Foam Terms Flashcards
What are Adhesive Qualities in foam?
The ability to bind together substances of unlike composition. It prevents vapor release from a tank shell.
Adhesive qualities are important for maintaining the integrity of foam blankets in fire suppression.
What does AFFF stand for?
Aqueous Film Forming Foam
AFFF contains fluorocarbon surfactants that modify water’s physical properties to effectively fight hydrocarbon fires.
Define Airfoam.
Foam produced by a physical agitation of a mixture of water, air and a foaming agent, also known as mechanical foam.
What is AR-AFFF?
Alcohol Resistant-Aqueous Film Forming Foam, specially formulated for use on alcohols and other polar solvents.
What is Boilover?
Violent ejection of flammable liquid from its container caused by the vaporization of water beneath the body of liquid.
What does Burnback Resistance refer to in foam?
The ability of a foam blanket to resist direct flame impingement.
What characterizes a Class ‘A’ Fire?
A fire in combustible fuel such as wood and paper, where the cooling effect of water is crucial for extinguishment.
What is a Class ‘B’ Fire?
A fire involving a flammable liquid, where blanketing or smothering effect is of first importance.
What defines a Class ‘C’ Fire?
A fire in ‘live’ electrical equipment, where a non-conducting fire extinguishing agent is essential.
Define Cohesive Qualities in foam.
The ability to bind together substances of like composition. A good foam blanket is held together by these qualities.
What is a Combustible Liquid?
Any liquid having a flash point at or above 100°F (37.8°C).
What does Concentration refer to in the context of foam?
The amount of foam liquid contained in a given volume of foam solution.
What is the function of a Deflector in foam systems?
A device that directs the flow of foam down and over a large area of the inside of the tank wall.
What is a Discharge Device?
A fixed or portable device that directs the flow of foam onto the hazard to be protected.
What does Downstream Device mean?
In the direction to which the water is flowing.
What is meant by Drainage Rate?
The rate at which solution drains from a foam.
Define Expansion in foam terminology.
The ratio of volume of foam formed to the volume of solution used to generate the foam.
What is a Flammable Liquid?
A substance which is liquid at ordinary temperatures and pressures and has a flash point below 100°F (37.8°C).
What is Flash-Back?
Reignition of flammable liquid caused by exposure of its vapors to a source of ignition.
Define Fluoroprotein Foam Liquid.
A foam based on natural protein and modified with a selected fluorinated surfactant.
What is Foam?
The homogeneous blanket obtained by mixing water, foam liquid and air or a gas.
What is Foam Solution?
A homogeneous mixture of water and foam liquid.
What does Foam Stability refer to?
The relative ability of a foam to withstand spontaneous collapse or breakdown from external causes.
What is Friction Loss?
The loss of pressure in a flowing stream resulting from resistance to flow imposed by the inside of the pipe or hose.
Define Head Loss in fire protection systems.
Pressure necessary to force water up a pipe or hose to a given vertical height above the source of water pressure.
What is Heat Resistance in foam?
The ability of a foam to withstand exposure to heat.
What is a Product in fire terminology?
Another name that can be applied to a flammable liquid, such as polar solvent or hydrocarbon.
What is a Proportioner?
The device where foam liquid and water are mixed to form foam solution.
What is Protein in the context of foam?
Complex nitrogen-containing organic compounds derived from natural vegetable or animal sources.
How do you convert feet of water head to pounds per square inch?
Divide by 2.31.
What is Heat Resistance?
The ability of a foam to withstand exposure to heat.
What does Hydrophobic mean?
Water hating; having the property of not mixing with water.
What does Hydrophilic mean?
Water liking; mixes readily with water.
What is Mechanical Foam?
See Airfoam.
What is Minimum Operating Temperature?
The lowest temperature at which a foam liquid will proportion with venturi devices.
What are NFPA Requirements or Recommendations?
Standards established for Foam Extinguishing Systems as set forth in the National Fire Protection Association Standard No. 11.
Define Oleophobic.
Oil hating; have the ability to shed gasoline, oil and similar products.
What is Pickup in the context of foam?
The induction of foam liquid into a water stream by venturi.
What is a Polar Solvent?
A liquid whose molecules possess a permanent electric moment, generally referred to as a flammable liquid which destroys regular foam.
What is a Polymeric Membrane?
A thin, durable, cohesive skin formed on a polar solvent fuel surface, protecting the foam bubbles from destruction by the fuel.
What is Pour Point?
The lowest temperature at which a foam liquid is fluid enough to pour, generally about 5°F above the freezing point.
Define Pressure Drop.
The net loss in flowing water pressure between any two points in a hydraulic system.
What is another name for a flammable liquid?
Product.
What is a Proportioner?
The device where foam liquid and water are mixed to form foam solution.
What is Protein Foam Liquid?
Concentrated solution of hydrolyzed protein to which chemicals are added to obtain fire resistance, freezing point depression and other desirable characteristics.
What is Quarter-Life?
The time required in minutes for one-fourth of the total liquid solution to drain from the foam.
Define Residual Pressure.
The pressure existing in a line at a specified flow.
What is a Skin Fire?
A flammable liquid fire where the liquid is not present in a depth exceeding 1 inch.
What is a Spray Pattern?
The pattern produced by a widely divergent flow of fully formed subdivided foam.
Define Static Pressure.
The pressure existing in a line at no-flow.
What does Submergence refer to in foam firefighting?
Plunging of foam beneath the surface of burning liquid resulting in a partial breakdown of the foam structure.
What is a Surfactant or Surface Active Agent?
A chemical that lowers the surface tension of a liquid.
What is a Syndet?
Synthetic detergent or cleaning agent.
What is Type I Applicator?
The NFPA term for a discharge outlet not supplemented with means for delivering foam on the surface of the burning liquid.
What does Upstream refer to in fluid dynamics?
In the direction from which the water is flowing.
What is a Venturi?
A constricted portion of a pipe or tube which increases water velocity, thus momentarily reducing its pressure.
