Tests
Fire extinguishing agent tests are performed in CENAE under the following IRAM standards:
Dry chemical powder ABC (IRAM standards 3569/2009)
| NAME | OBJECTIVE | CRITERIA |
| 01. Residue accumulated on screen | Obtention of granulometry as residue accumulated on each screen. | In the event of having pointed out the reference values declared by the manufacturer, the obtained test values must be the following: • For IRAM screen of 425 µm, a result of 0 gr. • For IRAM screen of 150 µm, the obtained value must be between ±3% of the declared value. • For IRAM screen of 75 µm and 45 µm, the obtained value must be between ±6% of the declared value. In the event that the values declared by the manufacturer haven’t been pointed out, there will only be pointed out the percentage values obtained in each screen. |
| 02. Hygroscopicity | Obtention of the hygroscopicity in the dry chemical powder. | The obtained value for the hygroscopicity calculation must be a maximum of 3g/100g (3%). |
| 03. Agglutination | Determination of the formation of granules in the dry chemical powder. | Granules in the dry chemical powder of IRAM screen 425 µm must not exist. |
| 04. Water repellency | Determination of the dry chemical powder’s rejection as regards water. | The amount of dry chemical powder not affected by water must be lower than 97 g/100g (97%). |
| 05. Heat resistance | Determine if an extreme heat affects the dry chemical powder. | In the event of granules, these must be friable. |
| 06.A Class A – 5B fire extinction | Checking of the extinguishing power in liquid fuels in tray 5B. | Extinction must be produced. The minimum time of effective discharge of the extinguisher shall be of 8 sec. |
| 07. Class A fire extinction with phyre | Checking of the extinguishing power in solid fuels with phyre 1A. | The total time shall not be more than 10 minutes since its ignition. |
| 08. Dry chemical powder fusion | Determine if the dry chemical powder’s component are of low fusion. | The whole material must be melted and homogeneous. |
| 09. Humidity | Determination of humidity in the dry chemical powder. | It must be a maximum of 0.25 g/100g |
| 10. Cold resistance | Determine the formation of granules exposing the dry chemical powder to extreme cold. | The time must be a maximum of 5 sec |
| 11. Electric isolation | Determination of the electric isolation degree of the dry chemical powder subject to a high difference of electric power. | The voltage value must be at least 5 kv |
| 12. Laboratory extinction | Checking in laboratory of the extingushing capacity of the dry chemical powder. | It must be higher or lower than the value declared by the manufacturer. If there is no data, it is considered approved if the extinguishing powder’s mass is a maximum of 1,5 gr. |
| 13. Apparent density | Determination of the apparent density in the dry chemical powder. | It must not differ ±5% from the value declared by the manufacturer. |
| 14.A Chemical composition – Phosphorus determination | Determination of the ammonium phosphate percentage in a powder sample. | For the constituents that make up less than 50% m/m, the contents of a component must be ±10 of the value declared by the manufacturer and 5% for the constituents higher than 50% m/m. |
| 00. Fractioning and fitting out | Divide the sample to perform trials and fit them out with controlled humidity and temperature | |
| 06.B Class B – 20B fire extinction | Checking of the extinguishing power in liquid fuels in tray 20B. | Extinction must be produced. The minimum time of effective discharge of the extinguisher must be of 8 sec. |
| 14.B Chemical composition – Ammonium determination | Determination of the ammonium sulphate percentage in a powder sample. | For the constituents that make up less than 50% m/m, the contents of a component must be ±10 of the value declared by the manufacturer and 5% for the constituents higher than 50% m/m. |
Dry chemical powder BC (IRAM standards 3566/1998)
| NAME | OBJECTIVE | CRITERIA |
| 02. Hygroscopicity | Obtention of the hygroscopicity in the dry chemical powder. | The obtained value for the hygroscopicity calculation must be a maximum of 3g/100g (3%). |
| 05. Heat resistance | Determine if an extreme heat affects the dry chemical powder. | In the event of granules, these must be friable. |
| 06.A Class A – 5B fire extinction | Checking of the extinguishing power in liquid fuels in tray 5B. | Extinction must be produced. The minimum time of effective discharge of the extinguisher must be of 8 sec. |
| 09. Humidity | Determination of humidity in the dry chemical powder. | It must be a maximum of 0.25 g/100g |
| 11. Electric isolation | Determination of the electric isolation degree of the dry chemical powder subject to a high difference of electric power. | The voltage value must be at least 5 kv. |
| 12. Laboratory extinction | Checking in laboratory of the extingushing capacity of the dry chemical powder. | It must be higher or lower than the value declared by the manufacturer. If there is no data, it is considered approved if the extinguishing powder’s mass is a maximum of 1,5 gr. |
| 10. Cold resistance | Determine the formation of granules exposing the dry chemical powder to extreme cold. | The time must be a maximum of 5 sec |
| 01. Residue accumulated on screen | Obtention of granulometry as residue accumulated on each screen. | The residues values expressed in g/100gr must be declared by the manufacturer ±3 on screen 425 µm and 150 µm and ±6 on screen 75 µm and 45 µm. |
