Low Expansion Foam

• NFPA 11
• class B
– flammable liquids, FP < 1000F
– combustible liquids FP > 1000F
• forms blanket
• 2-D horizontal surface
• tank farms, airports etc.
 Expansion Ratio
Classification Range

Low expansion up to 20:1

Medium 20:1 to 100:1
High 200:1 to 1000:1
 Components of Foam
Air
– within bubbles
– most of volume
Concentrate
– to be mixed with water
– final concentration 3% or 6%
Water
– water + concentrate = solution
 Types of Foam
Protein
– older type
– no film
– from animal protein
– little in use now
 Types of Foam
Fluoroprotein
– better than protein
– forms film
 Types of Foam
Aqueous Film Forming Foam
– AFFF
– most common for fuels
– thin film
– not for alcohols
 Types of Foam
Alcohol Resistant
– also “Alcohol type”
– for small alcohols
– methanol, ethanol etc
– from membrane bewteen water and foam
 Types of Foam
Chemical
– chemically generated foam
– obsolete
 Proportioning Methods
• To mix concentrate with water
• either 3% or 6% concentrate in water
• 3 mechanisms
– Venturi proportioner
– Pressure proportioner
– Balanced pressure proportioner
– skip details
 Types of Systems
Mobile
– fire dept. trucks
Semi-Fixed
– permanent piping, foam makers
– mobile concentrate and pump
 Types of Systems
Fixed
– Subsurface injection
– Surface application
– seal protection for floating roofs
– dike protection
 Sub-Surface Injection
• Fixed roof storage tank
• foam applied below surface
• floats to surface
• gentle, uniform application
• fluoroprotein foam
• has good fuel-shedding properties
 Sub-Surface Injection-design
1. Calculate fuel surface area

A =( )( r)2

2. Determine application rate (R) and

discharge time (T)
• see 3.8
 Sub-Surface Injection-design
3. Calculate discharge rate (D) and foam
concentrate quantity (Q)
D = (A) x (R)
Q = (A) x (R) x (T) x (%)

4. Determine the number of subsurface

application outlets
• see 3.9
 Sub-Surface Injection-design
5. Determine supplementary requirements
– number of hoses (see 3-10)
– discharge time (see 3-11)
6. Calculate supplementary discharge rate
(Ds) and foam quantity (Qs)
Ds = (N) x (50 gpm)
Qs = (N) x (50 gpm) x (Ts) x (%)
 Sub-Surface Injection-design
Total requirement for concentrate

Qtotal = Q + Qs

see example 3.1

 Surface Application
• Fixed discharge units
• on rim of tank
 Surface Injection-design
1. Calculate fuel surface area
A =( )( r)2

2. Determine application rate (R) and

discharge time (T)
• see 3.14
• note difference between types I and II
 Surface Injection-design
3. Calculate discharge rate (D) and foam
concentrate quantity (Q)
D = (A) x (R)
Q = (A) x (R) x (T) x (%)

4. Determine the number of surface

application outlets
• see 3.15
 Surface Injection-design
5. Determine supplementary requirements
– number of hoses (see 3-10)
– discharge time (see 3-11)
6. Calculate supplementary discharge rate
(Ds) and foam quantity (Qs)
Ds = (N) x (50 gpm)
Qs = (N) x (50 gpm) x (Ts) x (%)
 Surface Injection-design
Total requirement for concentrate

Qtotal = Q + Qs

see example 3.2

 Seal Protection
Floating Roof Tanks
• No vapour space
• gap at edge of roof a problem
• seal spans gap
 Floating Roof Tanks-design
1. Calculate fuel surface area
A = total roof area - unprotected roof area
A =( )( r1)2 - ( )( r2)2

2. Determine application rate (R) and

discharge time (T)
• R = .30 gpm/ft2
• T = 20 min.
 Floating Roof Tanks-design
3. Calculate discharge rate (D) and foam
concentrate quantity (Q)
D = (A) x (R)
Q = (A) x (R) x (T) x (%)

4. Determine the spacing of outlets

• see text
 Floating Roof Tanks-design
5. Determine number of discharge devices

N = C/S

N = number
C = circumference ( x diameter)
S = maximum spacing
 Floating Roof Tanks-design
6. Determine supplementary requirements
– number of hoses (see 3-10)
– discharge time (see 3-11)
7. Calculate supplementary discharge rate
(Ds) and foam quantity (Qs)
Ds = (N) x (50 gpm)
Qs = (N) x (50 gpm) x (Ts) x (%)
 Floating Roof Tanks-design
Total requirement for concentrate

Qtotal = Q + Qs

see example 3.3

 Dike Protection
• To contain tank farm
 Dike Protection- Design
1. Calculate dike surface area
A = dike length x dike width
2. Determine application rate (R) and
discharge time (T)
R = .10 gpm/ft2 fixed outlets
R = .16 gpm/ft2 monitors
T = 30 min., flamm. liquids
T = 20 min., comb. liquids
 Dike Protection- Design
3. Calculate discharge rate (D) and foam
concentrate quantity (Q)
D = (A) x (R)
Q = (A) x (R) x (T) x (%)

4. Determine the number of discharge devices

• every 30 ft
N = (2L + 2W)/30
 Aircraft Hangers
• omit
Truck Loading Rack
 Truck Loading Rack
Hazards
 Truck Loading Rack
Strategy
 Truck Loading Rack
Design