Fire Extinguishers - An insight on Types of Extinguishers available

Types of Fire Extinguishers

What is a Fire extinguisher?

A fire extinguisher is an active fire protection device used to extinguish or control small fires, often in emergency situations.

How Fire extinguishers are classified?

Fire extinguishers are mainly classified into three types, namely, Portable Fire Extinguishers, Mobile Fire Extinguishers and Automatic Dry Powder Fire Extinguishers.

Portable Fire Extinguishers:

                                                Portable Fire Extinguishers are used for putting out or containing small fires until the fire department arrives. They are lightweight and easy to use, suitable for industrial, commercial and home use. 

Mobile fire Extinguishers:

                                            Mobile Fire Extinguishers are mounted on trolleys for transportation. They have higher capacity than that of portable fire extinguishers and are therefore more advisable to be used for relatively larger fires. 

Automatic Dry Powder Extinguishers:

                                                                Automatic Dry Powder Extinguishers are ideal for use in unmanned or confined locations.

What are the components of a typical fire extinguisher?

1. Valve Assembly: Valve assembly regulates the extinguishing agent flow. It is composed of a body, a handle to lift the fire extinguisher, a locking pin, a release lever and a dip tube stored in stored pressure fire extinguisher. We can also find a pressure gauge or a pressure indicator.

2. Cylinder: Cylinder contains the extinguishing agent and the propellant necessary to provide the pressure to forcibly push the fire extinguishing agent out, creating a spray.

3. Pressure Gauge: Pressure gauge indicates the pressure level or extinguisher agent level. It assures that there is still enough pressure for the extinguisher to be successful. 

4. Rubber Hose: Rubber hose allows to direct the flow of the extinguishing agent.

5. Dip Tube: Plastic siphon tube bleeps from the bottom of the fire suppressant reservoir to the top of the extinguisher.

How many different types of fire extinguishers available in the market?

There are mainly six types of fire extinguishers that are available in the market today, based on the type of extinguishing agent they use. Selecting a particular type of fire extinguisher depends on the type of fire it will be used to extinguish. As we have seen in our previous post, fires are divided into classes. Based on this, the six types of fire extinguishers are Water type fire extinguisher, Foam type fire extinguisher, Carbon di oxide type fire extinguisher, Powder type fire extinguisher, Water Mist type fire extinguisher and Wet Chemical type fire extinguisher.

Water Extinguishers:

                    Water Extinguishers are very effective against fires in furnitures, fabrics, as well as deep -seated fires. Because it cools down the burning materials by absorbing the heat. 

Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) Extinguishers:

                    Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) Extinguishers can be used on Class A and B fires, and for vapour suppression. This is because the foam blankets the fuel preventing oxygen from reaching it. 

Carbon di Oxide Fire Extingisher:

                    Carbon di oxide fire extinguishers are designed to protect areas where Class B and electrical fires occur. Carbon di oxide extinguishers are used indoors where winds and drafts do not affect discharge, and where clean agent is required.

Dry Chemical Powder Type Extinguishers:

                    Dry Chemical Powder Type Extinguishers are the most widely used type of fire extinguishers. They discharge a fine powder that absorbs fuel molecules, depriving the fire of a fuel source.

Water Mist Type Extinguishers:

                    Water Mist Extinguishers provide safety from electrical shocks, greatly enhances the cooling and soaking characteristics of the agent and reduces scattering of burning materials. 

Wet Chemical Extinguishers:

                    Wet Chemical Extinguishers are best effective against fire from fats and oils. It extinguishes fire by forming a soapy foam blanket over the burning oil and by cooling the oil below its ignition temperature.

Clean Agent (HFC227ea):

                    HFC227ea portable extinguisher provides superior fire protection in a wide range of applications from sensitive electrical equipment to industrial applications using flammable liquids. HFC227ea is ideal for applications where cleanup of other media presents a problem, where weight versus suppression potential is a factor. 

                    Water type fire extinguishers are mainly used to extinguish Class A type of fires which are caused by combustible materials such as textiles, wood, paper etc. AFFF Foam type fire extinguishers are used to extinguish Class A type and Class B type of Fires. Class B type of fires are caused by flammable liquids. Carbon di oxide or CO2 type fire extinguishers are also used for Class B type of fires. ABC powder type fire extinguishers are used to extinguish the fires caused by Class A, B and C type of fires. Class C type of fires originate from flammable gases. Water Mist type fire extinguishers are used to suppress the fires that are categorized as Class A, B and C. Wet Chemical type fire extinguisher are used to extinguish fires caused by Class F. Class F type of fires are caused due to deep fat substances. 

                    All these types of fire extinguishers are color coded. The body of the fire extinguisher is always red as per the BS EN3 standards. The color code band should be covering 5 to 10% of the body, displaying the fire extinguisher's content. Water fire extinguishers have a red label and class A rating. AFFF foam fire extinguishers have a cream label. The foam agent helps in preventing the re-ignition of suppressed fire. Carbon di oxide type of fire extinguishers have a black label. Therefore they have a Class B fire rating. ABC Powder type of fire extinguishers have a blue label. They are so versatile that they can be used for Class A, B and C type of flames. Powder type of fire extinguishers are not recommended for usage in small rooms, homes and offices. Since there is a chance of inhaling the powder. These types can be used in Engine rooms and machine rooms. De-ionised Water Mist type of fire extinguishers have a white label. The special design of the water mist type extinguisher's  supersonic nozzle makes a microscopic mist curtain, diminishing the oxygen content. Water mist types are protected and appropriate for use on burning electrical equipments as the de-ionized water mist doesn't conduct electric power and the water mist will not form puddles which could prompt electric shock. Wet Chemical fire extinguishers have a yellow label and are planned explicitly for use on flames including flammable cooking media like consuming oil and fat.

Telescopic Applicator Accessory:

                    Telescopic applicators are the suitable mediums to extend the point of application to a difficult reach. It features an extendable telescopic tube, by loosening the T-screw, then simply extending by hand, this increases the effectiveness of the fire extinguisher, especially in case of the gaseous extinguishing agent. Because gas can diffuse very quickly compared to other fire extinguishing agents.

            "ALWAYS OPERATE FIRE EXTINGUISHER IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF AIR"