Foam fire extinguishing agent

Abstract

The present invention provides a foam fire extinguishing agent that meets the prescribed properties without including a fluorine compound. This foam fire extinguishing agent is characterized by containing between 0.2 and 3.0% by mass of a cationic surfactant, between 0.2 and 5.0% by mass of an anionic surfactant, and water, for a total of 100% by mass.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a foam fire extinguishing agent, and particularly relates to a fluorine-free foam fire extinguishing agent that does not contain any fluorine-based compounds, and that forms a film for suppressing vapor on a water-insoluble liquid.Background Technology

[0002] An aqueous film foam fire extinguishing agent is mainly used against fire caused by flammable liquids falling under class 4 of hazardous materials, and is supplied in a foam state. When this is used for fire caused by a water-insoluble flammable liquid, while the agent is restored (is reduced) to a liquid state from a foam state, an aqueous film is formed on the flammable liquid. Because this aqueous film suppresses generation of flammable vapor from the flammable liquid, fire is extinguished.

[0003] Now, in order to form the aqueous film, low surface tension of the aqueous film foam fire extinguishing agent is required, but other than this, various performances as a fire extinguishing agent, such as fulfilling predetermined foaming performance, not being dissolved into oil, having resistance to heat and components not being separated or precipitated throughout a long term, are required. Therefore, the aqueous film foam fire extinguishing agent has a problem that requires to fulfill these various performances in a balanced manner while reducing the surface tension.

[0004] In order to fulfill such requirement, as a conventional aqueous film foam fire extinguishing agent, for example, a surfactant containing a fluorine-based compound is used as one of components as proposed in Patent Literature 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-25731) (for example, Patent Literature 1).PRIOR ART DOCUMENTPatent Literature

[0005] [Patent Literature 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-25731 CN104858986A relates to a wood modifier. CN104858983A relates to a wood processing agent. CN101134130A relates to a foam extinguishing agent. JP2001079108A relates to a fire extinguishing agent, SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONProblem to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] However, recently, due to the influence of Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs Treaty), there are restrictions on manufacturing and using organic fluorine compounds, such as perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), and their related substances.

[0007] Then, the objective of the present invention is to provide a foam fire extinguishing agent that can fulfill predetermined performances without containing any fluorine-based compounds.Means for Solving the Problem

[0008] In order to solve the problem mentioned above, the inventors continued to conduct tests and studies, and discovered that a fire extinguishing agent containing respective predetermined quantities of a non-fluorine-based cationic surfactant and a non-fluorine-based anionic surfactant would be able to fulfill performances as an aqueous film foam fire extinguishing agent without containing any fluorine-based compounds, and completed the present invention.

[0009] In other words, the foam fire extinguishing agent of the present invention is characterized by the features required by claim 1.

[0010] In the foam fire extinguishing agent of the present invention, the cationic surfactant is preferably at least one of dioctyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, octyl ethyldimethyl ammonium ethosulfate, octyl decyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, dilauryl dimethyl ammonium chloride and didecyl methylpoly (1 or 2) oxyethylene ammonium propionate. Further, the anionic surfactant is preferably at least one of pentyl sulfate, octyl sulfate, decyl sulfate and lauryl sulfate.Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, a foam fire extinguishing agent that can fulfill predetermined performances without containing any fluorine-based compounds can be provided.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0012] Fig. 1 is a graph showing whether a foam fire extinguishing agent has passed or failed an aqueous film test.MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereafter, the foam fire extinguishing agent relating to a typical embodiment of the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to the drawing, provided, however, that the present invention shall not be limited to these.

[0014] The foam fire extinguishing agent relating to the present embodiment contains 0.5 to 1.0 % by mass of the cationic surfactant and 1.0 to 5.0 % by mass of the anionic surfactant. With such formulation, even though no fluorine-based compound is contained, excellent results can be obtained in an aqueous film test, and other performances (such as oleophobic, heat resisting and foaming performances) are also compatible. As a factor to obtain the excellent results with the formulation above, it is considered possible that combined crude materials have a comparatively great hydrophobic group to form a complex, and it causes reduction of surface tension.

[0015] Further, it is preferable to contain up to 3.0 % by mass of the anionic surfactant.

[0016] Out of these, it is preferable to select the cationic surfactant from any of dioctyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, octyl ethyldimethyl ammonium ethosulfate, octyl decyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, dilauryl dimethyl ammonium chloride and didecyl methylpoly (1 or 2) oxyethylene ammonium propionate.

[0017] Further, it is preferable to select the anionic surfactant from any of pentyl sulfate, octyl sulfate, decyl sulfate and lauryl sulfate. The most preferable combination contains didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride as the cationic surfactant and octyl sulfate as the anionic surfactant.

[0018] Now, if the range is less than 0.2 % by mass of the cationic surfactant and less than 0.2 % by mass of the anionic surfactant, this agent does not pass the aqueous film test, and required performances cannot be obtained. Further, if the content of the cationic surfactant exceeds 3.0 % by mass, a solution will be separated and will not be established as an extinguishing agent. For the anionic surfactant, any upper limit of the concentration that may cause failure of performances cannot be discovered, but if this is added by exceeding 5.0 % by mass, cost effectiveness cannot be expected.

[0019] As mentioned above, even though the foam fire extinguishing agent of the present embodiment is blended without containing any fluorine-based compounds, it is conformable to the aqueous film test, which have been conventionally difficult, and, other performances are also excellent. Further, this agent excels in availability of its crude materials.Examples and Comparative Examples

[0020] Adding 10 % by mass of butyl carbitol, a cationic surfactant (didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride) and an anionic surfactant octyl sulfate by respective quantities shown in Table 1, 26 types of foam fire extinguishing agent samples (aqueous foam solutions) were prepared, and an aqueous film test to be mentioned below was conducted and coefficients of diffusion were measured.

