Development of a Cup Burner Apparatus for Fire Suppression Evaluation of High-Expansion Foams

Abstract

We developed a bench-scale high-expansion aqueous foam generator and integrated it into a traditional cup burner apparatus. Foam expansion ratios ranging from 50:1 to 590:1 could be achieved using air flow rates from 16 l/min to 38 l/min and liquid foam solution flow rates of 50 ml/min to 140 ml/min. The flow rates, foam expansion ratios, and cup burner flame extinction behavior with nitrogen provide a suitable bench-scale platform for controlled, systematic investigations of foam/flame interactions for a range of foam properties. Foams with an expansion ratio of 200:1 contain 81% water by mass. When evaporated completely, this amount of water should be insufficient to extinguish propane flames in oxidizer streams with 60% oxygen based on extinction of these flames by water mist. However, the 200:1 foam easily extinguishes a propane flame even in 100% oxygen.

Evaluating the suppression effectiveness of hybrid nitrogen and water mist with a cup burner coflowing flame

“…Such results were in agreement with the assumption reported by Fleming and Sheinson, which had been validated by thermal gaseous agents. 44,45…”

A Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Diagnostic for Studying the Fire Suppression Mechanism of Aqueous High Expansion Foams

“…Bench-scale foam-suppressed fires were produced using a small-scale foam generator integrated with a cup burner [15]. The modified cup burner apparatus, shown schematically in Figure 3, allows examination of the dynamics of the foam and flame interaction.…”

Experimental studies on the extinction of methane/air cup-burner flames with gas–solid composite particles

“…Joseph [16] tested suppression efficiency of water mist with additives with cup burner. Fleming and Sheinson [17,18] used cup burner to evaluate the flame extinguishing efficacy of water vapor and high expansion foams.…”