HUME, Robert, M., III (9138 Cambridge Alcove, Woodbury, MN, 55125, US)
LUND, Terrance, L. (1850 Donegal Drive, Woodbury, MN, 55125, US)
LUND, Roderick, I. (7124 Coachood Circle, Woodbury, MN, 55125, US)
HUME, Robert, M., III (9138 Cambridge Alcove, Woodbury, MN, 55125, US)
LUND, Terrance, L. (1850 Donegal Drive, Woodbury, MN, 55125, US)
LUND, Roderick, I. (7124 Coachood Circle, Woodbury, MN, 55125, US)
We claim:
1. An aqueous, thixotropic composition having shear thinning properties for fire suppression and prevention comprising:
0.001 to 2.0 wt % of a pseudo-plastic, high yield, suspending agent;
0.01-20.0 wt % of starch; and
the balance being water;
the composition adjusted to a pH in the range of about 5.0-8.0;
whereby the composition clings to a surface positioned in any orientation, and forms an
exterior intumescent char coating upon fire contact, while retaining an interior aqueous gel
composition, thereby extinguishing a fire and preventing rekindling thereof.
2. The aqueous, thixotropic composition having shear thinning properties for fire suppression
and prevention of claim 1, wherein the pseudo-plastic, high yield, suspending agent is selected
from the group consisting of; acrylic acid copolymer cross linked with a polyalkenyl polyether,
synthetic smectite clay, casein, alginates, modified cellulose, including methyl cellulose,
hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose and carbomethyl cellulose, gum tragacanth and
combinations thereof.
3. The aqueous, thixotropic composition having shear thinning properties for fire suppression
and prevention of claim 1 , wherein the starch is selected from the group consisting of corn starch,
wheat starch, potato starch, tapioca starch, barley starch, arrowroot starch, rice starch and
combinations thereof. 4. The aqueous, thixotropic composition having shear thinning properties' for fire suppressant
and prevention of claim 1, further including at least one component selected from the group
consisting of a surfactant or wetting agent, a chelating agent, a conventional fire retardant, apH buffering agent,
a coloring agent, an antimicrobial agent, a foaming agent, a defoaming agent, and a film forming
agent.
5. The aqueous, thixotropic composition having shear thinning properties for fire suppression
and prevention of claim 1, wherein the suspending agent and starch components combined
preferably comprise no more than about 1.00 wt % of the aqueous, thixotropic composition.
6. The aqueous, thixotropic composition having shear thinning properties for fire suppression
and prevention of claim 1 , wherein the suspending agent and starch components combined most
preferably comprise no more than about 0.50 wt % of the aqueous, thixotropic composition.
7. The aqueous, thixotropic composition having shear thinning properties for fire suppression
and prevention of claim 1, wherein the suspending agent and starch components are present in
approximately equal amounts, by weight, in the aqueous, thixotropic composition.
8. The aqueous, thixotropic composition having shear thinning properties for fire suppression
and prevention of claim 1, wherein the pseudo-plastic, high yield, suspending agent comprises
a mixture of an acrylic acid copolymer cross linked with a polyalkenyl polyether and a synthetic
smectite clay. 9. The aqueous, thixotropic composition having shear thinning properties for fire suppression
and prevention of claim 8, wherein the acrylic acid copolymer cross linked with a polyalkenyl
polyether and the synthetic smectite clay are present in approximately equal amounts, by weight,
in the aqueous, thixotropic composition.
10. An aqueous, thixotropic composition having shear thinning properties for fire suppression
and prevention comprising:
0.01 to 2.0 wt % of a pseudo-plastic, high yield, suspending agent comprising a mixture
of an acrylic acid copolymer cross linked with a polyalkenyl polyether and a synthetic smectite
clay;
0.01-2.0 wt % of starch; and
the balance being water;
the composition adjusted to a pH in the range of about 5.0-8.0;
whereby the composition clings to a surface positioned in any orientation, and forms an
exterior intumescent char coating upon fire contact, while retaining an interior aqueous gel
composition, thereby extinguishing a fire and preventing rekindling thereof.
11. The aqueous, thixotropic composition having shear thinning properties for fire suppressant
and prevention of claim 10, further including at least one component selected from the group
consisting of a surfactant or wetting agent, a chelating agent, a conventional fire retardant, a pH
buffering agent,
a coloring agent, an antimicrobial agent, a foaming agent, a defoaming agent, and a film forming
agent. 12. The aqueous, thixotropic composition having shear thinning properties for fire suppression
and prevention of claim 10, wherein the suspending agent and starch components combined
preferably comprise no more than about 1.00 wt % of the aqueous, thixotropic composition.
