Fire Basics: Md. Ashiqur Rahman, PH.D

ME 6165: Fire Dynamics Md.
Ashiqur Rahman
Lecture: 03
FIRE BASICS
Md. Ashiqur Rahman, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
BUET, Dhaka-1000
ashiqurrahman@me.buet.ac.bd;
ashiqur78@yahoo.com
ME 6165: Fire Dynamics Md. Ashiqur Rahman 2
Last Class
o Basic Understanding of Fire
o Fire Triangle, Fire Tetrahedron
o Components of Fire
o Fuels
o Heat
o Oxygen
o Combustion Process
o Products of Combustion
Topics to be discussed
o Phases of Fire
o Fire Tetrahedron
o Classes of Fire
o Extinguishment of Fire
o Portable Fire Extinguisher

Phases of Fire
 Four distinct phases:
− Ignition
− Fuel, heat, and oxygen are present
− Fuel is heated to its ignition
temperature Ignition
− Growth
− Fire begins to grow from the point of
ignition
− The heat being released will be
transferred to other fuels
− Additional fuel!
− Convection draws more air into fire Growth
Phases of Fire
 Four distinct phases:

− Fully Developed
− Heat produced at maximum rate
− Oxygen consumed rapidly
Fully Developed
− Fire will burn as long as fuel and
oxygen remain
− Decay
− Fuel is nearly exhausted
− Intensity reduces
− The fire diminishes in size
− Eventually fire will go out
Decay
Fire Tetrahedron
o Once a fire begins, it requires four variables to sustain the
combustion reaction. The four variables required to sustain a fire
are fuel, oxygen, heat, and chemical chain reactions. These four
variables represent the fire tetrahedron.
o Once a fire begins and is self-sustaining, the goal is to control and
extinguish the fire.
Fire Tetrahedron
o Fire extinguishment is done by eliminating one of the
variables of the fire tetrahedron.
o By removing the fuel, oxygen, or heat, or inhibiting the
chemical chain reactions, a fire can be extinguished.
o The concept of fire protection assumes fires will occur,
and focuses on controlling fires by eliminating or otherwise
controlling the variables of the fire tetrahedron.
o The concept of fire prevention differs from fire protection
because fire prevention attempts to control the variables of
the fire triangle before a fire occurs.
Fire Tetrahedron
o There are four fire extinguishing principles as per the fire
tetrahedron.
a) Control the fuel:
− Controlling the fuel is accomplished by two methods.
− First, the fuel can be physically removed or separated

from the fire.
− For instance, a fire involving stacks of wood pallets could
be controlled by removing any exposed stacks of pallets
to a safe location.
− Another example is closing a valve feeding a gas or
flammable liquid fire. Second, the fuel can be chemically
affected by diluting the fuel.
Fire Tetrahedron
b) Control the oxygen:
− Controlling the oxygen requires that the oxygen be
inhibited, displaced, or the concentration of oxygen be
reduced below 15% by volume.
− Smoldering fires should be diluted to an oxygen
concentration below 8% by volume.
− The oxygen supply to a fire can be inhibited by
smothering the fire.
− Smothering a fire places a barrier between the flame and the
atmosphere.
Fire Tetrahedron
b) Control the oxygen:
− Displacing and reducing the oxygen concentration involves applying
an inert gas to the fire, such as carbon dioxide.
− The carbon dioxide displaces the oxygen thus lowering the

concentration to a level that cannot sustain the fire.
− Applying an inert gas to a fire requires that the fire be located in a

confined space.
− Personnel must be aware that displacing the oxygen or diluting the

oxygen concentration affects their ability to breathe.
− Fire extinguishment using this method requires that personnel be

absent from the confined area or protected by self-contained breathing
apparatus.
Fire Tetrahedron
c) Control the Heat:
− Controlling the heat requires that the heat be absorbed.
− Combustion is an exothermic chemical reaction. If the heat

emitted by the reaction can be absorbed faster than the
reaction can produce the heat, then the reaction cannot be
sustained.
− Water is the most common extinguishing agent. Water is also

the most efficient extinguishing agent because it has the
capability to absorb immense amounts of heat.
Fire Tetrahedron
d) Inhibit the Chemical Chain Reaction:
− Certain chemical agents can interfere with the sequence of

reactions by absorbing free radicals from one sequence that
are needed to complete the next sequence.
− Inhibiting the chemical chain reactions requires this kind of

chemical agent be introduced into the fire.
− Dry chemical extinguishing agents commonly used in portable

fire extinguishers have this ability.
Fire Tetrahedron
 So, to extinguish the fire -
 Cool the burning material
 Exclude oxygen
 Remove fuel
 Break the chemical reaction