| 08.B Chemical composition – Bicarbonate determination | Determination of the bicarbonate percentage in a powder sample. | For the constituents that make up less than 50% m/m, the contents of a component must be ±10 of the value declared by the manufacturer and 5% for the constituents higher than 50% m/m. |
| 03. Agglutination | Determination of the formation of granules in the dry chemical powder. | After the fall, granules must broke and become powder. |
| 04. Water repellency | Determination of the dry chemical powder’s rejection and absortion as regards water. | Higher than 90 gr/100 gr. |
| 07. Compatibility with proteic foam | Check the compatibility of the dry chemical powder with the proteic foam. | Inclination with powder must be at most double from the one obtained during the blank test. |
| 08.B Chemical composition – Sodium determination | Determination of the sodium percentage in a powder sample. | For the constituents that make up less than 50% m/m, the contents of a component must be ±10 of the value declared by the manufacturer and 5% for the constituents higher than 50% m/m. |
| 08.C Chemical composition – Potassium determination | Determination of the potassium percentage in a powder sample. | For the constituents that make up less than 50% m/m, the contents of a component must be ±10 of the value declared by the manufacturer and 5% for the constituents higher than 50% m/m. |
| 00. Fractioning and fitting out | Divide the sample to perform trials and fit them |
Synthetic foams AFFF (IRAM standards 3515/2006
| NAME | OBJECTIVE | CRITERIA |
| 02. Density – concentrate | Determination of the concentrate’s density at delivery condition. | It must not differ ±5% from the value declared by the manufacturer. If there is no such value, the obtained density value must be informed. |
| 03. Viscocity – concentrate | Determination of the concentrate’s viscocity at delivery condition according to IRAM-IAPG-A 6597:2005 standard. | It must not differ ±5% from the value declared by the manufacturer. If there is no such value, the obtained viscocity value must be informed. |
| 04. PH – concentrate | Determination of the concentrate’s pH at delivery condition. | It must be between 7 and 8.5. |
| 05.A Drainage time Type I – concentrate | Determination of the concentrate’s drainage time for 0ºC at delivery condition according to IRAM 6566 standard. | The value must be between -10º and 20º C. |
| 05.B Drainage time Type II – concentrate | Determination of the concentrate’s drainage time for -10ºC at delivery condition according to IRAM 6566 standard. | The value must be between -10º and 20º C. |
| 05.C Drainage time Type III – concentrate | Determination of the concentrate’s drainage time for -20ºC at delivery condition according to IRAM 6566 standard. | The value must be lower than -20ºC. |
| 06. Sediment – concentrate | Determination of the concentrate’s sediment at delivery condition according to IRAM 6541 standard. | The value must be lower than 0.10 ml / 100 ml |
| 07. Corrosion – concentrate | Determination of the concentrate’s corrosion at delivery condition. | For steel 1010, the corrosion rate must be lower than 10 mg/dm2; and for stainless steel 304, the rate must be lower than 2mg/dm2 d |
| 01. Fractioning and accelerated aging | Divide the sample to perform trials and fit them out with controlled humidity and temperature. | |
| 08. Density – aged | Determination of the concentrate’s density once aged. | The result mus not differ ±10% as regards the density value at delivery condition. |
| 09. Viscocity – aged | Determination of the concentrate’s viscocity once aged according to IRAM 6597 standard. | The result mus not differ ±10% as regards the viscocity value at delivery condition. |
| 11. PH – aged | Determination of the concentrate’s pH once aged. | The result must be between 7 and 8.5. |
| 10. Sediment – aged | Determination of the concentrate’s sediment once aged according to IRAM 6541 standard. | The result mus not differ ±10% as regards the sediment value at delivery condition. |
| 13. Surface tension | Determination of the surface tension of the aged foaming liquid solutions. | The result must be lower than 20mN/m |
| 14. Interface tension | Determination of the interface tension of the aged foaming liquid solutions. | The result must be lower than 5mN/m |
| 15. Film formation and sealability | Assure that the foaming liquid forms a film that seals fuel from oxigen. | The appearance of small, self-extinguishable flames is allowed, but no sustained ignition should occur. |
| 16. Application rate for non-polar diluents – field and expansion | Assure a specific quantity per surface unit to perform field trials. And the value of the expansion. Determine the expansion of the foaming solution. | The application rate must be equal to 3.1 l/min x m2 with a tolerance of ±5%. The expansion must be at least of 6 ml/g. |
| 17. Drainage time 25% of the foaming solution for non-polar diluents | Determine the drainage time for 25% of the sample. | The obtained time must be higher than 2 minutes. |
| 12. Preparation of aged foaming solutions for non-polar liquids | Age foaming solutions for non-polar liquids. | |
| 18. Extinction, sealing and reignition for foaming solutions for non-polar diluents | Determination of: 1) Total extinction time 2) Sealing. 3) Reignition 4) Foam sealability 5) Extinction time after reignition | The extinction time must be lower than 2 minutes. During sealing, the appearance of small, self-extinguishable flames is allowed. During reignition, the time from the tube removal to reextinction must be lower than 5 minutes. |