13. The aqueous, thixotropic composition having shear thinning properties for fire suppression
and prevention of claim 10, wherein the suspending agent and starch components combined most
preferably comprise no more than about 0.50 wt % of the aqueous, thixotropic composition.
14. The aqueous, thixotropic composition having shear thinning properties for fire suppression
and prevention of claim 10, wherein the suspending agent and starch components are present in
approximately equal amounts, by weight, in the aqueous, thixotropic composition.
15. The aqueous, thixotropic composition having shear thinning properties for fire suppression
and prevention of claim 10, wherein the acrylic acid copolymer cross linked with a polyalkenyl
polyether and the synthetic smectite clay are present in approximately equal amounts, by weight,
in the aqueous, thixotropic composition.
16. An aqueous, thixotropic composition having shear thinning properties for fire suppression
and prevention comprising:
0.01 to 2.0 wt % of a pseudo-plastic, high yield, suspending agent comprising an equal
weight mixture of an acrylic acid copolymer cross linked with a polyalkenyl polyether and a
synthetic smectite clay;
0.01-2.0 wt % of starch; and
the balance being water; the composition adjusted to a pH in the range of about 5.0-8.0;
whereby the composition clings to a surface positioned in any orientation, and forms an
exterior intumescent char coating upon fire contact, while retaining an interior aqueous gel
composition, thereby extinguishing a fire and preventing rekindling thereof.
17. The aqueous, thixotropic composition having shear thinning properties for fire suppression
and prevention of claim 16, wherein the suspending agent and starch components are present in
approximately equal amounts, by weight, and combined most preferably comprise no more than about 0.50 wt % of the aqueous, thixotropic composition.
18. The aqueous, thixotropic composition having shear thinning properties for fire suppressant
and prevention of claim 16, further including at least one component selected from the group
consisting of a surfactant or wetting agent, a chelating agent, a conventional fire retardant, a pH
buffering agent, a coloring agent, an antimicrobial agent, a foaming agent, a defoaming agent,
and a film forming agent.
19. A method of extinguishing or suppressing a fire comprising;
providing a thixotropic, fire fighting composition having shear thinning properties
comprising water, a pseudo-plastic, high yield, suspending agent, and starch, the composition
adjusted to a pH in the range of about 5.0-8.0; and
applying the composition to an area where extinguishment or suppression of the fire is
desired, whereby the composition clings to a surface positioned in any orientation, and forms an exterior intumescent char coating upon fire contact, while retaining an interior aqueous gel
composition, thereby extinguishing a fire and preventing rekindling thereof.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the composition includes a foaming agent, thereby
enabling the composition to float on a hydrocarbon liquid and extinguish a petroleum fire. |
COMPOSITION INHIBITING THE EXPANSION OF FIRE,
SUPPRESSING EXISTING FIRE, AND METHODS OF
MANUFACTURE AND USE THEREOF
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS, IF ANY This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S. C. §119 (e) of co-pending provisional application Serial No. 60/617,616, filed 11 October, 2004. Application Serial No. 60/617,616 is hereby incorporated by reference.
STATEMENTREGARDINGFEDERALLYSPONSORED RESEARCHORDEVELOPMENT
Not applicable.
REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX, IF ANY Not applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention.
The present invention relates generally to the technical field of fire suppressant and fire
preventive compositions. More particularly, the present invention relates to an inventive aqueous
composition having unique properties and, most particularly, to an inventive aqueous
composition more effective than water alone for fighting fires.
2. Background Information.
Fire is a continuing danger to life and property worldwide. In rural areas forest, brush, and
grassland fires cause immense damage each year. This destruction is not only in terms of the
dollar value of timber, wildlife and livestock, but the catastrophic effects on erosion, watershed
equilibrium and related problems to the natural environment. In urban areas, fire and the damage
from large quantities of water used to extinguish a fire is responsible for the destruction of
buildings with the loss of billions of dollars annually. Use of the composition of the present
invention to replace the water used to fight fires can reduce the total water consumption by up
to an order of magnitude. This reduction limits the damage caused by water in urban
manufacturing facilities, and other man-made structures. Most importantly, fire is a maj or danger
to human life. More quickly extinguishing a fire with the composition of the present invention
helps reduce the loss of life to fire.
Over the years man has found numerous methods for combating fires. The use of water,
foams, chemicals and other extinguishing materials are well documented. Water treated with a
wetting agent has been proven to be more effective on a Class A fire where good water
penetration is needed to reach and extinguish the seat of the fire. This concept is taught in U.S.
Pat. No.4,526,234 to Little. Antisettling or suspending agents are useful materials in controlling
powdered flame-retardants from settling or floating. This concept is taught in U. S. Pat. No.