Classes of Fire
o Fires are classified based upon the type of fuel that is
consumed.
o Fires are classified into categories so personnel can quickly
choose appropriate extinguishing agents for the expected
fire and associated hazards.
o Fires are classified into five general classes.
o Class A
o Class B
o Class C
o Class D
o Class K
o Each class is based on the type of fuel and the agents used
in extinguishment.
Classes of Fire
o Class A Fire:
o Class A fires involve ordinary combustibles such as wood, paper,
cloth, rubber, and some plastics.
o Water is usually the best extinguishing agent because it can
penetrate fuels and absorb heat.
o Dry chemicals used to interrupt the chemical chain reactions are
also effective on Class A fires.
o Class B Fire:
o Class B fires involve flammable and combustible liquids and gases
such as gasoline, alcohols, and propane.
o Extinguishing agents that smother the fire or reduce the oxygen
concentration available to the burning zone are most effective.
o Common extinguishing agents include foam, carbon dioxide, and
dry chemicals.
Classes of Fire
o Class C Fire:
o Class C fires involve energized electrical equipment.
o Nonconductive extinguishing agents are necessary to

extinguish Class C fires.
o Dry chemicals and inert gases are the most effective agents.
o If it can be done safely, personnel should isolate the power to

electrical equipment before attempting to extinguish a fire.
o Once electrical equipment is de-energized, it is considered a

Class A fire.
Classes of Fire
o Class D Fire:
o Class D fires involve combustible metals such as
magnesium, sodium, titanium, powdered aluminum,
potassium, and zirconium.
o Class D fires require special extinguishing agents that are
usually produced for the specific metal.
o Class K Fire:
o Class K fires most often occur where cooking media (fats, oils,
and greases) are used, and most of the time are found in
commercial cooking operations.
o Class K fire extinguishers are required in any location that

cooks oils, grease, or animal fat.
Fire Classes
 Five classes of fire
 Class A
 Fuel: Ordinary solid
combustibles
− Wood
− Paper
− Cloth
− Some plastics
− Some rubbers
 Extinguishing agents:
− Water (cools the
fuel)
Fire Classes
 Class B
 Fuel: Flammable or combustible
liquids
− Gasoline
− Kerosene
− Oils
− Paint, paint-thinners
− Foam or carbon dioxide
− Dry chemicals
Liquid heated to a high pressure in a closed

vessel can explode
Fire Classes
 Class C
 Fuel: Energized electrical equipment
− Underlying fuel is often Class A or
Class B
− Special classification required due to
electrical hazards
− Control of a Class C fire begins with
control of electricity
− Carbon dioxide
− Use of water is NOT advised.
Fire Classes
 Class D
 Fuel: Burning metals
− Magnesium
− Lithium
− Aluminum
− Potassium
− Special dry powders or dry sand
− Do NOT use water.
− the presence of water can
cause a violent reaction
Fire Classes
 Class K
 Fuel: Combustible cooking media
− Cooking oil
− Grease
− Animal fat
− Class K extinguishing agents
− Wet chemical agents convert cooking
oils into a soap or foam in a process
known as saponification
Extinguishment of Fire
 Water
 When water changes from liquid to a vapor state, it

expands about 1,600 -1,700 times.
 Water has a cooling effect which results in less
pyrolysis and lower amount of fuel gases emitted.
 The most common method of removing heat from
fires is heat removal with water.
 When water is applied to fire, heat energy is diverted
from pyrolysis by
 raising the temperature of water, and/or
 changing the physical state of the water
(vaporization).
 Water
 When water is applied as a fog, droplets have significantly

more surface area and more rapidly absorb heat.
 They will become vapor more rapidly
 Are water streams with smaller droplets always preferable

or advantageous?
 Why? Why not?
 When fuel packages are anticipated to produce high heat-

release-rate fires, larger droplets may be preferable
because smaller droplets will tend to vaporize before
reaching burning fuels.
o Foams:
o Foams are a mix of surfactants with water that reduce
surface tension of the water, thus allow water to float
on top of typical hydrocarbon liquids that prevents fuel
vapors from mixing with oxygen
o Facilitates deeper penetration of water into fuels
(smoldering fires), reducing pyrolysis.
o Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF):
− A surfactant film spreads over fuel surface to
occlude air.
− A thin layer of foam then covers the application to
reduce degradation of that film.
o Oxygen Displacement: CO2, Inert gases
o Carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen (N2) and argon are
gases commonly used to extinguish fires by displacing
oxygen.
o NFPA 12 (Standard on Carbon Dioxide Extinguishing

Systems): a “total flooding system” with as low as 34
percent concentration of CO2 is sufficient for some
fuels while 72 percent is needed for other fuels.
o Removing heat is NOT the mechanism of
extinguishment for this method, it does occur at
least to a limited degree.
o Interrupting Chemical Chain Reaction: Halon Gases
o Typical fires involve organic materials reacting with

oxygen to form water and CO2
o Interruption within the intermediary steps alters
products and can slow the reaction.
o When sufficient interruption occurs, the fire can
be extinguished.
o Halon gases are commonly used.
o Bromine, chlorine, fluorine, and iodine
o Dry chemical agents work in much the same manner as
halons (Sodium bicarbonate, Potassium bicarbonate,
Potassium chloride, Mono-ammonium phosphate
(multipurpose dry chemical)
o Class D fires: Dry Powder
o Extinguishment of fires in combustible metals
(sodium, lithium, magnesium, etc.) poses significant
challenges.
o Water-reactive metals such as lithium and sodium
pose a greater challenge to extinguish.
o Water and foam may produce adverse results
o Where combustible metals are routinely stored, used,