Synthetic foams AFFF-AR (IRAM standards 3573/2006)
| NAME | OBJECTIVE | CRITERIA |
| 02. Density – concentrate | Determination of the concentrate’s density at delivery condition. | It must not differ ±5% from the value declared by the manufacturer. |
| 03. Viscocity – concentrate | Determination of the concentrate’s viscocity at delivery condition. | The result must be lower than 3000 mPa*s |
| 04. PH – concentrate | Determination of the concentrate’s pH at delivery condition. | Determination of the concentrate’s pH at delivery condition. It must be between 7 and 8.5. |
| 05.A Drainage time Type I – concentrate | Determination of the concentrate’s drainage time for 0ºC at delivery condition according to IRAM 6566 standard. | The value must be between -0º and 10º C. |
| 05.B Drainage time Type II – concentrate | Determination of the concentrate’s drainage time for -10ºC at delivery condition according to IRAM 6566 standard. | The value must be between -10º and 20º C. |
| 05.C Drainage time Type III – concentrate | Determination of the concentrate’s drainage time for -20ºC at delivery condition according to IRAM 6566 standard. | The value must be lower than -20ºC. |
| 06. Sediment – concentrate | Determination of the concentrate’s sediment at delivery condition according to IRAM 6541 standard. | The value must be lower than 0.3 ml / 100 ml |
| 07. Corrosion – concentrate | Determination of the concentrate’s corrosion at delivery condition. | For steel 1010, the corrosion rate must be lower than 10 mg/dm2; and for stainless steel 304, the rate must be lower than 2mg/dm2 d |
| 01. Fractioning and accelerated aging | Divide the sample to perform trials and fit them out with controlled humidity and temperature. | |
| 08. Density – aged | Determination of the concentrate’s density once aged. | The result mus not differ ±10% as regards the density value at delivery condition. |
| 09. Viscocity – aged | Determination of the concentrate’s viscocity once aged. | The result mus not differ ±10% as regards the viscocity value at delivery condition. |
| 10. Sediment – aged | Determination of the concentrate’s sediment once aged according to IRAM 6541 standard. | The result mus not differ ±10% as regards the sediment value at delivery condition. |
| 12-B Preparation of aged foaming solutions for non-polar liquids | ||
| 13. Surface tension | Determination of the surface tension of the aged foaming liquid solutions.. | The result must be lower than 20mN/m |
| 14. Interface tension | Determination of the interface tension of the aged foaming liquid solutions. | The result must be lower than 5mN/m |
| 15. Film formation and sealability | Assure that the foaming liquid forms a film that seals fuel from oxigen.. | The appearance of small, self-extinguishable flames is allowed, but no sustained ignition should occur. |
| 16. Application rate for non-polar diluents – field and expansion | Assure a specific quantity per surface unit to perform field trials. Determine the expansion of the foaming solution. | The application rate must be equal to 3.1 l/min x m2 with a tolerance of ±5%. The expansion must be at least of 6 ml/g. |
| 16-B. Application rate for non-polar diluents – field | Assure a specific quantity per surface unit to perform field trials. Determine the expansion of the foaming solution. | The application rate must be equal to 4.7 l/min x m2 with a tolerance of ±5%. The expansion must be at least of 6 ml/g. |
| 17. Drainage time 25% of the foaming solution for non-polar diluents | Determine the drainage time for 25% of the sample. | Draining time must be minimum 5 minutes. |
| 19. Formation of polymeric film | Assure the formation of a polymeric film | The polymeric film must be formed on the alcohol’s surface. |
| 20. Sealability on polar diluents | The appearance of small, self-extinguishable flames is allowed, but no sustained ignition should occur. | |
| 12. Preparation of aged foaming solutions for non-polar liquids | Age foaming solutions for non-polar liquids. | |
| 17. Drainage time 25% of the foaming solution for non-polar diluents | Determine the drainage time for 25% of the sample.. | Draining time of 25% of the foaming solution for non-polar liquids must be minimum 3 minutes. |
| 11. PH – aged | Determination of the concentrate’s pH once aged. | It is accepted that the pH value differs ±10% as regards the determined values on the non-aged product. |
| 18. Extinction, sealing and reignition for foaming solutions for non-polar diluents | Determination of: 1) Total extinction time 2) Sealing. 3) Reignition 4) Foam sealability 5) Extinction time after reignition | The extinction time must be lower than 2 minutes. During sealing, the appearance of small, self-extinguishable flames is allowed. During reignition, the time from the tube removal to reextinction must be lower than 5 minutes. |
| 18-B. Extinction, sealing and reignition for foaming solutions for non-polar diluents | Determination of: 1) Total extinction time 2) Foam sealability 3) Extinction time after reignition | The extinction time must be lower than 2 minutes. During sealing, the appearance of small, self-extinguishable flames is allowed. During reignition, the time from the tube removal to reextinction must be lower than 5 minutes. |
