john olav ottesen ceo dafo fomtec ab - joiff · dafo fomtec ab. performance -trust - sustainability...

Performance -Trust - Sustainability

John Olav Ottesen

CEO

DAFO FOMTEC AB


What we do

• Provide a wide selection of performance products that can be trusted and who are sustainable, both fluorinated and un-fluorinated.

• Enable our customers to comply with regulations.

• Make sure the products are documented to work with hardware of different types, both proportioning and discharge.

• Provide customers with detailed information and recommendations.

• Get to know us on www.fomtec.com

http://www.fomtec.com/


Let’s go straight into the chemistry….


No, let us leave the molecules for now, we have got that covered, and focus on the task at hand!

We all know why we are here, the use of AFFF and AFFF AR foams with their superior performance are being regulated.

The industry need to find the way forwards in a world where our tools are changing, and environmental/regulatory requirements are pushing us into change.

Emission of PFAS is being regulated. We need to change the way we fight fires and handle firewater. This will impact training, tactics, hardware, concentrate, systems design and firewater handling.

Most importantly, we still need to fight fires and we must not compromise safety.

How do we do that?

First, we need to understand that….


It’s not just about the concentrate, and it never was!


Concentrate chemical properties

Sure they are important, and beyond the fire performance!

Is it stable over time?

Can you actually proportion it, is that proven to work with your

system?


Past and present

• 2000 PFOS happens (3M press release of May 16th at 12 EST)

• 2000 We all talk about telomers!

• Huge discussions about the toxicology of fluoro surfactants

• 2005 US EPA C6 Stewardship program

• 2011 All PFOS should be decommissioned

• 2015 Move from C8 to all C6 Pure

• 2017 PFOA is regulated

• 2020 Regulations of the use and release of PFAS is forcing change in how we do things; containment and reduced emissions from nonessential use.

We are 20 years into this now, it proves that this is not an easy task.


Two different situations

• Firewater containment is possible.• Fixed systems in high hazard applications

• Firewater containment is NOT possible• Fire departments• Marine firefighting

So at present it seem that if we can't contain, you either cleanup or use SFFF

You need to focus on containment at this time!

Performance –Trust - Sustainability


And just to be clear, firewater is a toxic substance.

• Firewater is a toxic substance and contain cariogenic, mutagenic and persistent chemicals regardless of what type of foam used.

• Fire water is already regulated in many countries.


A 10 Billion Dollar refinery


A piece of paper


400 Lives


A Piece of paper


2.000.000 Barrels of Crude Oil


A piece of Paper


Are we a serious industry, or are we playing a paper exercise?



The foam debate is about much more that just the concentrate!

It is about the future of integrated systems, consisting of components working in harmony, designed according to defined specifications that is based on trusted research.



So What is Foam?


Foam is that white stuff that comes out of the nozzle, not the concentrate!



Important Foam properties are:

• Chemical properties >> Molecules, if this had been easy, the discussion would have been finished a decade ago.

• Fuel tolerance >> Chemistry and Hardware dependent

• Expansion ratio >> Hardware dependent

• Drainage time >> Hardware dependent

Extensive testing shows that the actual physical properties of foam play a major role, and they always did, but with SFFF they are critical!



EN 1568 vs UL 162/FM 5130

• EN 1568 is a topside fire performance test, with no reference to the finished foams actually used in systems. The test nozzle will always give good expansion and drain times. How relevant is that to your reality?

• UL/FM focus on the close connection between the foam properties of an actual system, and the foam properties used during a qualification test. This is very relevant for your equipment.

Again, it is not the concentrate that fight the fire, its the foam!



Success will depend on:

• A high-quality, approved foam concentrate.

