IMPROVED FORMULATION OF FIRE FIGHTING AGENTS FOR HYDROCARBON FUEL FIRE

AFFF agents are the most efficient fire fighting foams to extinguish hydrocarbon fuel fires, but have limited effectiveness for extinguishing rolling fuel fires and limited burnback resistance. AFFF agents have also poor biodegradability caused by the high content of fluorcarbon surfactants. This is a proposal to develop parameters for an AFFF agent replacement with improved fire performance and less impact on the environment. Parameters to be established include chemical, physical, toxicological, and environmental parameters under static and dynamic conditions. A dynamic fire test will be proposed in collabortion with the Air Force or another branch of the military. Acceptable classes of potential components for the AFFF agent replacement will be defined. Specific components to be selected for formulation and evaluation purposes will include commercially available as well as developmental chemicals and polymers. Based on evaluation data to be generated which justify the recommended parameters, a fire fighting agent formulation with enhanced fire fighting capability and less impact on the environment will be developed in Phase II of AF93-009.