How does a Water Extinguisher Work?

Answer 1

a fire extinguisher work on the rule that a fire needs 3 things to burn 1. fuel (wood ,gas) 2. heat 3. oxygen with out any of these a fire will not burn a ABC dry chem extinguisher removes the oxygen while a hydrogen extinguisher removes the heat

Answer 2

Older water based extinguishers would contain slightly acidic water, and a small dry container at the top, containing a base. When you turned the extinguisher upside down, the base and acid would come into contact, exotherming and forming carbon dioxide, thus pressurizing the tank. More modern extinguishers contain a small vial of compressed gas, often liquid CO2, which you puncture when you activate the handle, thus pressurizing the cylinder.

Answer 3

Fires are extinguished by removing part of the fire triangle (or tetrahedron).

All combustion processes require three things to continue. The first is a substance that can be broken down by heat into unstable compounds that will readily react with an oxidizer. The second is sufficient heat to cause the substance that will burn to turn into a gas or vapor composed of such unstable compounds which are called free radicals. The third is an Oxidizer which will react with the broken down bits of fuel in a reaction that is Exothermic. That means that the reaction produces more heat to break down more fuel into the free radical form were it will burn.

These three things are often expressed as a triangle called; not surprisingly; the fire triangle. The three sides of the fire triangle are Fuel, Heat, and Oxidizer. You break the fire triangle by taking any one of these out of the combustion process that we commonly call fire.

Water extinguishers will cool the fuel to the point were it will no longer break down into the free radicals that are capable of oxidizing. The water absorbs the heat so it is not acting on the fuel to produce more free radicals that will react with the available Oxidizer. That is called Quenching by fire protection people.

Dry Chemical fire extinguisher's inject an alternate reactant into the reaction. When the free radicals react with the dry chemical that reaction is either neutral or Endothermic. That means it does not produce any extra heat to break down the fuel into a form that will burn or that it actually uses up heat from the combustion process. In either case it is depriving the reaction, that is fire, of the fuel; in the form of free radicals; that it must have to continue to produce more heat.

Carbon Dioxide Extinguishers smother the fire by displacing the air, that contains the oxygen that would react with the fuel, with a gas that is too stable to react and heavier than air so it will remain in the combustion zone long enough for the fuel to cool to a temperature that is too low to cause it to break down into a form that is reactive.

In summery:

The water takes away the heat.

Dry Chemical takes away the fuel.

Carbon Dioxide removes the Oxygen

Foam extinguishers take away fuel, heat, and oxidizer by cooling the fuel, by holding the vapors out of the combustion zone, and by separating the fuel from the air which contains the oxygen with which the fuel particles would react.

Answer 4

A fire extinguisher puts out a fire by:

• cooling the burning material enough that it stops burning, or
• excluding oxygen from the burning material so that it cannot continue, or
• both

Answer 5

We have typical ones with CO2, Water and Powder.

All with their specific type of use.

CO2 removes oxygen, depriving the material burning from needed oxygen. It also cools down the area on fire but this effect is not substantial on a large fire. It does not conduct electricity.

Powder is an nonburnable compound with a large surface that absorbs heat. It cools down the fire and as temperature falls, the fire will not be able to continue. It does not conduct electricity.

Water is able to absorb a lot of heat. heat will in turn transform water into steam that expands and removes oxygen. The transformation of water into steam takes its energy from the fire and lowers temperature. It has the disadvantage of conducting electricity, hence it should not be used where there are electricity.

Answer 6

spreading foam on fire creates a blanket which does not allow oxygen to get inside and without oxygen fire doesn't burn

Answer 7

its because its water type and water can thurst up the fire

Answer 8

the foam which is produced releases carbon dioxide which takes away oxygen example burning flame

Answer 9

they work when you pull the black lever