5,374,687 to Cooperman et al. Efforts have concentrated not only on formulations and methods
for extinguishing a fire that is already in progress, but also for the prevention of fires by
pretreatment of combustible surfaces. This pretreatment coating can involve man-made
structures, such as buildings or storage tanks, or vegetation, such as fighting wild fires and
making fire lines or fire breaks.
Currently, there have been very substantial efforts in the area of pretreatment with
chemical retardants or suppressants. A number of these pretreatments have been developed and
used for fighting rural forest fires. For example, antimony oxide and its complexes, borates,
carbonates, bicarbonates, ammonium phosphate, ammonium sulfates, and other salts capable of
being hydrated, have been demonstrated to have useful properties as firefighting chemicals.
Representative prior art patents teaching the use of chemical retardants were granted in the early
1900 ' s and continuing until more recent times. Such patents include; U.S. Pat. No.1 ,030,909 to
Mesturino; U.S. Pat. No.1,339,488 to Weiss; U.S. Pat. No 1,813,367 to Thompson; U.S. Pat. No. 2,875,044 to Dunn; U.S. Pat. No. 3,537,873 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,719,515 to Degginger; U.S. Pat.
No. 4,021,464 to Mayerhoefer et al; U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,580 to Panusch et al; and U.S. Pat. No.
4,095,985 to Brown. However, although the fire inhibiting properties of the borates, carbonates
and bicarbonates have been established, the use of these materials for vegetation fires has been
limited because of their tendency to inhibit plant growth when used in large quantities.
Recently, attention has turned to other chemical agents, such as the synergist combination
of antimony oxide and a halogen (fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodine) or halogenated
compounds. Fire retardant formulations making use of these agents are taught in U.S. Pat. No.
3,196,108 to Nelson and U.S. Pat. No. 3,936,414 to Wright et al. See also Lyons, The Chemistry
and Uses of Fire Retardants, John Wiley & Sons, 1970 pages 147 and 411. Although extremely
effective in this usage, the usefulness of the antimony/halogen combination is partially limited
by the side reactions that may occur in a fire. Production of phosgene, diphosgene or chlorine gas
(WW I chemical war gases) and the generation of corrosive agents, such as inorganic acids from
ammonium phosphate and ammonium sulfate, requires the use of corrosion inhibitors to protect
the firefighting pumping equipment and the aluminum of an aircraft. These corrosion inhibitors
are expensive, sometimes toxic and increase the chance of environmental damage.
Another method of fighting fires is the pretreatment of flame-retardant materials on
combustible surfaces that lead to the creation of intumescent coating materials. Intumescent
materials expand with heat, similar to a vermiculite which expands when exposed to steam. The
expanded layer then protects the original surface from heat and flame. The problem is that an
expanded intumescent is also very fragile. This problem was soon realized, and the intumescent
needed a protective hard outer coating. An intumescent ablative formulation answered this
challenge and is taught by U.S. Pat. No.6,716,485 B2 to Wong, et al. This lead to methods using
carbonaceous materials to form a char instead of the materials being consumed by the fire. The
making of carbonaceous chars is taught in many patents, including U.S. Pat. No. 6,696,030 Bl
to Hayden.
hi addition to all these problems, the most difficult problem to overcome for chemical
retardant formulations is that they are relatively expensive, compared to water. Also of concern
is the environmental impact of absorbent particles presently used in various gel formulations.
The absorbent particles pose an environmental risk once used to fight a fire, particularly when
used on a large scale, such as a forest fire. The cost factor also comes into conflict with applying
them in large quantities, as is often required. In combating or preventing forest, brush and grass
range fires, a considerable amount of effort has been spent in the search for low cost or waste
materials that are both available in quantity and inexpensive. One such low cost waste material
from the forest industry is lignosulfonates. Lignosulfonates are the sticking agent component in
many fire retardant formulations. Teaching the use of lignosulfonates as components in fire
retardant formulations include; U.S. Pat. No. 3,464,921 to Erler et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,862,854
and U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,208 to Zeigerson et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,911 to Horiguchi; U.S. Pat.
No.4,820,345 to Berg; U.S. Pat. No. 5,112,533 to Pope et al; U.S. Pat. No. 6,019,176 to Crouch
and U.S. Pat. No. 6;277,296B1 to Scheffee et al.
Applicants have devised a unique composition for fighting fires. In a preferred
embodiment, the composition consists of pseudo-plastic, high yield, suspending agent, plus
starch, both swelled and suspended, in water. The effectiveness of the inventive composition is
increased versus water alone. The composition forms a crust after making contact with a heat
source. After crusting over occurs, continued heating or burning near the compositions causes
the crust to turn to a carbonized char. At this point, the composition consists of an outer coat of
char, which forms a hard, intumescent coating, and a soft interior of a gelled aqueous
composition. This synergist combination of hard shell protecting a soft interior gel, remains in
place until all the composition' s water has been evaporated. The composition functions as a heat sink, maintaining a substrate temperature below 100° C.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is directed to compositions that are easily pumped or sprayed by high
pressure pumping equipment and/or that can be applied by small, low pressure, individual back
tanks that firstly, prevents the expansion of fire, secondly, suppresses existing fire and thirdly,
the present invention includes the methods of preparing and using such compositions.
