FOAM FIRE EXTINGUISHING

To make water usable as an extinguishing agent for flammable liquids (Class B fires), a fixed percentage of foam concentrate is added. When water and concentrate are mixed in air, it can be used as an extinguishing agent.

To make water more effective as an extinguishing agent for combustible solid materials (Class A fires), a small percentage of foam concentrate is added to increase the water’s extinguishing power.

The choice of foam concentrate depends on a number of factors:

• Fire rating
• Environmental considerations
• Quality standard
• Approval criteria
• Extinguishing method
• Foam expansion rate.

Nextech sells foam concentrates for any type of fire protection where foam can be used as an extinguishing agent. We primarily sell foam concentrates from InnoVfoam and Solberg Scandinavian, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of fluoropolymer-free foam concentrates (known as Re-Healing foam concentrates). These foam concentrates are recommended for environmental reasons.

We can thus offer five different types of foam concentrate (foaming agent):

• Re-Healing, fluorine-free foam concentrate for extinguishing flammable liquids that are not water soluble (hydrocarbons)
• Re-Healing, fluorine-free foam concentrate for extinguishing flammable liquids that are water soluble (polar soluble)
• AFFF, film-forming concentrate for extinguishing flammable liquids that are not water-soluble (hydrocarbons)
• AFFF/ARC, film-forming concentrate for extinguishing flammable liquids that are water soluble (polar soluble)
• Cleaning agent for filling (large) spaces with rapidly expanding light foam.

InnoVfoam’s fire monitors can be controlled manually, electrically or via a water-driven oscillation unit. By adjusting pressure and capacity, the fire monitors achieve optimum range.

Nextech offers trailers and skids for mobile fire monitors, as well as towers with lift for fire monitors for stationary systems.

InnoVfoam specialises in 100% electrically-controlled fire monitor systems that are tailored to each individual customer, for example with either a standard control panel or a fully automated PLC control system with one or more infrared cameras.

InnoVfoam are specialists in the design and development of integrated foam sealing systems that can be placed inside a container, on a steel frame or on a trailer. Each system is developed specifically for each customer’s needs and is designed and tested in InnoVfoam’s own test facilities, including FAT (Factory Acceptance Test), where customers are invited to participate and witness the test.

Various types of foam proportioners can be used for precisely proportioning foam concentrate in the water supply of a fire extinguishing system. The choice of proportioner depends on a number of factors such as the type of extinguishing system, the required capacity, the available energy supply, the volume of the equipment and the size of the surrounding area

To guarantee effective extinguishing, a foam proportioner must be 100% reliable. In this context, international testing organisations such as FM/UL and VdS consider mechanical systems to be more reliable than electrical systems. InnoVfoam’s proportioners meet the criteria for 100% reliability and rank among the most reliable systems on the market.

Through InnoVfoam, we can offer a unique range of safe proportioning systems in the following types: Wide range proportioner, balanced pressure wide range proportioner, balanced pressure proportioner, bladder tank proportioner, inline inductors, around the pump proportioner, turbine inline proportioner.

The type of foam generator depends on the selected foam extinguishing system. We offer three types of foam generators for making low, medium and high expansion foam, respectively. The three types differ in terms of how much the foam generated expands: The lighter the foam, the more it expands.

Low expansion foam generators are used, for example, in tank protection, in sprinkler systems or in remote-controlled fire monitors.

Medium expansion foam generators are used, for example, to cover a liquid leak in enclosed spaces.

High expansion foam generators are used, for example, to completely fill enclosed spaces such as warehouses or aircraft hangars.

We use two types of tanks for storing foam: Atmospheric tanks and bladder tanks.

An atmospheric tank is used for storing water or foam concentrate in combination with a pump and a proportioner. The size of the tank and the built-in pipe and hose connections can be adapted to the specific company’s needs.

A bladder tank is used for storing foam concentrate in combination with a proportioner. The advantage of a bladder tank is that there is no need for an external pump to add foam – the system works by means of the water pressure of the extinguishing system. Bladder tanks can be installed vertically or horizontally.

InnoVfoam has developed a foam proportioning system called “InnovDos”, which can be used to add foam concentrate to water from the main water line without the need for an external energy supply. InnovDos uses a water-driven pump, and the main components of the system are tested and approved by VdS.

The system can be used for foam proportioning in large (sprinkler) systems.

We distribute valves of the brand Inbal via InnoVfoam. Because of their simplicity, reliability and low maintenance requirements, these valves can be used in a wide range of fire protection systems. They can be actuated manually, electrically and/or pneumatically. These valves also been approved by a large number of testing institutes.

We offer special foam concentrate pumps (geared pumps) for centralised foam distribution at petrochemical plants or for adding foam to sprinkler systems. The pumps from UK manufacturer Albany are used in combination with balanced pressure proportioners developed by Norwegian Matre Maskin and Inbal pressure-sustaining valves developed by MIL.

The pumps can be supplied with motor driven by oil, electricity or hydro power.

InnoVfoam’s hydrant cabinet is a compact unit that can incorporate a hose reel, foam generator, foam inductor and foam storage tank.

The system is connected to a water supply with sufficient flow and pressure. InnoVfoam hydrant cabinets are mainly used in aviation (helidecks and aircraft hangars), but are also used in industry (chemical plants and refineries) and areas such as petrol stations, car parks and boiler rooms.

Due to the integrated foam generator, the hydrant cabinets can also be used for manually extinguishing fuel fires with foam. The outstanding performance of the foam-making equipment, such as the low or medium expansion foam branch pipe, enables efficient firefighting from a safe distance.

We offer nozzles developed by the Norwegian manufacturer Matre Maskin, which are used to create a water barrier for optimal protection of objects at risk in a fire.

Matre Maskin’s Pop-Up and Flexi nozzles are most commonly used on helipads and helidecks either onshore (on hospital roofs, rooftops of car parks, office buildings, etc.) or offshore (drilling platforms, ships and yachts).

Flexi nozzles can also be used to protect loading and unloading facilities in oil terminals. Rotating nozzles can also be used to fight fires in aircraft hangars.