydroxide-powder suppressants attacks are the oxygen and fuel supply. The energy in a combustion process is released in the form of fire or smoke in case the combustion is incomplete. The carbon-foam mixed with some water and applicable in extinguishing flammable flames acts in different ways to ensure that the fire is put-out.
References
Hirst, R., & Booth, K. (2008). Measurement of flame-extinguishing concentrations. Fire Technology , 13 (4), 296-315.
Vandersall, H. L., & Kegeler, G. H. (2010). Fire fight U.S. Patent No. 6,322,726 . Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Saito, N., Ogawa, Y., Saso, Y., Liao, C., & Sakei, R. (2011). Flame-extinguishing concentrations and peak concentrations of N2, Ar, CO2 and their mixtures for hydrocarbon fuels. Fire Safety Journal , 27 (3), 185-200.
Sheinson, R. S., Penner-Hahn, J. A. E., & Indritz, D. (2010). The physical and chemical action of fire suppressants. Fire Safety Journal , 15 (6), 437-450.
Tamanini, F. (2009). A study of the extinguishment of wood slabs in self-sustained burning by water spray application. Combustion Science and Technology , 14 (1-3), 1-15.