The inventive compositions are used as an augmentation for water, and are
environmentally inert. The compositions have pseudo-plastic, high yield hydraulic properties
with a specific gravity very similar to water. The inventive compositions use pseudo-plastic high
yield suspending agents, starch, both swelled and/or suspended, rheology modifiers, wetting
agents, foaming or defoaming agents, coloring agents, antirricrobials and stabilizers added to
water to produce a stable, nonsettling composition that is easily pumped or sprayed and gives sag
resistance when applied on vertical or overhead surfaces. The inventive composition starves a
fire of its supply of fuel and cools the substrate surface. Wetting agents help the composition
penetrate into porous combustible surfaces and, with a unique combination of suspending agent
and starch, resist the exiting of water via means of tack and rheology. The unique composition
containing pseudo-plastic high yield suspending agent and suspended starch results in a
composition that is shear thinning and, therefore, can be sprayed into a fire, with the composition
holding instantly on vertical or overhead surfaces. Then, as heat from the fire raises the
temperature of the composition driving off more water, the composition swells and associates
more starch, raising the viscosity and making the composition even more resistant to flow.
Commonly, water is used to reduce heat and suffocate a fire, but this only occurs while
the water coats the combustible surface. Typically, more than 95% of the water is lost
immediately from vertical or overhead surfaces due to gravity, as depicted in Figure 1. At this
point, water loses its ability to fight the fire as it runs down the wall of a building or off the
vegetation of a field or forest and into the soil. The inventive composition, with its unique
combination of starch and high yield suspending agent, when exposed to the heat of a fire, does
not lower in viscosity and run off, but actually increases in viscosity and becomes more tacky.
Therefore, much less of the inventive composition is needed to fight the fire. Firefighting
personnel now have the ability to coat a surface with a layer of augmented water, an aqueous gel
of the inventive composition, which becomes stickier and more thixotropic the instant it is
exposed to heat. The inventive composition eventually forms a crust as the surface dries, which
is, in turn, carbonized to a char forming, intumescent coating, remaining in place regardless of
the orientation of the substrate, as depicted in Figure 2. The inventive composition uses less
water to control or extinguish a fire, thereby reducing the damage caused by the run off of water
after the fire is extinguished.
When applied to a fire, the inventive composition takes two forms. On the surface is the
thin hard carbonized char, forming the intumescent layer and below is a sticky, thick, aqueous
gel which makes up the majority of the composition. The char helps reduce the moisture loss
from the aqueous gel of the composition and prevents the fire from reaching additional
combustible substrates. The coated combustible substrate temperature now cannot exceed the
boiling point of water (100° C), until the aqueous gel of the composition is fully dried.
A liquid concentrate of the inventive composition is made with a simple mixer. In the
mixer combine water, wetting agent, pseudo-plastic suspending agent and any known starch
(amylose and amylopectin) from corn, wheat, potato, tapioca, barley, arrowroot, or rice and/or
any combination of starches blended together. A dry powder blend can also be made starting with
a powdered wetting agent, then adding a dry pseudo-plastic suspending agent and then adding
dry powdered starch. The use of suspending agents or antisettling agents helps maintain a stable
liquid mixture. The pH of the inventive composition is preferably adjusted to the range of about
5.0-8.0. A buffering agent, such as Advantex, available from Arkema Corp., composed of liquid
amino alcohol, can be used to effect pH adjustment. Alternatively, simple caustic (NaOH) is used
for pH adjustment. Addition of some wetting agent speeds up the mixing process and also allow
the composition to better wet out combustible substrates during its use to fight fires. Examples
of wetting agents include the biodegradable Triton X-100 (octylphenol ethoxylate), available
from Dow Chemical Surfactants. Other elective components can be added to the inventive
composition to achieve unique desired characteristics. For example, foaming agents are added
to compositions for the fighting of petroleum fires, coloring agents are added to compositions
to help distinguish between various composition formulations. For example, one color
composition is formulated for fighting brush fires and another color composition is specifically
for fighting urban building structures. Examples of foaming agents include liquid detergent,
liquid soap, and AFFF (aqueous film forming foam) composed of diethylene glycol monobutyl
ether, hydrocarbon surfactant, fluorocarbon surfactant, polysaccharide gum and magnesium i sulfate. Coloring agent examples include water soluble food grade dyes, such as Red #40, Allura
Red AC, an Orange/Red dye, Blue #2 Indigotine, Royal Blue Dye, Green #3, Fast Green FCF,
a Sea Green dye.
hi some instances, a defoaming agent is required for the inventive composition.
