(PHYSICAL PROPERTY)

- A physical property is a characteristic of a substance that can be

observed or measured without changing the identity of the substance.

FIRE POINT
- Produces sufficient flammable vapour to produce sustained combustion
after the removal of the primary source.

FLASH POINT
- Produces enough vapour to produce a flash through the application of
small ignition source near the surface of the product .

IGNITION TEMPERATURE
- The material heated to initiate sustained combustion, once ignited .

AUTO- IGNITION TEMPERATURE

- Heat evolved by material decomposing under the influence of heat is
sufficient to bring about combustion without the application of an
external source of an external source of ignition.

FLAMMABLE LIMIT
- The minimum and maximum concentrations of a gas or vapour in air
which can be ignited and sustained a self propagating flame .

FLAMMABLE RANGE
- The Flammable range concept that we use to understand how easily
something can catch fire .

SPECIFIC GRAVITY
- Specific gravity is a way to compare how heavy or light something is
compared to water .
VAPOUR DENSITY
- Vapor density is a way to compare how heavy or light a gas is
compared to air .

BOILLING POINT
- is the temperature at which water gets very hot and start to change into
steam or vapour.

CATALYST
- is a material that increase that the rate of a chemical reaction while
itself not undergoing any permanent change.

VAPOUR PRESSURE
- is a way to understand how easily a liquid can turn into a gas .

(CHEMICAL PROPERTIES)
- The characteristic ability of a substance to react to form new
substances.

ENDOTHERMIC REACTION
- Is a chemical reaction that absorbs energy from its surroundings,
usually in the form of heat .

EXOTHERMIC REACTION
- Is a chemical reaction that releases energy to it's surroundings, usually
in the form of heat.

OXIDATION
- Is a chemical process in which a substance lose electrons and/ or gains
oxygen.
COMBUSTION/ FLAME
- is a chemical reaction a fuel and an oxidizing agent, usually oxygen
gas , which releases energy in the form of heat and light .

Types of Flammable Liquids:

Hydrocarbons

a) alkanes
b) alkenes
c) alkynesi
d) aromatics

Halogenated Carbon

a) alcohol
b aldehydes
c) amines
d) ethers
e) ketones
f) esters

Hazards of Flammable Liquids:

Produce Vapours that:

burn
corrosive
oxidizers
toxic
narcotic
unstable

Slopover - a reaction wherein water trapped at bottom of storage tanks

vaporizes from heat expanding and expelling contents above it.

BLEVE (BOILING LIQUID EXPANDING VAPOUR EXPLOSION)

BLEVE
A rupture of a vessel containing a liquid above its normal atmospheric-
pressure boiling point may result in explosive evaporation of a large part
of its contents.
In this unusual sequence of events, a sudden release of the confined
liquid at a temperature above its normal atmospheric boiling point takes
place. The sudden pressure decreases results in an explosive
vaporization of part of the liquid and a cloud of vapour and mist with
accompanying blast effects. If the material is flammable and an ignition
source is present, the consequence will be a "fire ball" with a blast effect
in the total area.

The potential of BLEVE creates a very serious hazard for all personnel
in the vicinity of the incident. BLEVE should be avoided with all
possible efforts. It is impossible to protect personnel and property
against BLEVE within a very large radius.

CAUSES OF BLEVE

. Caused by simple pressure increased in closed vessels.

Mechanically-induced BLEVEs caused by failure on nozzles, corrosion

and through collision of carriers have occurred and can be prevented
only by improved design, good inspection and better transport control.

Fire-induced BLEVEs are a different problem. The most common type

of BLEVE occurs when a vessel, partially filled with a liquid, is exposed
to a fire.

When a pressure vessel, e.g. LPG storage, partially filled with a liquid is
subjected to a high heat flux from an engulf fire or from radiation from
an adjacent equipment on fire, the temperature of the liquid will increase
up to the boiling point temperature of the liquid at the stored pressure.
Normally this will take a long time and is within the design of the
container.
Gases

Gases are classified by their chemical, physical properties, and usage.

1. Chemical Properties chemical properties of gases are of prime interest

to firefighters, as they reflect the ability of the gas to react within it or
with other materials.

The chemical properties of gases may be broken down as follows:

Flammable gases - any gas that which burn in normal concentrations of

oxygen in the air. These gases are subjected to the same conditions as
flammable vapors.

Non-flammable gases any gases that will not burn in air. Some of these
will support combustion and are called oxidizers. Those that do not
support combustion are called inert gases.

Reactive gases - any gases that will react within itself or with other
materials under conditions other than fire, i.e. shock, heat, and etc.

