What are foaming agents and what is worth knowing about them?

Not all fires can be extinguished with water, powder or sand. When a dwelling, office or petrol containers are on fire, foam fire extinguishers with foam extinguishing agents should be used. What are class A or S foaming agents characterized by? What will you put out with a foam extinguisher ? Here is a collection of the most important information.

Foaming agents: what is it?

Foaming agents are artificially produced chemical substances that can be used to produce various types of foam, including firefighting foam. Specialist fire protection foam is in the form of a bubble mass - light, heavy or medium. It is created as a result of combining a foaming agent with water and is useful, among others, in in the production of foam extinguishers. What do we use them for and what is worth knowing about them?

Foam fire extinguisher - application

Extinguishing foams are designed to eliminate fires inside or outside buildings. They can be used on roads, in industrial facilities and office buildings. The foam extinguisher is used to extinguish type A and B fires involving flammable liquids (petroleum, acetone, gasoline, alcohols). You can extinguish materials of organic origin with it, such as: furniture, paper, fabrics, etc. Manufacturers also offer catering foam extinguishers for type F fires (hot fat, oil).

Due to the content of water molecules , the foam extinguisher must not be used to extinguish live equipment and installations. Water conducts electricity and can cause dangerous accidents (electric shocks, burns). Foam is also not suitable for extinguishing delicate materials: documents or works of art.

Foaming agents - types, applications

Various types of foaming agents are currently used in the firefighting industry. The division includes several basic product groups. These measures can be divided into due to the chemical composition on:

• protein (protein, organic),
• synthetic (obtained artificially from chemical ingredients),
• fluoroprotein,
• fluorosynthetic, forming an aqueous film.

Most often, synthetic foaming agents are used to extinguish fires of flammable liquids, such as fuels, oils or crude oil. Protein foaming agents are also intended for extinguishing class A and B fires, for example: solids, fusible materials, acetone, alcohols.

Type A and S foaming agents

In today's firefighting, they are very often used, e.g. synthetic foaming agents type S and A. They contain surfactants, i.e. surfactants with foaming, wetting or emulsifying properties. In type A foams there are also solvents and fixatives which maintain the consistency and stiffness of the foam in fire conditions.

Roteor M - synthetic foaming agent: price, composition

One of the best-known foaming agents in the firefighting industry is Roteor M. It is a product designed to create high and very stable foams. The agent is certified by the Scientific and Research Center for Fire Protection, it can be used in fire brigades and in industry.

Roteor M belongs to the group of synthetic foaming agents. Includes, among others:

• surfactants,
• corrosion inhibitors,
• additives lowering the pour point.

How much does this specialist foam concentrate for the fire department cost? The price for a 50 kg package is about PLN 600 directly from the manufacturer (the given amount is an approximate price, a detailed price list is available on the product card in the Distripark.com store).

Fluorosynthetic and fluoroprotein foaming agents

The presence of fluoride in firefighting foams is nothing new. Thanks to it, high-quality foaming agents and heavy foams can be obtained, mainly used to extinguish difficult type B fires. Fluorosynthetic foaming agents create so-called water films on the surfaces of heated liquids. It is a protective layer that prevents the spread of fire. Fluorine, protein foaming agents are often used as a substitute for fluorosynthetic agents.

Industrialists are also constantly looking for alternative solutions and possibilities for the production of ecological foaming agents that do not contain fluorine. However, fluorinated agents still remain one of the most effective synthetic foaming agents used in firefighting.

Interesting fact: foaming agents in cosmetics

Foaming agents (surfactants) are used both in the fire protection industry and in cosmetics. It is thanks to these substances that foam, among others:

• hair shampoos,
• shaving foam,
• intimate hygiene gels,
• soaps and bath liquids.

Surfactants give a foam effect and at the same time have a washing and moisturizing effect. Surfactants are present in every cosmetic intended for washing the skin or hair. These are safe substances that do not cause allergic reactions or irritation.

Want to learn more about the uses or composition of foaming agents? We encourage you to contact us and read our blog.