Examples of defoaming agents include the silicone formulations DC- 1520, FG- 10 and FC-4330,
available from Dow Corning. A nonionic defoaming agent suitable for preventing environmental
degradation is Foamaster A-7.
Antimicrobials and stabilizers are added to the inventive composition to protect
surrounding buildings from mold and extend the shelf life of the inventive composition, as well
as protecting soils from the catastrophic effects of erosion and watershed equilibrium. Examples
of antimicrobial agents include blends of methyl paraben and propyl paraben, and Vancide # 51,
a blend of sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate and sodium 2(3H)-benzothiazolethione. Stabilizer
examples include a fumed silica, such as Carb-O-Sil, or a borate. To fight fires where an extreme
need to extinguish the fire in seconds is more important then toxicity concerns, conventional fire
retardants such as halogens, antimony oxide and salts, such as ammonium phosphate, ammonium
sulfate or other similar chemical retardants, can be used as modifiers that are easily added and
then utilized with such special compositions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of vertical and horizontal substrates within a fire
following application of water alone.
Figure 2 is a cross sectional view of vertical and horizontal substrates within a fire
following application of the inventive composition of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
The invention relates to compositions that are augmentations to water, either from
concentrate or dry blends, used to extinguish fires. The concentrate or dry blend is added to a fire
fighter's water reservoir and simply stirred in or allowed to recirculate. These compositions use
pseudo-plastic high yield suspending agents, plus starch, both swelled and suspended, rheology
modifiers, wetting agents, foaming agents, coloring agents, antimicrobials and stabilizers, added
to water to produce a stable, nonsettling augmentation to water. The water augmentation, an
aqueous gel of the inventive composition, is easily pumped or sprayed by typical high pressure
pumping equipment or by low-pressure individual back tanks. The composition has a "high yield
value," meaning it has an initial resistance to flow under stress but then is shear thinning, and
when used, exhibits "vertical cling," meaning it has the ability at rest, to immediately return to
a thixotropic gel. A firefighter now has a material that does not separate or settle, can be easily
sprayed and immediately thickens when it contacts a wall or ceiling surface. This gives the
firefighter the ability, unlike water alone, to build thickness and hold the aqueous gel of the
inventive composition on vertical or overhead surfaces. The aqueous gel of the composition's
mass and the vertical cling both acts as a heat sink capable of clinging to vertical and overhead
surfaces. This clinging to the surfaces causes the overall temperature of the surfaces to remain
below the boiling point of water. The heat sink effect does not allow the temperature of the
surface coated with the aqueous gel of the composition to exceed 100° C until all the water in the
composition has been evaporated. To produce this shear thinning effect and then cling, the composition uses a pseudo-plastic high yield-suspending agent.
There are many types of pseudo-plastic Jiigh yield suspending agents or rheology
modifiers that can be used successfully in the inventive composition. Two of the major groups
of such suspending agents are laponites, a synthetic smectite clay, and Carbopols®, generally
high molecular weigh homo- and copolymers of acrylic acid cross linked with a polyalkenyl
polyether. Other polymers and synthetic clays are suitable and may be used in combination to
develop special pseudo-plastic high yield suspending agent characteristics. In using a
combination of these suspending agents, synergism is found, for example, between laponites and
Carbopols®, where a blend offers improved characteristics for the composition. Of the group
of laponites, which are synthetic smectite clays closely resembling the natural clay mineral
hectoritic, it was found that Laponites RD and RDS provide the best performance. Laponites RD
and RDS are layered hydrous magnesium silicates that disperse rapidly in water without the need
for high shear. Laponites RD and RDS are manufactured by Southern Clay Products, Inc.,
Gonzales, TX 78629, and are commercially available from Fitz Chemical Corporation, Itasca,
IL 60143. Laponite RDS at a concentration of about 0.001-2.0 % is ahighly effective rheology
modifier. Laponite RDS at a concentration of about 0.1-0.5 % is a preferred rheology modifier.