Toxic gases any gases that may complicate firefighting efforts due to its
serious life hazards.

2. Physical Properties is the physical behaviour of a gas both outside and

inside its container and when accidentally released, these are of prime
interest to firefighters.

The Physical Classification are the following:

. Compressed gases matter which is solely in a gaseous state in its
container with a lower pressure limit of 25 psig (pounds per square inch
gauge) at normal temperature of 70 degrees F to 100 degrees F.

Liquefied gases matter which exist partly as a gas and partly as a liquid
at normal temperatures inside the container and remain under pressure as
long as any liquid is in the container.

Cryogenic gases gas which remains as liquefied gas in its container at

temperature far below normal temperature.

3. Usage - Classification of gases is made by their usages. However,

there will be much overlapping in these usages.

a. Fuel gases gases which burn with air to produce heat, power, or light.

b. Industrial gases gases used in industrial processes such as: water

treatment, welding and cutting, refrigeration, and etc.

c. Medical gases gases used for medical purposes such as therapy and
anesthesia.

Flammable Compressed Gas:

1. Natural Gas:
The most common flammable gas

2. Methane-lighter than the air and not toxic

3. Propane and Butane

colorless, tasteless, odorless, and not toxic heavier than air
4. Acetylene
colorless, tasteless, odorless
shock sensitive
burns ethylene 4217 degrees F

5. Hydrogen

difficult to keep in container

-lighter than air extremely flammable

6. Ethylene Oxide
gas at room temperature
extremely wide explosive range-3.0 to 100%

7. Oxidizer can burn inside its own container

Non-Flammable Gas:

1. Oxygen
most common
does not burn supports combustion

2. Ammonia
non-flammable but does burn
flammable range is less than 10%
water soluble

3. Refrigerants may be toxic when heated

4. Halogens:
a) Fluorine most powerful oxidizer, extremely toxic, extremely reactive,
water reactive
b) Chlorine-toxic, corrosive, irritating

5. Acid Gases
- turn to acids when dissolved in water toxic, corrosive, irritating

6. Inert Gases:
a) Helium
b) Nitrogen
c) Argon
d) Carbon dioxide
e) Krypton
f) Neon

7. Other Gases
Solids

Combustible solids are those which ignite burn and change chemically
when subjected to heat or fire. The heat must be approximately 350
degrees F or higher. Above this temperature, ordinary materials will give
off enough vapors or gases to burn. Examples are wood, paper, and
cloth.

There are other combustible solids which may ignite or detonate at lower
temperatures. These combustible solids are classed as hazardous
chemicals and should be kept in suitable containers. They should be
separated from each other materials which react with them.

Combustible Metals most of combustible metals are chemical elements

which are part of earth's composition. Very few if any, are found in the
natural state, as in gold. The pure metal is extracted from mineral ore
deposits by chemical processes.
Some of the combustible metals are the following:

1. Sodium
2. Titanium
3. Uranium
4. Zirconium
5. Magnesium
6. Potassium
7. Lithium
8. Sodium-potassium alloys

Most of the fire hazards associated with combustible metals are found in
the manufacturing processes. These hazards are found normally in the
finished products located on an aircraft or missile, or in storage or
transportation. Solids, combustible and non-combustible are used as
construction materials.

Combustible Solids

1. Wood
2. Carbon
a) Coal & charcoal
b) Carbon monoxide
c) Carbon dioxide
carbon monoxide is flammable burns very hot

3. Phosporous
a) Pyrophoric reacts violently when it contacts air
b) Bombs, pyrotechnic devices

4. Sulfur
non-toxic in elemental form
sulfur dioxide formed when burn, toxic

5. Metals

6. Cellulose Nitrate
common, flammable, toxic
clear plastic materials
oxidizing agent

7. Ammonium Nitrate explosive, oxidizing agent

- fertilizer, explosive when contaminated with fuel

8. Other Nitrates
must be considered flammable and/or explosive
- liberates toxic nitrogen oxides

9. Solids with Flashpoints

a) Naphthalene
Does not burn, gives off flammable vapors at 174 degrees F.

CONCLUSION

Different categories of products require a different approach and

different agents to suppress the fire. During a fire incident the fire
fighting team requires the correct product and equipment information. In
somewhat stressed situation it is virtually impossible that this can be
made readily available on time. Therefore, all product information
should be recorded beforehand when there is time and personnel
available to assist. Product information should be collected from all
areas where combustible and flammable products are stored, including
the warehouses, special chemical or medical stores and laboratories
where radioactive sources may be applied.