In some facilities that are high hazard, water-based fire sprinkler systems will not be a sufficient means of fire suppression. In these areas that are highly hazardous, alternative forms of fire suppression are required to extinguish a fire before it becomes disastrous. One form of fire suppression that works well in these environments is foam fire suppression.
What is Foam Fire Suppression?
Foam is a fire suppression agent that suppresses a fire three different ways. First, when foam is discharged from the nozzles, it blankets and smothers the fire, reducing contact with oxygen. In addition, the water in the foam cools the fire. Finally, the blanket of foam suppresses flammable vapors that have the potential of igniting. Due to these three things, foam is a highly effective fire suppressant for hazardous areas.
There are different types of foam suppression available including high, medium and low expansion foam. The type of system that is used depends on the needs of the facility it is being installed in.
Benefits of Using Foam
Some benefits of using foam include:
- It’s a highly effective fire suppressant
- It puts out fires quickly
- It can prevent the reignition of a fire by suppressing flammable vapors
- It works better than fire sprinklers in hazardous areas
Common Applications
Foam fire suppression can be found in a variety of applications including:
- Aircraft hangars
- Flammable liquid storage
- Refineries
- Warehouses
- Jet engine test facilities
- Marine applications
Install a Foam Fire Suppression System
At International Fire Protection, we can work with you to design and install a foam fire suppression system in your facility. Our team of skilled personnel will work with you on your project from start to finish and even provide ongoing service after the initial installation.
We can help you with your special hazards fire protection needs. In addition, we install fire alarm and detection systems as well as alarm system monitoring. If you are interested in working with IFP, contact us today!
