Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A62—LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING
  • A62D—CHEMICAL MEANS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES OR FOR COMBATING OR PROTECTING AGAINST HARMFUL CHEMICAL AGENTS; CHEMICAL MATERIALS FOR USE IN BREATHING APPARATUS
  • A62D1/00—Fire-extinguishing compositions; Use of chemical substances in extinguishing fires
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A62—LIFE-SAVING; FIRE-FIGHTING
  • A62D—CHEMICAL MEANS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES OR FOR COMBATING OR PROTECTING AGAINST HARMFUL CHEMICAL AGENTS; CHEMICAL MATERIALS FOR USE IN BREATHING APPARATUS
  • A62D1/00—Fire-extinguishing compositions; Use of chemical substances in extinguishing fires
  • A62D1/0028—Liquid extinguishing substances
  • A62D1/0057—Polyhaloalkanes

Definitions

• the present invention relates to fire extinguishing compositions, to fire extinguishing devices containing such compositions and to a method of extinguishing a fire using such compositions.
• the problem which the present invention sets out to solve is, therefore, to provide a fire extinguishing composition which exhibits good fire extinguishing performance and is relatively ozone benign.
• a fire extinguishing composition comprising at least one fire extinguishing compound selected from the isomers of dichloropentafluoropropane.
• a fire extinguishing device containing the fire extinguishing composition of the first aspect.
• a method of extinguishing a fire which method comprises administering to said fire an effective amount of a fire extinguishing composition comprising at least one fire extinguishing compound selected from the isomers of dichloropentafluoropropane.
• the isomers of dichloropentafluoropropane are those having the empirical formula C3 Fs CI2 H, such as 1,1-dichloro-2,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropane and 1,3-dichloro-1,2,2,3,3-pentafluoropropane.
• the fire extinguishing composition may comprise a single isomer of dichloropentafluoropropane or a mixture of such isomers.
• a particularly preferred isomer is 1,1-dichloro-2,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropane and, accordingly, in a preferred fire extinguishing composition of the invention the at least one fire extinguishing compound selected from the isomers of dichloropentafluoropropane comprises at least a major proportion, e.g. at least 50 % by weight, of the 1,1-dichloro-2,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropane isomer. More preferably, the at least one isomer of dichloropentafluoropropane contained in the fire extinguishing composition is entirely 1,1-dichloro-2,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropane.
• the fire extinguishing compositions of the invention may further comprise one or more other fire extinguishing compounds, such as a completely halogenated fluorobromoalkane or fluorobromochloroalkane.
• fire extinguishing compounds such as a completely halogenated fluorobromoalkane or fluorobromochloroalkane.
• suitable fire extinguishing compounds which may be included in the fire extinguishing compositions of the invention include those disclosed in the present applicants European patent application EP-383 443 A2, e.g. 1-bromo-1,2,2,2-tetrafluoroethane.
• the fire extinguishing compositions of the invention may optionally comprise one or more coadjuvant agents having a boiling point below 0°C (hereinafter referred to as coadjuvants), which may enhance the effectiveness of the fire extinguishing compositions, e.g on delivery from a fire extinguishing device.
• coadjuvants are the haloalkanes, especially the haloethanes and halomethanes, having a boiling point below 0°C, preferred examples of which are chlorodifluoromethane, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethane and 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane.
• coadjuvants include the heptafluoropropanes, e.g. 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-heptafluoropropane.
• heptafluoropropanes e.g. 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-heptafluoropropane.
• the use of a coadjuvant is, however, not essential, since the fire extinguishing compositions of the invention may be effectively delivered from a fire extinguishing device by the use of a standard gaseous propellant.
• the fire extinguishing compositions of the invention will normally comprise at least 50 % by weight, preferably at least 70 % by weight and especially at least 90 % by weight of the at least one fire extinguishing compound selected from the isomers of dichloropentafluoropropane.
• the fire extinguishing compositions of the invention will normally be delivered from fire extinguishing devices by means of a gaseous propellant.
• Suitable propellants are compounds of low toxicity and high stability, preferred examples of which are nitrogen and carbon dioxide.
• a particularly preferred propellant for delivery of the fire extinguishing compositions of the invention is carbon dioxide, since this has been found to provide a particularly effective delivery of the fire extinguishing compositions of the invention.
• the fire extinguishing composition is typically pressurised in the fire extinguishing device with 150 to 250 psi of the gaseous propellant.
• CEN 11B fire was started using 11 litres of n-heptane as the fuel. The fire was extinguished in 4 seconds with 550 g of a fire extinguishing composition comprising 1,1 -dichloro-2,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropane discharged in 8 seconds from a 760 ml Thorn extinguisher containing 750 g of the composition pressurised to 200 psi with carbon dioxide.
• CEN 11 B fire was started using 11 litres of n-heptane as the fuel. The fire was extinguished in 2.5 seconds with 400 g of a fire extinguishing composition of 1,1-dichloro-2,2,3,3,3-pentafluoropropane discharged in 8 seconds from a 760 ml Thorn extinguisher containing 750 g of the composition pressurised to 160 psi with carbon dioxide.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
• Emergency Management (AREA)
• Fire-Extinguishing Compositions (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=10683696

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Cited By (4)

Families Citing this family (1)

Citations (1)

• 1990
  • 1990-10-15 GB GB909022296A patent/GB9022296D0/en active Pending
• 1991
  • 1991-09-26 EP EP91308804A patent/EP0481618A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
  • 1991-10-03 AU AU85558/91A patent/AU8555891A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1991-10-07 CA CA002052887A patent/CA2052887A1/fr not_active Abandoned
  • 1991-10-14 JP JP3264610A patent/JPH05123421A/ja active Pending
  • 1991-10-15 KR KR1019910018073A patent/KR920007652A/ko not_active Withdrawn

Patent Citations (1)

Non-Patent Citations (3)

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