In another major group of suspending agents, the Carbopols®, one particularly effective material
is Carbopol® EZ-3 , a hydrophobically modified cross-linked polyacrylate powder. The polymer
is self- wetting and requires low agitation for dispersion. The convenience of low agitation is
very evident in the very short wetting out time needed, when making a concentrate. Carbopol®
EZ-3 is commercially available from Noveon, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio 44141. Carbopol® EZ-3
at a concentration of about 0.001-2.0% provides acceptable performance. Carbopol® EZ-3 at
a concentration of about 0.01-1.0 % is a preferred rheology modifier. A blend of Carbopol® EZ-
3 and Laponite RDS in the range of about 0.002-4.0 % each is the most preferred rheology
modifier combination. Preferably, the Carbopol® EZ-3 and Laponite RDS are present in
approximately equal amounts, by weight, in the inventive composition. Both of these materials
hold solid particles in suspension without allowing the solids to settle. Both of these materials
have a shear thinning rheology so they can be pumped or sprayed onto a surface without the loss
of cling. The Carbopol® EZ-3 is the more efficient of pseudo-plastic high yield suspending
agents tested and the Laponite RDS one of the fastest to build in viscosity, as tested after shear
thinning. The laponites are especially sensitive to electrolytes or the typical salts in water. Many
pseudo-plastic high yield suspending agents need to be fully dispersed and hydrated in water to
achieve the best performance characteristics. The inventive composition improves the overall
efficiency of putting fire out with water. Other suitable pseudo-plastic, high yield, suspending
agents include casein, alginates, modified cellulose, including methyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose and carbomethyl cellulose, gum tragacanth used individually
or in combination. The method of preparing and making antisettling mixtures of the inventive
composition in water is a unique combination of suspending agent and swelled or suspended
starch.
If each component of this unique mixture of suspending agent and starch in this
composition were used separately, the ability to fight a fire would be drastically reduced. Using
just the pseudo-plastic high yield suspending agent would mean the material could be pumped
and that it would have cling to hold it to vertical and/or overhead surfaces. Although, the pseudo-
plastic high yield-suspending agent is temperature stable, meaning the viscosity does not decrease
as the temperature rises, the heated material would have an accelerated evaporation rate. There
is no means to slow down the evaporation of the water, such as a crust or char, which forms with
starch included in the inventive composition. If, on the other hand, only starch was present, the
composition would hard settle in the tanks, pipes and hoses, and if it could be used, the starch
composition would not cling to vertical surfaces. If some of the starch is preheated to swell, this
increases the clinging ability of the composition, but the viscosity is now so high that it is be
impossible for this starch composition to be pumped or sprayed.
The unique mixture in the inventive composition of pseudo-plastic high yield suspending
agent and hydrated starch provides a composition in which the starch does not settle, even on
aging. The inventive composition has a high yield value with a "shear thinning capacity" which
means, the composition becomes thin when pumped and instantly thixotropic or sag resistant,
at rest. Thus, after being pumped and sprayed, the composition is capable of clinging to a vertical
or overhead surface. In the inventive composition, any starch can be used. Examples of typical
starches include corn, wheat, potato, tapioca, barley, arrowroot, rice or any combination of
starches. Another example is Fiber-Star P, a preboiled potato starch. This list is not an attempt
to limit the number of starches, but to demonstrate that all starches function in this composition
to varying degrees. It is contemplated that various, starch precursors are also functional in the
present inventive composition. The amount of starch used varies, depending on particular
characteristics needed for the composition. Formulas can vary in starch content from about 0.01-
20.0 wt %. Preferably, a starch content from about 0.05-10 wt % is preferred, and most
preferably, the composition has a starch content from about 0.1-2.0 wt %. In a preferred
embodiment of the inventive composition, the suspending agent and starch components
combined, preferably comprise no more than about 1.00 wt % of the aqueous, thixotropic
composition. In a most preferred embodiment of the inventive composition, the suspending
agent and starch components combined, preferably comprise no more than about 0.50 wt % of
the aqueous, thixotropic composition.
A rheology modifier can also affect starches. The rheology modifier, borate, is used in
the composition to add cross linking. Additional value from the borate is that borate is an
excellent flame retardant by itself. Commonly, borates are used as modifiers for wetting agents
in soaps or washing powders.
Dry starch originally contains about 12% water and has a particle size of 20 microns.
When soaked in water, the starch associates and holds up to 18% water and the particle size
increases to 40 microns. As the starch/water mixture is heated, in this case by a fire, the starch
forms a gel or association with all the surrounding water starting around 160° F (71° C). Thus,
when the composition is heated, either from the substrate or the air side, the starch absorbs more
water at the interface and becomes thicker. On the substrate side, the composition first rides on
its own vapor and, as it cools, forms its own film on the substrate surface. On the air side, where
evaporation largely occurs, the composition tirst tnicKens and then crusts over and eventually is
converted to a carbonized char. The char formed is a hard, intumescent coating, which slows the
evaporation of water from the composition, as illustrated in Figure 2. In essence, the
composition's own film and char act as a vessel to contain the soft-gelled composition, which
now acts as a heat sink to cool the backside of the intumescent char. This synergism between
the intumescent hard coating and the composition's aqueous gel helps optimize a very limited
amount of water. The char/gel coating further reduces the available combustible material to the
fire, and also reduces the smoke emission. There are no dangerous chemical reactions caused by
the application of the inventive composition and its byproducts are neither corrosive nor toxic.
