How Fire Extinguishers Work

Posted by admin in Uncategorized Jan 2nd, 2010

Fire has been around for a very long time now. It has benefited human kind in more ways than we can imagine. However, it has also destroyed homes and lives that are too precious for words. That’s why even if fires are necessary to us; it is still something to be afraid of. We need to be careful and take steps in order to prevent its rampage.

We never think of fire in a scientific way. We always say that’s what we use to cook food, to warm our body when it’s winter, etc. But fire is actually combustion, a reaction that happens when certain chemicals combine with oxygen to produce heat. Combustion needs three things, namely fuel, air, and heat. Fuels are something that burn, like wood, paper, and coal. By air, it is the oxygen around us. Heat can come from the surrounding temperature; stoves also produce heat.

To stop the fire from breaking out, we need to extinguish at least one of the three. That’s what fire extinguishers are for. They fight the fire using the substances inside. There are two substances in every can: one can be a solid, liquid, or gas material depending on which type you choose; the other is a propellant. The material is specially made for the sole purpose of fighting the fire. A propellant, meanwhile, helps push out the material because it is highly pressurized.

The four types of fire extinguishers: water, dry chemical, CO2, and metal/sand. Each of them has their own variations, and is used on different occasions. When buying a fire extinguisher, it is important to know what can cause the fire in that area. Is it simply caused by ordinary materials like paper or electrical equipment gone wrong?

Water extinguishers are, as the name says, water. This is the most common type and works by taking out the heat from the fire. It is never used in laboratories and electrical stores because it will worsen the fire. The cause of the fire should only be paper, wood, or other ordinary materials easily removed by water.

Dry chemical extinguishers are more versatile in its use. Because of the chemicals making up the extinguisher, it can also be used in electrical fires and those caused by flammable liquids. This is made up of foam or powder to separate the fuel from the air around it. Nitrogen acts as the propellant here, unlike water extinguishers which uses compressed air.

Carbon dioxide is a non-flammable gas which makes it a good choice for a fire extinguisher. The gas is kept at very high pressure inside the aerosol can to make it into a liquid substance. When released, the CO2 swells up and removes the fire. How? CO2 sucks up the oxygen in the fire and gets rid of the heat because of its cool temperament. The best way to use this fire extinguisher is in electrical things and flammable materials. It’s not the best choice for paper or wood-caused fire. Take note that this works really bad with metal fires as CO2 sometimes reacts with them in a different manner.

Lastly, metal/sand extinguishers. If the cause of the fire doesn’t work with any of the kinds above, then this is the solution. Flammable metals are the hardest to extinguish, so metal/sand extinguisher is the best choice for this.

Like I said earlier, be sure to know the cause of the fire because it would mean extinguishing the fire or making it worse. Putting water on electricity will electrocute you and others nearby. Instead of helping, you’ll harm them. When no other fire extinguishers are available, just run away from the fire and call for help. That’s the only thing you can do for now. Also, it’s impractical to put out a huge fire using only a fire extinguisher, since its power is limited. You might just harm yourself along the way.

Maintain the fire extinguisher in its good condition. Who knows when an emergency will happen? See if there are any leaks or damage to it. The pin should also be intact, because if not, maybe the pressure isn’t as high as it should be. It won’t work as well.

Fire extinguishers are made for us to use in case of emergency. That’s why there’s a glass to be broken first before you can take it out. Breaking the glass can alarm the fire department and cause panic to everyone. Fire is no laughing matter.

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