NAFFCO-QATAR

Qatar Factory for Fire Fighting Mfg. Co.

Ltd.

Basic Fire Science & Portable Fire

Extinguishers
Presentation By
Engr. Gopinath
Sr. Design Engineer
 Fire Science Principle

How Does a Fire Work?

Three elements are essential for the initiation of a Fire.

1.Something to Burn (Fuel)
2.A Source of ignition (Heat or Thermal Energy)
3.Oxygen
These three elements customarily have been depicted as a Fire Triangle
as shown above and when combines, the result of chemical reaction is
called Fire.
 To Extinguish a Fire

To Extinguish a Fire:

Any one or more of these elements need to be

removed.

Fire extinguishers remove one or more of these

elements.
 Classification of Fires

As per
As per BS
NFPA
As per NFPA As per BS
Class –A Wood, paper, Class –A Wood, paper,
cloth, trash & cloth, trash &
other ordinary other ordinary
combustible combustible
materials materials

Class-B Flammable & Class-B Flammable &

combustible Combustible
liquids & Gases liquids

Class-C Energized Class-C Flammable Gases

Electrical
Equipments
 Classification of Fires
As per As per
BS
NFPA

As per NFPA As per BS

Class-D Combustible metals, Class-D Combustible metals,
such as magnesium, such as magnesium,
titanium, zirconium, titanium, zirconium,
sodium, lithium, and sodium, lithium, and
potassium. potassium.

Class-E Energized Electrical

Equipments

Class-K Cooking appliances Class-F Cooking appliances

K due to combustible due to combustible
cooking media such cooking media such
as vegetable oils and as vegetable oils and
animal fats etc. animal fats etc.
 Comparison of Fire Classes

Sl. US Standard European Std Australian Fire Sources

No: Std
1 Class A Class A Class A Ordinary Combustibles
2 Class B Class B Flammable liquids
3 Class B Class C Class C Flammable Gases

4 Class C UNCLASSIFIED Class E Electrical Equipments

5 Class D Class D Class D Combustible metals

6 Class K Class F Class F Kitchen-cooking oil or

fat
 Extinguishing Techniques

Sl. No. Classes of Fire Extinguishing techniques

• Heat absorbing (Cooling) Effects of water or water solutions.
1 Class -A
• The coating effects of certain dry chemicals which retard combustion (or)
• The Interrupting of the combustion chain reaction by Halogenated agents (medium
vapor pressure agents also have some cooling capability).

• Excluding air (Oxygen).

2 Class-B
• Inhibiting the release of combustible vapours (or)
• Interrupting of the combustion chain reaction.

• Electrical non conductivity of the Extinguishing agent is Particularly important.

3 Class-C
• Heat absorbing Extinguishing Medium that does not react with burning Metals.
4 Class-D
• Excluding air (Oxygen).
5 Class-K
• Inhibiting the release of combustible vapours (or)
• Interrupting of the combustion chain reaction.
Portable Fire Extinguisher
Training
 Applicable codes & Standards for Fire Extinguishers

NFPA Codes BS EN Codes

• NFPA-10 :Standard for portable fire extinguishers

• BS EN-3 :Manufacture of portable fire extinguishers (BS-5423 prior to 1997)