Other components can be added to the composition to enhance a desired property, a foaming
agent, such as commercially available liquid detergent or liquid soap, being a good example.
Example of GeI Preparation
Four (4) gallons (15,000 grams) of tap water were placed in a 10-gallon container.
Seventy-six (76) grams of Carbopol® EZ-3 and seventy-six (76) grams of corn starch were
stirred into the water. At this point, the composition had a pH less than 2.5. The pH was
adjusted to between 5.5 and 7.0 by adding 10 grams of sodium hydroxide. The composition
exhibited shear thinning characteristics but was too thick to be pumped. An additional 2 gallons
(7,500 grams) of tap water were added to the container to provide a pumpable composition with
suitable thixotropic and shear thinning properties. The components making up the composition
on a wight/weight basis are: Carbopol® EZ-3 - 0.335%; corn starch - 0.335%; sodium
hydroxide - 0.044% and water - balance (99.285%).
Li the past, when fire fighters were only using water, many times smoldering embers
harbored a fire on the inside of a log or limb that later rekindled the fire. With the inventive
composition, the combination of an aqueous gel sticking to the charred surface and a wetting
agent, which allows it to penetrate into the cracks, gives the fire fighter a much greater chance
of extinguishing the fire with no recurrence after the initial contact. The aqueous gel created by
the inventive composition contains more than 90% water. This high water yield keeps water
where the fire fighter has placed it. The composition reduces the amount of water used and
provides increased fire suppression potential per gallon of water. Further, because of the
composition's aqueous gel characteristics, the immediate seepage through floors and walls by
water is reduced. The water in the composition, now coating and sticking to combustible
materials, does not separate in the fire, nor does the water making up the composition drain away.
More than 95% of the water used by fire fighters is typically lost immediately from vertical or
overhead surfaces due to runoff. The inventive composition both extinguishes existing fires and
suppresses rekindling of hot substrate.
Water Yield:
To provide a quantitative measure of the increased ability of the composition of the
present invention to hold water to a potentially combustible surface, a water yield test was
performed. This test compared composition No. 1, described below, to water. Small wooden
strips were vertically dipped to an equal depth in either water or composition No. 1. The wooden
strips were weighed before and after dipping to determine the amount of water retained on each
strip. One strip dipped into water retained 0.13 grams of water. The strip dipped into
composition No. 1 retained 6.93 grams of the aqueous composition. Thus, composition No. 1
retains fifty-three (53) times the water weight on the wooden strip compared to water alone.
In an attempt to maximize the vertical holding capability and minimize the problems that
occur in pumping or handling thick materials, a series of decreasing concentrations of suspending
agents/starch compositions were evaluated for their ability to hold on a vertical surface. The
same compositions were then compared for their ability to resist fire and heat. As an initial point
Composition No. 1, with suspending agent and starch at approximately 0.50 % each, was used.
Five (5) dilutions of Composition No.1 were then made. Composition No. 14 has about 8.3%
less suspending agent and starch. Composition No. 15 has about 16.6% less suspending agent
and starch. Composition No. 16 has about 23% less suspending agent and starch. Composition
No. 17 has about 28.6 % less suspending agent and starch. Composition No. 18 has about 33.3
% less suspending agent and starch. The components of each composition are summarized in
Table 1 below.
TABLE 1
PERCENTAGE BY WEIGHT OF COMPONENTS IN THIXOTROPIC
COMPOSITION
Ingredient Component No. 1 No. 14 No. 15 No. 16 No. 17 No. 18
Suspending Carbopol 0.5013 0.4557 0.4177 0.3856 0.3580 0.3342 Agent EZ-3
Starch corn starch 0.5013 0.4557 0.4177 0.3856 0.3580 0.3342 pH sodium 0.066 0.060 0.055 0.051 0.047 0.044 Modifier hydroxide
Water water 98.9316 99.0287 99.1096 99.1781 99.2368 99.2877
Droop Test;
The above-described compositions were further evaluated for the ability to remain in
place when applied to either vertical or overhead surfaces. The clinging ability is measured by
the droop test. A cylindrical hole is provided in a 1/4 inch thick pine board. The board is placed
on a horizontal flat surface and the hole filled with the test composition and leveled with a
straight edge. The board is then turned 90 degrees such that the open end of the cylindrical hole
is on a vertical surface. The distance that the composition flows downwardly on the vertical
surface of the board is determined after a specified time period. The results are tabulated in
Table 2.
