July 2007

 

Foams Tested for Ethanol Effectiveness

Tests show that alcohol-resistant, aqueous film-forming foam is the most effective foam agent for fires or spills involving ethanol-blended fuels, according to the International Association of Fire Chiefs.

IAFC is a partner in the Ethanol Emergency Response Coalition (EERC), which was formed to look at emergency response issues associated with bulk distribution and storage of ethanol-blended fuels. The coalition engaged in scientific testing to evaluate the effectiveness of six types of foam involving a spill or fire of a bulk container of ethanol or ethanol-blended fuel (gasohol).

The testing was conducted over a two-week period, starting in February, at the Ansul Fire Technology Center in Marinette, Wis. Using the Underwriters Laboratory 162 (UL162) Standard for Safety, Foam Equipment and Liquid Concentrates, 43 individual tests were conducted on denatured ethanol (or E95), and E10 (gasohol). The following types of foams were tested in the blind test:

• -Alcohol-resistant, aqueous film-forming foam (AR-AFFF).

• -Traditional aqueous film-forming foam (A-FFF).

• -Class-A foam intended for fire involving ordinary combustible, or Class A materials.

• An emulsifier.

• Conventional flouro-protein foam.

• -Alcohol-resistant film-forming flouro-protein (AR-FFFP) foam.

The results indicate that AR-AFFF was the only foam agent that successfully passed the tests, although some of the other foams may have some degree of effectiveness, depending on the situation and their application rate, according to the IAFC.

These tests are not intended to specify or recommend a specific extinguishing agent or extinguishing method, but rather to provide factual, science-based information about what extinguishing agents and methods were shown to be the most effective.

In addition to participating in the testing, IAFC and EERC are jointly producing a video documenting the test and a training package. It describes how ethanol-blended fuels are produced and distributed and the emergency-response issues that should be considered when confronting a bulk spill or fire involving ethanol-blended fuels.