RESEARCH ABOUT HOMEMADE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS PDF

Preview

Summary

INTRODUCTIONFire extinguisher is often considered as a convenient gadget that releases a fly of water, froth, gas, or other material to put out a fire. It is a functioning flame insurance gadget used to stifle or control little flames, regularly in dangerous circumstances. It is not expected to be u...

Description

1

INTRODUCTION Fire extinguisher is often considered as a convenient gadget that releases a fly of water, froth, gas, or other material to put out a fire. It is a functioning flame insurance gadget used to stifle or control little flames, regularly in dangerous circumstances. It is not expected to be used on large fires, for example, one which has reached the roof, jeopardizes the client (i.e., no getaway course, smoke, blast peril, and so forth), or generally requires the mastery of a fire detachment. Ordinarily, a fire extinguisher comprises a hand-held round and hollowed weight vessel containing a specialist which can be released to quench a fire. According to the study conducted by Fireline (2017), fire extinguishers turns out to be very important in terms of fire protection. It is the first aid in defending one’s self and in extinguishing fires. This device can be a major component in keeping people safe during fire emergency situations. Along this line, out of eighty percent fire incidents, sixty percent was not notified to the fire station because it was prevented by a simple fire extinguisher. The researchers have tapped on this topic as to determine how the prototype will be effective and whether it will be utilized for future use. Using everyday products like baking soda, people can improvise their own fire extinguisher in case of emergencies. Furthermore, the researchers aim to prevent further dire fire accidents from happening and spreading.

2

The supposed prototype fire extinguisher will be used for Type A fires only. They are among the most common type of fire. They only happen when materials reach their ignition point and will only continue if there is still oxygen, heat and fuel. Materials which are prone to these are wood, paper, rubber, textiles, and other carbon-based compounds. This is in line with the experimental research as Type A fires are the easiest to extinguish with foam fire extinguishers. This can be helpful to the person or people in case there are fire accidents when there are no fire extinguishers available. According to McSheffrey (2011) fire extinguishers have been deemed essential and crucial in preventing dangerous fire accidents both in homes and in public places. To highlight the effectiveness of extinguishers in the early stage fire-fighting, a 2002 UK study performed by FETA (Fire Extinguishing Trades Association) and IFEDA (Independent Fire Engineering and Distributors Association) reviewed over 2100 fire incidents and found that in 80% of the cases a portable fire extinguisher successfully extinguished the fire and in 75% of those cases, the fire department was not required to attend. Fire and fire protection also play a vital role in mitigating and reducing greenhouse gases. Replacing carbon-based manual extinguisher can have its benefits, including less carbon emissions from fires and reduced pollutants associated with fires and waste water run-off.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

3

The general objective of this research is to test the efficacy of the prototype fire extinguisher and its efficiency to put out Type A fires as comparable to ordinary fire extinguishers. Specifically, this experimental research aimed to determine the effectiveness of extinguishing Type A fires using baking soda, vinegar and dishwashing liquid in terms of using different ratios of the three ingredients, assessing them according to its time and duration of the mixture emitted by the prototype, and the distance between the person holding the prototype and the fire to be extinguished. Furthermore, this research determined the size of the fire using Type A combustible materials, the ability of the specific ratio of ingredients to extinguish small and large portions of the Type A fire and also aimed to identify the best ratio tested, given that the results yielded are conclusive and effective.

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE Fire extinguishers are commonly used to prevent fires and protect life, property and the environment against fatal fire accidents. Automatic sprinkler systems, whether it will be water or foam, are used for a moderately-sized area. Gaseous extinguishing agents are often being used for other electronics like computers, machines, or other valuable items that can be damaged by water or foam. (Johnson, 1997) Halon is regarded as the most viable and effective fire extinguishing equipment, but has ceased production in 1994 as it is a type of CFC

