| Abstract | Fixed pipe compressed-air foam (CAF) systems have been developed over the past decade through a research collaboration between the National Research Council of Canada (NRCC) and the Department of National Defence. Prototype CAF systems have demonstrated, through full-scale testing [1-3], their superior fire suppression performance for controlling and extinguishing fires for a number of hazards, including flammable liquids. To date, however, no detailed comparison testing with other similar fire suppression systems for flammable liquids has been undertaken.Fixed pipe CAF systems represent a major innovation in fire suppression technology. By injecting air into a foam-water stream in a mixing chamber, a significantly superior foam is produced primarily as a result of uniform, small bubble sizes. That foam is transported through a piping system to rotary nozzles which distribute foam over a prescribed area. There are currently no specific fire suppression performance or installation standards for CAF systems; thus, to assess the new technology for potential applications, comparisons must be made using existing standards for similar fire suppression systems. |
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