• Correct system selection

• Hardware tested to work with the concentrate

• Technically sound systems standards, based or research

• Correctly designed and installed systems

• Good training and operational routines

• Regular Maintenance



Let's look at foam system selection 101

• First we need to know the application

• We need to know the fuel

• The locale ambient conditions

• Approval requirements (UL/FM or other)

• What are the regulatory requirements



All foam systems fixed or mobile consist of:

• Water source

• Proportioning system. (should it be documented to work with the concentrate?)

• Foam concentrate. (should it be documented to work with the systems components?)

• Distribution system.

• Discharge device. (should it be documented to give you the foam properties needed with the specific concentrate used?)



Very low expansion foam

AFFF at 4:1 expansion @ 1.64 lpm/m2, 3 minutes F3 at 4:1 expansion @ 2.45 lpm/m2, 5 minutes


Still low expansion foam, but better foam


Current SFFF foam status!

• There is a growing number of products with EN approvals, but do they work in your system?

• ICAO, the same situation, covers fire performance, but how about proportioning and existing discharge devices?

• Sprinklers, EN does not even test sprinklers. Yet the EN 13565-2 states; “consult manufacturer for foam type, application rate and duration!” And how do you trust what is being said? It must be documented by a credible third party!

Performance -Trust - SustainabilityPerformance –Trust - Sustainability


So what does NFPA say, after

165 firetest, so far?


Performance -Trust - SustainabilityPerformance – Trust - Sustainability


NFPA 11. MAIN TAKE A WAYS AND CONSIDERATIONS

• 1. FFFs have come along way but we (our industry) are still learning about their capabilities and limitations (a lot of promising data and more research in progress).

• 2. The capabilities of FFFs vary between manufacturers/formulations making it difficult to generically characterize the capabilities of these foams as a “group” of “class” of foams.

• 3. FFFs are not a “drop in” replacement for AFFFs. However, some can be made to perform effectively as an AFFF alternative with proper testing and design (i.e., with higher application rates/densities).

• 4. The results demonstrated the need to deploy these new FFFs strictly within the listed parameters and hardware.

• 5. Due to its oleophobic properties, AFFF has two separate mechanisms that combine to aid in the extinguishment of a flammable liquid fire; a water/surfactant film that forms on the fuel surface and a foam blanket (matrix of bubbles), which both serve to seal-in the flammable vapors resulting in extinguishment (i.e., shutting off the fuel vapors that are burning above the fuel surface). FFFs have only the foam blanket to seal-in the vapors. As a result, the capabilities of FFFs will be highly dependent on the characteristics of the foam blanket (and the associated discharge devices). The film produced by AFFF has

—— Page 74 ——



NFPA• provided an additional level of protection for legacy systems and discharge devices that

do not produce good foam quality. Additional attention will need to be given to the discharge devices identified as part of the UL listing when fielding these foams. Foam quality/aspiration discussions are being added to NFPA 11. It is recommended that the tested/listed foam qualities (i.e., expansion ratios and 25% drainage times) be included on UL listing data sheet(s).

• 6. Fuel type is a variable that is not covered in our listing/approval test protocol and some foams struggle against other fuels (like gasoline) as compared to heptane. a. FFFs need to be listed for various fuels (gasoline, E10, Jet A, etc).

• b. Additional emphasis needs to be placed on the “listed parameters”

• c. FFFs (SFFF) require their own category in UL 162 including Table 12.1

• d. The definition of a “polar solvent” needs to be developed for typical grades of gasoline (i.e., with respect to E(#) values) and fuel mixtures.

—— Page 75 ——



Our recommendations

• Use approved foam that is tested with the equipment.

• Use approved equipment that is tested with the foam.

• Apply correct engineering, not wishful thinking.

• Follow regulatory requirements for containment and handling of firewater.

For now you should focus on containment and use trusted technology!

Remember, you need more than just a piece of paper, and it's about much more than just the concentrate.



Thanks for your attention!

Stay safe, and do not compromise just because you are being intimidated by regulators!


john olav ottesen ceo dafo fomtec ab - joiff · dafo fomtec ab. performance -trust - sustainability...

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