• BS-5306-3 :Commissioning & maintenance of portable fire extinguishers

• BS-5306-8-2000 :Code of practice for selection & installation of portable fire

extinguishers

• BS-7863-2009 :Recommendations for color coding of portable fire extinguishers

• BS EN 1866-1 :Mobile Fire Extinguishers

• ANSI-UL711 :Standard for Rating and Fire Testing of Fire Extinguishers

 Types of Fire Extinguishers

1. Water 3. Foam 5. Clean

Agent

2. Dry Powder 4. CO2 6. Wet

Chemical
 Color Coding Of Fire Extinguishers

Sl No. Type of BS EN 3 Color Code Fire Class

Extinguisher
1. Water Signal Red A

2. Foam Signal Red with a cream panel above the operating A&B
Instructions

3. Dry Powder Red with a Blue panel above the operating instructions A, B & C

4. Carbon Dioxide Red with a Black panel above the operating instructions A(limited), B &
Electrical Fire

5. Clean Agent Red with a green panel above the operating instructions A & B Electrical
Fires

6. Wet Chemical Red with a yellow panel above the operating instructions F & A(limited)

7. Special Powders Red with a Blue panel above the operating instructions D
 Approvals of NAFFCO Fire Extinguisher

Sl. NAFFCO Fire Accredited Certifying Bodies by QCDD

No. Extinguishers
LPCB Kitemark CE UL QCDD Marine

1 Water
2 Foam
3 ABC Dry Powder
4 Special Dry Powder
5 CO2
6 Wet Chemical
7 Clean Agent
 Extinguishing Agents In the Fire Extinguishers

Sl. Type of Fire Extinguishing Agent

No: Extinguisher
1 Water type Water pressurized with nitrogen
2 ABC Dry powder Mono Ammonium Phosphate; yellow in color; More corrosive
3 Dry powder type Sodium Bi-carbonate for B&C fires-white or Blue in color-Not
in use due to less effective
4 Dry powder type Potassium Bi-carbonate for B&C fires-violet in color (purple-
K)- twice effective than sodium bi carbonate
5 Special Dry powder type Sodium carbonate; Sodium chloride; Graphite based
agents(class D fire)
6 Wet Chemical Potassium carbonate or acetate solution
7 Clean Agent FE-36(HFC236fa-Hexafluropropane) and other Inert gases
 Rating of Fire Extinguishers

Classification and rating of fire extinguishers described based on extinguishing preplanned fires of
determined size as per ANSI-UL711 by Underwriters Laboratories Inc USA & canada.

Sl. Class / Rating Fuel / Heat Sources

1 Class A Rating Wood- crib construction (1A=38x38x500mm,12 layers x 6 =72nos)

2 Class B Rating 50mm depth N-heptane fire in square pan (1B=2.5ft2 pan,3.25gal. fuel, 6
sec)

3 Class C Rating No fire test. Agent must be non conductor of electricity

4 Class D Rating Special tests on specific combustible metals

5 Class K Rating Special tests on cooking appliances using vegetable / animals oils & fats

Ex. 34A,183B;C which means: It should extinguish 34 times as much as class A fire as a 1 A rated fire
extinguisher & 183 times as much as class B fire as a 1 B rated fire extinguisher and it shall be suitable for
energized electrical equipments.
Selection of Suitable NAFFCO Fire Extinguisher
 Distribution for Fire Extinguishers

The distribution of fire extinguishers are depends upon the classification of fire, occupancy classification,
capacity, rating and travel distance. Distribution shall be in accordance with NFPA-10

Fire Extinguisher Size & Distribution for Class A Hazards

Sl. Criteria Light Hazard Ordinary Extra

No: Occupancy Hazard Hazard

1 Min. Rated Single

2-A 2-A 4-A
Extinguisher
2 Max. Floor Area per unit
279 m2 139 m2 93 m2
“A”
3 Max. Floor area per 1045 m2
1045 m2 1045 m2
Extinguisher
4 Max. travel distance to a
extinguisher 23 m 23 m 23 m
 Distribution of Fire extinguishers

The distribution of fire extinguishers are depends upon the classification of fire, occupancy classification,
capacity, rating and travel distance. Distribution shall be in accordance with NFPA-10

Fire Extinguisher Size & Distribution for Class B Hazards

Sl. Type of Hazard Occupancy Min. Rated Single Max. travel distance
No: Extinguisher to a extinguisher