or processed, specialized chemicals for that metal
should be used.
o These specialized extinguishing agents work by
occluding oxygen and removing heat from the fire.
o Kitchen Fire: Wet chemicals
o The heat release rate and propensity to retain
sufficient heat to reignite in fires with cooking oils
pose a greater hazard than typical hydrocarbon fuels
o Wet chemical systems are used that contain

potassium acetate or potassium citrate.
o When discharged into the burning fuel, it reacts with
the vegetable oil to create soapy foam
(saponification) that excludes oxygen from the fuel
surface.
o Simultaneously, the chemical cools the liquid

surface to below its ignition temperature.
Portable Fire Extinguisher

 Classification:
 The letter corresponds with

which class of fire the
extinguisher is best suited for.
 For instance, an ABC
extinguisher is best suited for
use on Class A, B, and C
fires.

o Allow to contain and extinguish small fires with limited
property damage: First line of defense against incipient
fire
o Extinguishing Agents:
o Water
o Carbon Dioxide
o Dry Chemical
o Wet Chemical
o Dry Powder
o Foam
o Halogenated or ‘Clean’ agent

o Come in different sizes
o 2 liters – 19 liters (5 gallon)
o 1 kg – 19 kg
o Water extinguishers are the heaviest


 Water:  Carbon Dioxide:
 Method of extinguishment:  Method of

extinguishment:
 Cools the fuel below its
ignition point  Displaces the air
surrounding the fuel,
 Best used for: Class A fires
removing its oxygen
supply.
 CO2 is non-combustible
 Best used for: Class B

and C fires

 Foam:  Dry Chemical:
 Method of  Method of extinguishment:
extinguishment:
 Interrupts the chemical
 Class A foam reaction involved in
extinguishers cool the combustion
fuel below its ignition
point  Absorbs heat
 Class B foam  Best used for:

extinguishers separate  Class B and C fires
the fuel from its oxygen
supply  Multipurpose Dry Chemical
extinguishers are best used
 Best used for: for Class A, B, and C fires
 Class A and B fires

 Dry Powder:  Wet Chemical:
 Method of extinguishment:  Method of
extinguishment:
 Forms a crust over the
burning metal, removing its  Converts cooking oils
O2 supply into a soap or foam in a
process known as
 Absorbs heat
saponification
 Best used for:  Best used for: Class K
 Class D fires fires

 Halogenated or ‘Clean’ Agent:
 Method of extinguishment:
 Disrupts the molecular chain reactions that
occur within the combustion process
 Best used for:
 Halon extinguishers may be used for Class
A, B, and C fires
 Used for live electronic equipment fires as
these “clean agents” do limited damage to
electronic equipment
 Server rooms, internet gateways

 Color Code:
Thank You!

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ME 6165: Fire Dynamics Md.

o Fire Triangle, Fire Tetrahedron

o Portable Fire Extinguisher

 Four distinct phases:

− Controlling the fuel is accomplished by two methods.

− First, the fuel can be physically removed or separated

− The carbon dioxide displaces the oxygen thus lowering the

− Applying an inert gas to a fire requires that the fire be located in a

− Personnel must be aware that displacing the oxygen or diluting the

− Fire extinguishment using this method requires that personnel be

− Controlling the heat requires that the heat be absorbed.

− Combustion is an exothermic chemical reaction. If the heat

− Water is the most common extinguishing agent. Water is also

− Certain chemical agents can interfere with the sequence of

− Inhibiting the chemical chain reactions requires this kind of

− Dry chemical extinguishing agents commonly used in portable

 Break the chemical reaction

o Class C fires involve energized electrical equipment.

o Nonconductive extinguishing agents are necessary to

o If it can be done safely, personnel should isolate the power to

o Once electrical equipment is de-energized, it is considered a

o Class K fire extinguishers are required in any location that

Liquid heated to a high pressure in a closed

 When water changes from liquid to a vapor state, it

 When water is applied as a fog, droplets have significantly

 Are water streams with smaller droplets always preferable

 When fuel packages are anticipated to produce high heat-

o NFPA 12 (Standard on Carbon Dioxide Extinguishing

o Typical fires involve organic materials reacting with

o Where combustible metals are routinely stored, used,

o Wet chemical systems are used that contain

o Simultaneously, the chemical cools the liquid

Portable Fire Extinguisher

 The letter corresponds with

Portable Fire Extinguisher

Portable Fire Extinguisher

o 2 liters – 19 liters (5 gallon)

o Water extinguishers are the heaviest

Portable Fire Extinguisher

 Method of extinguishment:  Method of

 Best used for: Class B

Portable Fire Extinguisher

 Class B foam  Best used for:

Portable Fire Extinguisher

Portable Fire Extinguisher

Portable Fire Extinguisher

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