4

(chlorofluorocarbon). Also, there are environmental health concerns that come along with it, as there are barely any means of disposing the halon after use. Some classes of agents have been developed as a replacement, one is halocarbon-based agents and inert gas agents. Halocarbon-based agents are carbon-based compound that removes fire by absorbing the heat of the fire. On the other hand, inert gas agents extinguish the fire by depleting the oxygen. (H3R Clean Agents, 2018) Water fire extinguishers are only capable of ending fires on materials such as wood or paper, but not for electrical fires, burning liquids, or metal fires. Dry chemical fire extinguishers, on the other hand, can additionally put out fires on combustible liquids and energized electrical equipment. Carbon dioxide fire extinguishers can only work with combustible liquids and electrical fires, but not ordinary materials such as wood and paper. Metal/Sand Extinguishers are specifically for smothering combustible metals such as magnesium, titanium, etc. Other types of extinguishers include Halons, Water Mists and many more. (Toreki, 2016) Normal types of fire extinguishers, like multipurpose dry chemical extinguishers and regular dry extinguishers contain sodium bicarbonate or ammonium phosphate pressured by nitrogen. Both are nontoxic, but ammonium phosphate can be quite corrosive and should be cleaned up immediately after use. Liquid CO2

can be efficient in putting out electrical and liquid fires, but not

solid fires. (Hickman, 2010)

5

Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, reacts with any type of acid such as vinegar as to form gaseous carbon dioxide ( CO2 ) in a form of foam. As it replaces the oxygen, which fuels fire, with carbon dioxide, the fire will die down and eventually disappear. (Lohner, 2017) The most widely recognized crisis private ventures must arrangement for is a fire. Fire dousers can be priceless instruments to help battle littler fires in the working environment or to ensure clearing courses in case of a bigger one. (OSHA, 2010) It is obscure today regardless of whether a normal, untrained human has the expertise and information important to utilize a standard fire douser adequately. It is known today that fire quenchers are loaded with costs. This costaccommodating upperclassman living building was made with just a snappy reaction sprinkler framework to manage fires. Because of an adjustment in the fire coding with respect to flame quenchers enabled this working to disregard the need of hand-held fire dousing gadgets. Alongside the expense of flame dousers comes a dread of the human capacity to viably utilize the gadget in the season of a fire. (WPI, 2008) A wide range of flame stifling specialists are used in versatile dousers utilized in exhibition halls, displays, social focuses, memorable houses and libraries. The specialists themselves have been all around looked into and their capacity to smother a fire is very much measured. What is less surely knew is the thing that impact these specialists may have on the social legacy materials that are presented to them.

6

Fire dousers contain distinctive synthetic concoctions, contingent upon the application. Handheld quenchers, which are usually sold at tool shops for use in the kitchen or carport, are pressurized with nitrogen or carbon dioxide (CO2) to push a flood of flame squelching specialist to the fire. The dynamic material might be a powder, for example, potassium bicarbonate (KHCO3), fluid water, a vanishing fluorocarbon or the driving operator itself. The best and normal fluorocarbon

utilized

up

to

this

point

for

this

application

had

been

bromochlorodifluoromethane (CF2ClBr), alluded to as halon 1211. By global assertion, be that as it may, creation of a wide range of halons stopped in 1994 on the grounds that the bromine and chlorine molecules in the compound were found to relocate after some time to the stratosphere, where they respond to exhaust ozone in an exceptionally effective reactant cycle. Many fire smothering frameworks are incorporated with the building or other structure being secured. Water sprinklers are by a wide margin the most well-known sort of settled framework since they are cheap, very dependable and safe for individuals. In any case, water harm can't simply be endured; it is some of the time incapable; and it is unfeasible where weight and space are. In these circumstances, fire dousers utilize diverse materials, the ones that surge an ensured compartment with a putting out fire’s gas. CO2 functions admirably, however is lethal at the focuses important to smother a fire, thus can't be utilized where individuals will be available. Bromotrifluoromethane (CF3Br, or halon 1301) is a nearby cousin to halon 1211, however has a much lower breaking

7

point and poisonous level- - properties that have made halon 1301 the firefighting substance of decision for applications where sprinklers can't be utilized. Halon are known for being an ideal fire extinguishing agent, especially for fire that is started by flammable liquids and explosive gases. They effectively extinguish fire in little amount of time, non-corrosive, and are non-toxic when deployed at recommended volume density. Despite its effectiveness, Halon have a negative effect to the Earth’s stratospheric ozone layer, resulting high level of ultraviolet radiations. Because of this, the military conducted a study to find an alternative non-halon-like extinguishing system (National Academy of Science, 2018) Many acids react with carbonates to produce carbon dioxide, water, and an ionic compound. Their experiments mixed acetic acid (vinegar) and sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), to produce sodium acetate (an ionic compound) and carbonic acid.