1 Light Hazard Occupancy 5-B 9.15 m

10-B 15.25 m
2 Ordinary Hazard Occupancy 10-B 9.15 m
20-B 15.25 m
3 Extra Hazard Occupancy 40-B 9.15 m
80-B 15.25 m
 Distribution of Fire extinguishers
The distribution of fire extinguishers are depends upon the classification of fire, occupancy classification,
capacity, rating and travel distance. Distribution shall be in accordance with NFPA-10

Fire Extinguisher Size & Distribution for Class C, D & K Hazards

Sl. Min. Rated Single Max. travel distance to a

Type of Hazard Class
No: Extinguisher extinguisher

1 Class – C Hazards Rated for “C” Class Closer to the Equipments

2 Class – D Hazards Rated for “D” Class 23 m from the class D hazard

3 Class – K ( Class F) Rated for “K” Class 9.15 m from the class K hazard
 Installation of Fire Extinguishers

Fire extinguishers shall be installed in an easily accessible and visible locations.

Fire extinguishers shall be installed near the exits and in the fire escape paths.
Fire extinguishers shall be installed such that top of extinguisher is not more than 1.5 m and
bottom is not less than 100mm from the finished floor level.
Fire extinguishers shall be installed in the approved cabinets or may mounted on the wall
directly using wall brackets supplied by the manufacturer.
Fire extinguishers shall not be kept on the floor.
Fire extinguishers shall not be installed adjacent to the locations where potential fire hazard
is present
Fire extinguishers shall be installed such that operating instructions face outward / front
side.
Example of HMIS Label on Fire Extinguishers

The asterisk indicates that the product has a chronic

health hazard associated with it.
The HMIS system also includes a recommendation for
personal protective equipment. Below is a description
of the various PPE recommendations and the
pictographs of the PE.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) also

created a similar color-coded, number system to be used
for fire personnel. The main differences between the two
systems are:
HMIS is a rectangular box and the NFPA is a diamond
HMIS health ratings are for normal working conditions;
NFPA health ratings are for emergency conditions
such as a fire or spill
HMIS ratings include information on chronic hazards; NFPA
is for acute hazards only
 NAFFCO Fire Extinguishers Characteristics

Sl. No: Type of Fire Extinguisher Characteristics

1 Water type (9 Ltrs store Fire Rating :13A
pressure) Operation temp. range: +5°C to +50°C
Working pressure: 14-15 bar
Test pressure:30 bar
Discharge range: 6 to7 mtrs;
Discharge time: 30 seconds
2 ABC Dry powder type(4.5kg Fire Rating :13A 70B C
stored pressure) Operation temp. range: -20°C to +60°C
Working pressure: 15 bar
Test pressure:30 bar
Discharge range: 6 to8 mtrs;
Discharge time: 11to13 seconds
3 Carbon di-oxide type(4.5kg) Fire Rating :55B
Operation temp. range: -20°C to +60°C
Working pressure: 56 bar@20°C
Test pressure:250 bar
Discharge range: 4 to 5 mtrs;
Discharge time: 12 seconds
 NAFFCO Fire Extinguishers Characteristics

Sl. No: Type of Fire Extinguisher Characteristics

4 Wet Chemical type (6 Ltrs Fire Rating :13A 75F
stored pressure) Operation temp. range: +0°C to +50°C
Working pressure: 10 bar
Test pressure:30 bar
Discharge range: 1 mtrs;
Discharge time: 50-55 seconds
5 Foam(9 Ltrs stored pressure) Fire Rating :13A 183B
Operation temp. range: +5°C to +60°C
Working pressure: 15 bar
Test pressure:30 bar
Discharge range: 8 to9 mtrs;
Discharge time: 22to24 seconds
6 Clean Agent (HFC-236fa) Fire Rating : NA
Operation temp. range: -20°C to +60°C
Working pressure: 14 bar
Test pressure:30 bar
Discharge range: 5 to 6 mtrs;
Discharge time: NA
Examples of wrong Installations
Examples of correct Installations