Investigation of the Dependence of the Destruction of Gas–filled Foam Based on Sf–2u Powder on Ambient Temperature

The presented article is devoted to an experimental study of the parameters of thermal destruction of fire extinguishing foams in conditions simulating the thermal effects of a developing fire. The main purpose of the work is a comparative assessment of the heat resistance of fire extinguishing foams obtained on the basis of the synthetic hydrocarbon foaming agent PO–3 and the specialized degassing compound SF-2u [1], while varying the physic-chemical nature of the dispersed phase (atmospheric air or an inert mixture based on exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine). The physical modeling of the processes of destruction of the structural framework of the foam was carried out in the temperature range from 200 to 800 °C with the fixation of the time of complete decay and the calculation of kinetic characteristics (syneresis rate). During the analysis of experimental data, it was found that an increase in the thermal load naturally intensifies the destruction of all types of foams, however, the nature of the carrier gas has a nonlinear effect on the stability of surfactant compositions. Based on the results of the study, the tactical expediency of a differentiated approach to the selection of fire extinguishing agents is substantiated: the use of CO2 together with general–purpose foaming agents is effective in extinguishing closed volumes with medium heat fluxes, while the elimination of high–temperature foci (over 500–800 °C) requires the use of heat–resistant formulations of the SF–2u class exclusively with classical air aspiration. The practical significance of the work lies in the possibility of optimizing the operating parameters of gas-water extinguishing installations, taking into account the thermodynamic characteristics of the protected objects.