The carbonic acid is very unstable and decomposes

spontaneously into water and carbon dioxide, which is a gas. The carbon dioxide gas does not support combustion. Carbon dioxide is used in majority of fire extinguishers to put out fire. The solid form of carbon dioxide is dry ice, which is why people are able to use it as an alternative fire extinguisher to put out fire. (WEN Themes, 2017) Portable fire extinguishers are very important according to survey conducted by the Fire Industry Association (FIA). It showed that portable fire extinguishers play a vital role when it comes to the first aid response to fire having 88% that are tackled by using portable fire extinguishers. (King, 2018)

8

Baking soda has an ingredient called sodium bicarbonate, also called sodium hydrogen carbonate, which is a source of dioxide that is mainly used as a dry-component of most fire extinguishers. Which is why it is possible to use baking soda as an alternative fire extinguisher. (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2018) Just like baking soda, salt also has a similar component, it is also made up of sodium bicarbonate. Salt disperse heat and minimize the oxygen supply of the fire. It is proven to put effectively put out grease fire. (TotalFireServices, 2015) In relation to the pressure of the container, Roswell Online has stated that the maximum pressure required in a fire extinguisher can be as high as 200 psi (1379 kPa) and as low as 100 psi (689 kPa). (Roswell Online, 1997) Dishwashing liquids like Joy, Palmolive, etc. have been proven effective to put out fires with its nature of surfactant and being a detergent. Thus, creating the foam in the mixture and increasing the power of the fire extinguisher. (Web Japan, 2008) By adding on one 20 mL of the substance to 500 mL of the mixture, the surface tension of the water will change. This will double the effectiveness of the fire suppression. (Pyro Tech Supply, 2018) Fire investigators said a pile of scrap caught fire on Sunday afternoon at the Liverman Recycling on Highway 11 in Bertie County and was burned until early Monday morning. The fire began at 4:30 p.m. Officials said Sunday. The Aulander Fire Department reported that a pile of "fluff, "consisting of car parts, rubber and foam, was almost the size of a city block and five stories high. Officials said that they used Dawn dishwashing soap to aid in the fight. Each

9

bottle of soap they could find was sent out to firefighters and was utilized to create a massive blanket of soapy foam, helping to smoke the fire. It was not the first time that Dawn came to the assistance of emergency crews. In 1989, following the 1989 Exxon Valdex oil shock, Dawn was used by animal rescue volunteers. (Swartz, 2011) When addding common household dish soap to the extinguisher water, the surface tension of the water will change. This change in surface tension will enhance the capacity of the water to penetrate things like grass, wood, and carboard for a far more efficient fire removal. Comments suggest that this doubles the effectiveness of fire removal in several web forums for fire departments. (Pyrotech, 2018) The use of ordinary fire extinguisher has long been debated. Some debate that it is as good as the Class "A" foams. In reality, it is not. Dish soap is just a wetting agent and doesn't give you the blanketing effect of the foam. The soap only acts by bridging the surface tension of the water that allows it to penetrate more effectively. (Fling, 2014) Saponification is a chemical reaction that involves a strong alkaline and a soft blend of hydrolytic acid and alcohol, that converts it into a soapy mixture. This covers the surface of the burning oil and deriving the fire of oxygen and puts it out. The additional advantage is that it draws heat from the oil that refreshes it. (Fire and Safety Centre, 2015) Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) and vinegar (acetic acid solution) reacts to each other to produce one molecule of water, carbon dioxide

10

and sodium acetate, with its formula mainly: CH3COOH (acetic acid) + NaHCO3 (sodium bicarbonate) -> NaCH3COO (sodium acetate) + H2O + CO2. The acetic acid in vinegar, however, cannot fully react with baking soda with its presence of water in it, thus it is not mathematically possible to calculate the right amount of each to get the largest reaction. Baking soda and vinegar will always result in a chemical reaction, even having an uneven ratio of both of the ingredients. But some excess baking soda and vinegar can be left. The ingredients can possibly react more when having balanced amounts. (UCSB ScienceLine, 2015) Based on the findings, they have concluded that the ratio needed for the vinegar and baking soda must be 12:1. Mixing more vinegar to the baking soda gives more reaction. When adding vinegar to the baking soda, it gives an immediate reaction, however, when adding the baking soda to the vinegar, the reaction is delayed bur results the same. (Hands on As We Grow, 2013) The definition for small fires states that it is slow-creeping and has a low flame that can be insignificant, while large fires are burning with a significant size and intensity such that it interacts with the weather conditions and has its own convection column. (U.S. Forest Service, 2019)

