Highly sophisticated foam dosing systems are increasingly becoming the weapon of choice to combat industrial fires that pose immense risks to businesses and their employees.
Offering rapid and effective fire control, the technology represents a superior fire suppression option to traditional water based systems and older proportioning solutions. With such fires typically involving extreme temperatures and hazardous materials, modern foams are used to disperse a thick blanket of foam over the fire to smother flames, cool hot surfaces and prevent reignition. This approach is especially beneficial for fires involving flammable liquids such as oil, gasoline and chemicals that are commonly used on industrial sites.
Traditional foam systems have been featured bladder tanks, foam pump proportioners and in-line inductors to inject the foam concentrate into the fire water. While they can be effective, such systems can have shortfalls, including being complicated to set up, refill and maintain. They must also have the correct flow and pressure to ensure compliant proportioning.
Verifying that the proportioning device is suited to and designed for the proposed foam is critical, particularly given the wide range of viscosities with the new fluorine free foams that are being offered by manufacturers.
By contrast, the best water motor driven pump foam dosing systems feature variable viscosity proportioners, ensuring an uninterrupted foam supply as long as water and concentrate are available. Adding other concentrates is as simple as connecting another container to the system.
The modern models are ideal in settings such as aircraft hangars, petrochemical plants, mines, refineries, manufacturing facilities and marine applications.
How they work
Foam dosing systems are installed inline with the fire water supply. As water passes through the unit, a turbine is driven that operates a positive displacement pump and foam is automatically dosed into the fire water to create the foam solution.
The quantity of water supply, foam concentrate and the size of the foam dosing unit depends on a number of factors, including the type and size of the risk, duration of discharge.
The foam-dosing unit can precisely mix the foam concentrate with water to achieve the desired foam proportioning. Knowledge of the viscosity of concentrates is important given the current shift in the market from the more traditional foams, including AFFF (aqueous film forming foam) and protein based foams, to SFFF (synthetic fluorine-free foam) concentrates. With regulatory bodies driving the change, the viscosity of the newer SFFF concentrates is the key to selecting an appropriate proportioner and complying with the latest rules and standards.
This underlines the importance for industrial site managers to draw on the experience of qualified fire-prevention experts, who can help design and deploy the best technology. Contemporary foam dosing solutions, including the well-regarded FIREMIKS range that Delta Fire distributes in Australia, are engineered to accept different foam types.
Best of the best
Unlike traditional fire suppression methods that often require extensive infrastructure and continuous water supply, the foam dosing systems optimise concentrate consumption, leading to lower operational costs and reduced maintenance requirements over time.
FIREMIKS offers a diverse range of solutions catering to various flow sizes and proportioning requirements. While the technology is complex and state of the art, the systems are easy to install, handle, maintain and test.
At the heart of the FIREMIKS model is a water-driven volumetric pump proportioner designed for fixed installations. The model also stands out by offering two types of dosing pump proportioners – piston and gear pumps – with the most suitable pump type depending on factors such as foam type and viscosity.
Units with piston pumps are particularly suited for use in foam-dosing systems with low startup flows, such as sprinkler systems. Water motor driven proportioners equipped with gear pumps are well-suited for handling high and very high viscosity concentrates. Most other manufacturers do not offer dual pump options, giving FIREMIKS an advantage in providing the right solution for a specific site and fire type.
Another strength of the FIREMIKS model is its testing capabilities. Unlike many others, all FIREMIKS units can be supplied with a dosing-return valve that returns the concentrate back to the tank during a test. This provides an important environmental benefit, as well as substantial cost savings as there is no cleaning up or destruction of dispersed foam.
FIREMIKS also has mobile proportioner units that can be used by fire brigades.
A life-saving investment
By adopting superior foam-dosing technology, industries can better protect their assets and employees from the devastation and downtime that major fires can cause. As ageing, traditional proportioning systems reach the end of their life cycle, technology advances are leading to the integration of foam dosing systems with more effective and environmentally friendly foam concentrates.
Although the systems are easy to install and operate, for best results it is advisable to seek the advice of fire safety experts who can help site managers choose the most appropriate foam dosing models and concentrates. Doing so will go a long way towards adhering to the latest foam regulations, while providing peace of mind for all people who enter potentially dangerous industrial sites.
The latest foam dosing technology is a game changer for industrial sites that want to quickly and effectively mitigate severe fire risks. Click here to find out more and contact Australia’s leading provider of fire protection systems.