[0021] Furthermore, the butyl carbitol is a solvent that is blended into an actual extinguishing agent, as well. Further, components, such as ethylene glycol, are added into the actual extinguishing agent in addition to an organic solvent, such as carbitol, the cationic surfactant, the anionic surfactant and water.[Test]1. Aqueous film test

[0022] Each foam extinguishing sample was diluted in a measuring flask with water to 100 % by mass, and an aqueous film test was conducted by using these samples.

[0023] Procedures are as follows: (1) Pour 600 ml of cyclohexane at 20±1 °C of solution temperature into a stainless container with 11.4 cm of internal diameter and 13 cm of internal height. (2) Place 200 ml of generated foam evenly on a cyclohexane oil surface. (3) Place a conical stainless wire gauze (plain-woven 80 mesh) so as to allow its tip to be immersed into cyclohexane, and leave it to stand for one minute. (4) Bring a tip of flame of a propane torch using a nozzle of a low-pressure gas welding machine closer to 13±3 mm above the cyclohexane oil surface for one second. Four seconds later, continue the operation to bring the torch closer to the oil surface for another second, and repeat this operation six times in total. (5) In the case of causing ignition by the flame brought closer to the oil surface and spontaneously extinguishing within one minute, continue the operation in (4) above in four seconds after the extinguishment.

[0024] In the aqueous film test above, whether the test was passed or failed was determined, and, conditions of the solutions were observed. For the criteria for determination, when a foam stock solution of aqueous films in an aqueous solution was foamed and a flame was brought closer to a generated aqueous film, if the aqueous film was not ignited and would not continuously burn, the sample was considered as passed (Symbol ○ in Table 1).

[0025] Table 1 and Fig. 1 show results.2. Measurement method for coefficient of diffusion

[0026] A coefficient of diffusion of each foam fire extinguishing agent was measured with the following procedures: (1) Pour a measured quantity of each foam fire extinguishing agent into a 100 ml measuring cylinder using a measuring pipette, add water or synthetic seawater to produce 100 ml of aqueous foam solution. Stir the foamed solution well and leave it to stand for 30 minutes or longer. (2) Measure surface tension of cyclohexane at 20 °C using a ring method or a plate method in accordance with ISO 304. (3) Measure surface tension of the aqueous foamed solution at 20 °C as similar to (2) above. (4) Measure interfacial tension of cyclohexane and the aqueous foamed solution using the ring method or the plate method. (5) Calculate the coefficient of diffusion using the following expression:

[0027] The results are shown in Table 1. Results 3 and 4 are Examples and the other results are Comparative Examples. Table 1:No.Didecyl dimethyl ammonium chlorideOctyl sulfateAqueous film testCoefficient of diffusionSolution condition10.10 %1 %×-0.71Nothing abnormal detected20.20 %1 %○0.45Nothing abnormal detected30.50 %1 %○0.62Nothing abnormal detected41 %1 %○1.34Nothing abnormal detected52 %1 %○1.37Nothing abnormal detected63 %1 %○1.38Nothing abnormal detected73.10 %1 %○1.48Nothing abnormal detected83.20 %1 %Separated96.40 %2 %○1.64Nothing abnormal detected106.50 %2 %Separated111 %0.10 %×-1.36Nothing abnormal detected121.10 %0.10 %×-0.88Nothing abnormal detected131.20 %0.10 %○0.35Nothing abnormal detected1420 %0.10 %○1.14Nothing abnormal detected150.20 %0.20 %×-0.27Nothing abnormal detected160.30 %0.20 %○0.10Nothing abnormal detected170.50 %0.20 %○0.18Nothing abnormal detected180.90 %0.20 %○0.14Nothing abnormal detected191.0 %0.20 %○0.15Nothing abnormal detected2020 %0.20 %○0.34Nothing abnormal detected210.10 %1 %×-0.71Nothing abnormal detected220.10 %2 %×-0.15Nothing abnormal detected230.10 %4 %×-0.27Nothing abnormal detected240.10 %10 %×-0.26Nothing abnormal detected250.20 %1 %○0.45Nothing abnormal detected260.20 %0.90 %×-0.08Nothing abnormal detected

[0028] According to the results shown in Table 1 and Fig. 1, it has been confirmed that the foam fire extinguishing agents relating to the present invention excel in an aqueous film performance and demonstrate an extinguishing function in the case of containing 0.5 to 1.0 % by mass of the cationic surfactant and 1.0 to 5.0 % by mass of the anionic surfactant. Further, it has been confirmed that it is preferable to have a positive coefficient of diffusion.

Claims

1. A foam fire extinguishing agent, comprising: 0.5 to 1.0 % by mass of cationic surfactant, 1.0 to 5.0 % by mass of anionic surfactant, and water for a total of 100 % by mass, wherein the foam fire extinguishing agent does not contain any fluorine-based compound.

2. The foam fire extinguishing agent according to claim 1, wherein the cationic surfactant is at least one of dioctyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, octyl ethyldimethyl ammonium ethosulfate, octyl decyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, dilauryl dimethyl ammonium chloride and didecyl methylpoly 1 or 2 oxyethylene ammonium propionate.

3. The foam fire extinguishing agent according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the anionic surfactant is at least one of pentyl sulfate, octyl sulfate, decyl sulfate and lauryl sulfate.

4. The foam fire extinguishing agent according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein a coefficient of diffusion of the foam fire extinguishing agent is positive, wherein the coefficient of diffusion is measured according to the procedure provided at [0024] of the description.

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