11

MATERIALS AND PROCEDURES RESEARCH DESIGN The researchers have used the Experimental Method of Quantitative Research as it is best served for the nature of the product to answer the purposes of the study. The measurement of the materials will be dependent on how it will effectively put out the fire. The dependent variables in this experiment are the measurement of the ingredients needed and the size of the container. According to James Key (2009), the term experimental research is to maintain control over all factors that may affect the result of an experiment. In doing this, the researcher attempts to determine or predict what may occur. MATERIALS A. Reagents/ Chemicals o 4 ½ tbsp. Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate) o 975 mL Distilled White Vinegar o 4 tbsp. Dishwashing Soap (Joy Yellow) B. Apparatus/ Glassware/ Utensils o 3.7L Hard Plastic Container o Pipe o Rubber Seal o Cutter o Funnel o 6-inch Hose

12

METHODS Procedure In making the homemade fire extinguisher, prepare first the materials and chemicals needed. The container should be in good condition. As such, have the container sterilized first. Cut a hole on the bottom side of the container that is big enough for the hose to be fitted and secure it with a rubber seal (or other seals similar). For the triggering part of the container to release the baking soda, a rubber cap and the bottom pipe inside should be cut to secure the powder. A metal stick will be with the pipe that is adjustable. Then put the 4 ½ tbsp. of baking soda into the said pipe. Put the vinegar to the container. Next, put dishwashing liquid to the mixture. Then, put the pipe with the baking soda in the lid. Close it tightly, so there is no air to be escaped except the hose. Activate the mixture by releasing the baking soda inside it. Make sure the hose is directed to the fire. After that, shake the container vigorously. This will cause a chemical reaction that will expand itself greatly, creating a foam-like substance. Then extinguish the fire. The platform to be used for the fire measures 1m x 1.2m.

13

Process Flow

PREPARATION OF MATERIALS. (The researchers must prepare the materials and chemicals required for this experiment.)

CONSTRUCTING AND DESIGNING THE PROTOTYPE. (The researchers shall construct the container and the its mechanism with the modified mixture to be used for the experiment.)

COMBINING THE MIXTURE INSIDE THE CONTAINER. (The researchers will pour the required mixture inside the container in a specific ratio.)

TESTING OF THE PRODUCT. (The researchers will test five different trials to identify what ratio of the mixture will work best to extinguish the fire. A fire set-up will be in place and shall be performed in a safe environment within a given distance.)

COMPARING THE RESULTS. (The researchers will see and compare the results to identify which will be optimal for extinguishing the fire. The three different ratios of the mixture will be subjected for choosing.)

14

Ethical Consideration The researchers guaranteed that this conducted experimental study caused no harm to the community after the product was approved. The collected data were objectively examined without any bias. The raw materials used in the said experiment were from reliable sources. The output of the study was tested to be safe for use. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The researchers will test the three trials by the variables given to determine which mixture is the most effective for extinguishing fires. The setup will be examined by its duration of extinguishing the fire, how far will the burst reach to the fire and the diameter it can cover. The container, which is made out of strong plastic, has a 3.7 L capacity. Table 1 Variation of Materials/Ingredients Per Trial Materials/ Ingredients

TRIAL 1

TRIAL 2

TRIAL 3

TRIAL 4

TRIAL 5

Baking Soda

3 tbsp.

4 ½ tbsp.

4 ½ tbsp.

5 tbsp.

5 tbsp.

Vinegar

500 mL

700mL

975mL

1075mL

1175mL

Dishwashing Liquid

2 tbsp.

3 tbsp.

4 tbsp.

5 tbsp.

6 tbsp.

Trial 1 will consist of 3 tbsp. of baking soda, 500mL of vinegar, an...