Char and Burn Through Tests:
These same modified compositions were evaluated by comparing their ability to resist
the spread of fire, first on a room temperature (RT) pine wood substrate and second on a
preheated, hot pine wood substrate. In this test a 1800° F propane torch heat source was applied
5 inches from a paddy formed by a stencil 1/8 inch thick and 2 inches in diameter of each
composition. When tested, the paddies were held in a vertical position. Before starting the initial
test, the heat source was applied to just the pine wood without any protective coating, The
combustible pine wood burst into flames in less then 5 seconds. In a comparison of time to first
char, all paddies were very similar and the first char occurred around 30 seconds. In a comparison
of burn through, another interesting fact appeared. The initial composition, No. 1, and the next
two dilutions, No. 14 and No. 15, had approximately the same time to burn through,
approximately two (2) minutes. The difference in the next three dilutions appears to be caused
by droop. Under flame, the thinness of the paddy allowed the flame to burn through more
quickly. If a preheated substrate is used (simulates being on fire) almost all dilutions of the
original compositions burned through in the same time if enough preheat had been applied, as
seen in Table 2.
TABLE 2 FIRE, HEAT AND DROOP TESTING OF THIXOTROPIC COMPOSITION
Composition Number No. 1 No. 14 No. 15 No. 16 No. 17 No. 18 Droop Test Initial Weight, Ib. 0.185 0.205 0.225 0.250 0.265 0.290
Droop Test Dist, inches 1.75 2.42 2.70 3.10 3.85 5.30 Burn Test at Room T
First Char, minutes 0:30 0:30 0:30 0:30 0:30 0:24
Burn Through, minutes 2:15 1:50 2:09 1:00 0:49 0:24 Burn Test at Elevated T
First Char, minutes 0:30 0:30 0:30
Burn Through, minutes 2:20 2:07 0:30
When using the inventive composition to fight a large industrial or commercial fire, water
and mold damage after the fire is extinguished is another big issue. The damage to buildings
unassociated with the those involved in a fire has become a billion-dollar insurance loss, in
addition to a maj or health problem to future occupancy of these b uildings . Reducing the quantity
of water needed to fight a fire by increasing the efficiency of the composition to extinguish a fire,
as well as the addition of antimicrobials agent to the composition, reduces the impact on all
structures.
In comparison to a standard fire fighting foam, the inventive composition has some
important differences. The aqueous gel of the composition has the advantage of mass from the
high water yield. Fire fighters using a standard foam see the foam quickly evaporating or being
broken down, either by radiant heat or direct flame contact. With the high water yield of the
inventive composition, greater tolerance to the heatand flames is exhibited, and the composition
can be applied in only one step versus the required two steps of most foams.
Optionally, a foaming additive can be added to the inventive composition to fight fires
where the inventive composition needs to float. This feature is particularly useful in fighting oil,
gasoline or petroleum fires. Without the foaming of the composition, the composition sinks and
it is of little value in extinguish the petroleum fire. Another modification includes a simple color-
coding to indicate a particular modification of the composition. Addition of a coloring agent to
the composition provides facile identification of specific formulations. The color-coding feature
minimizes the chance of using the wrong composition for a particular application.
One of the compositions greatest asset is its increased safety feature. The composition's
aqueous gel is easily sprayed or pumped like water, but can be projected greater distances than
water alone. This allows attack of the fire from an increased distance and reduces the risk to a
fire fighter or fire fighting aircraft. The pseudo-plastic, high yield characteristics of the composition cause the material to disperse in small clusters when projected, versus breaking into
a mist. This characteristic is advantageous when dropping material from aircraft onto a fire. The
composition's aqueous gel also reduces the potential for flashover because of its ability to stay
on a surface, maintain a water yield and disrupt the thermal layers on a structure's ceiling and
walls during initial attack of a fire. Fires spread very rapidly. It's commonly known that a fire
doubles in size every minute during the beginning of a burn, so the more quickly the fire is under
control, the less danger there is for the fire fighters.
The inventive composition also finds many other applications. Several of its potential
uses include fire breaks sprayed down for forest fires and back fires, application to protect
homes, businesses and fuel storage tanks, and less water usage allowing one truck to provide
significantly greater fire suppressant capabilities.
In addition, the inventive composition does not make a surface slipperier than water, but
a thick coating could give buoyancy. Another potential use includes the coating of fruit trees to
protect them from frost. Likewise, the filling of rodent holes with the gel under pressure, thus
filling all tunnel voids or cavities, makes the tunnels useless to the rodent. Such uses cause no
detrimental effects to the surrounding environment.
It is contemplated that salt water (brine) can be used in place of fresh water when
preparing the composition of the present invention. Special pseudo-plastic, high yield
suspending agents, which form gels that are nonsensitive to salts, are required when using salt
water or brackish water.
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred
embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in
form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention.