FI20215588A1 - Method of preventing fires, a product to be used in the method, and use of the product - Google Patents

Description

METHOD OF PREVENTING FIRES, A PRODUCT TO BE USED IN THE METHOD, AND

USE OF THE PRODUCT

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention is concerned with a method for preventing fires, a product to be used therein, and the use of the product.

BACKGROUND

Forest fires are a huge global problem in causing black carbon fall-out and Wildfire Green

House Gas (GHG) emissions mainly consist of carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor. The fires have long-term consequences in affecting nature, land, and economy, threaten property and livelihoods, and cause serious long-term health problems to millions around the world. Forest fires are also the biggest contributor to fine-particulate emissions in the world, and the situation is getting worse with global warming. One season of forest fire can cause hundreds of billions of dollars in extinguishing costs and damage each year.

Aerial firefighting is a method to combat wildfires using aircraft for dropping down fire-retardants. The types of aircraft used include fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.

Smokejumpers and rappellers are also classified as aerial firefighters, being delivered by parachute from a variety of fixed-wing aircraft, or rappelling from helicopters.

S e Fire and flame retardants comprise chemicals that are used to fight fires and may include 2 water optionally with Enhancers for achieving specially-formulated fire or flame > retardants. = 2 Fire retardants that are used in fire-fighting may be applied either aerially or from the

O 25 ground. Fire retardants applied to wildfires are usually a mixture of water and chemicals

O designed to wet the area as well as chemically retard a fire's progression through vegetation.

Generally, fire retardants are dropped from aircraft or applied by ground crews around a wildfire's edges in an effort to contain its spread. This allows ground crews time to work to extinguish the fire. However, when needed, retardants can also be dropped directly onto flames to cool the fire and reduce flame length.

Afire retardant is a substance that can be used to slow down or stop the spread of fire or reduce its intensity either through physically stopping the fire from spreading or by causing a chemical reaction. Fire retardants can be made from a combination of many different properties, and are available in a number of forms, including powders, paints, foams and sprays. They can also be mixed with water, as fire-fighting foams and fire-retardant gels. Fire retardants can be used to fight fires when they do occur, and they are also available as coatings or sprays to be applied to an object.

Fire retardants often consist of detergent chemicals made from a combination of wetting agents and Foaming chemicals, fertilisers (ammonium and diammonium — sulfate and ammonium phosphate} mixed with thickeners (guar gum) and corrosion inhibitors (for aircraft safety). They are mixed with water to form a foam or slurry.

Flame retardants, again, are a type of substance that can be added to combustible materials to help prevent or slow fires spreading. Flame retardants are typically applied to textiles, plastics and coatings to help protect items from catching fire. The term flame retardants subsumes a diverse group of chemicals which are added to manufactured materials, such as plastics and textiles, and surface finishes and coatings.

Such known flame and fire retardants are usually foams and often based on phosphates-containing substances.

N An example is a flame barrier composition disclosed in WO 2005/054408A1, which is

O

N based on a reaction of phosphorus acid with amines and applied to a substrate.

LO

O o 25 W0O2014/115036A2 discloses a flame retardant for fighting fires in liquids. The product > contains water, flame retardants, polymers, surfactants and preservatives.

Ao a © WO2014/115038 discloses a flame retardant for fighting fires in solid materials. The 00 2 product includes water, flame retardants, stabilizers, and binders.

OF

S WO 2020/109654A1 discloses an aqueous composition comprising Phosphates for preventing wildfire.

US patent 4,770,794 discloses extinguishing forest and ground fires by dropping foam compositions from air.

The object of the invention is to provide a more efficient and environmentally friendly method for applying fire retardants than the methods of prior art.

SUMMARY

The method of the invention for preventing a fire is performed by spreading an aqueous solution of a fire-retardant over an area in the form of small droplets by equipment for water spraying.

The chemical composition of the invention to be used in the method as the fire-retardant forms an aqueous solution when dissolved in water in a concentration of 1 — 10% of weight, by comprising an amino acid salt and additives, which are mixed in a proportion for achieving an aqueous solution with a viscosity of 11 — 19 according to DIN CUP 4.

The preferred embodiments of the invention have the characteristics of the sub-claims.

The fire-retardant used in the invention is both fire-suppressive and flame-retardant and the term is meant to cover all these three terms separately or together.

The aqueous solution of a fire-retardant of the invention is applied over a surface at or outside the outer edges of a forest fire area. It can also be applied over a surface at or

N 20 outside a building or a material object. The aqueous solution of the invention can be

N sprayed from helicopters, airplanes and/or fire trucks to the area.

S e The aqueous solution of the invention is formed by mixing glycerol, alanine, N,N-

E bis(carboxymethyl)-, sodium salt (1:3), and urea in water in proportions to achieve the © desired viscosity. Preferably, 1 — 10%, more preferably 1 - 5% of a chemical used as the 0 25 fire-retardant comprises these three components, and is mixed in water so that it contains

O 3 — 5% urea, preferably < 5%, 1 — 3% glycerol, preferably < 3%, and 1 — 3% alanine, N,N- bis(carboxymethyl)-, sodium salt (1:3), preferably < 3%.

Alanine, N,N-bis(carboxymethyl)-, sodium salt (1:3) has the general chemical formula

C7HsNNa306 and corresponds to trisodium dicarboxymethyl alaninate, Trisodium 2-

Methylnitrilotriacetate, or Trisodium N-(1-Carboxylatoethyl)iminodiacetate.

When Solving the chemical composition used as a fire-retardant in water in a concentration of 1 — 10% of weight, preferably such proportions are used so that an aqueous solution is formed that has a viscosity close to water, such as 11 — 14, preferably ca 11 sec+i sec measured with a DIN CUP 4 test at +20 °C.

The product of the invention is a fire-retardant that is a chemical composition, which is mixed with and dissolved in water and is thus used as a product in the form of an aqueous liquid solution with a fire-retardant effect. It is applied to the outer edges of a forest fire area. It puts out the fire and prevents it from spreading forward. Thus, it stops the fire from going further to buildings and houses and to society in general and it prevents the spread of fire and new fires in the same area by suppressing the fire reaction. When the product of the invention is spread over an area of land, a fire barrier is formed over which — the fire cannot spread and thereby the fire is stopped.

The product of the invention is sprayed with equipment for water spraying from helicopters, airplanes and/or fire trucks to the area. In one embodiment, the product is spread from above from airplanes or helicopters or the like, or more preferably, it can be delivered from fire trucks or other fire fighting vehicles with fire equipment for water spraying.

The small droplets can be achieved by using equipment that normally is used for water _ spraying from a nozzle with a diameter of 0.1 mm — 500 mm. The needed dimensions for

O the eguipment depend on the spraying effect, such as the flow rate, the values in the ro spraying being within a flow range of 0.1 — 20 000 liters per minute (lpm), a pressure of & 25 0.1 — 30 bar and said nozzle opening. The nozzle can e.g. be used together with a hose

I with a diameter within the range of 1 mm — 40 mm at said flow rate and pressure. a & Existing fire-retardant liguids of prior art cannot be used in these working ranges, = because the viscosity of them is considerably higher than that of water. Conventional

N solutions of prior art, which contain fire-retardants can not pass such a small nozzle sufficiently well, usually not at all, since they foam and block the nozzle. The equipment used in the invention has been designed for water and can only be used with fluids with a viscosity close to that of water.

The viscosity of the aqueous solution of the chemical composition of the invention is 11 — 19, more preferably 11 - 14, and most preferably 11 sec + 1 sec measured with a DIN 5 CUP4testat+20 °C, the pH is 8.5+0.5, and the density 1 + 0.1 g/cm3. The DIN CUP 4 value is 11 sec + 1 sec when the concentration of the solution is 1 - 10% of weight.

The aqueous solution of the product of the invention comprises as the chemical composition a salt of an amino acid and other ingredients such as glycerol and urea. A concentration of 1 — 10%, preferably 1 — 5% of the chemical composition in water is needed to achieve the desired effect. The way of applying is to spread the aqueous solution in the form of small droplets so that a mist is formed, and only 1% of the chemical composition is sufficient to achieve the desired effect. When the product in the form of the aqueous solution is spread out in nature, the small droplets of it penetrate efficiently over the irregular surfaces of the ground and in its cavities like a mist. A film is formed of the product that prevents a fire from lighting up or being spread out for even two days. The effect for forming droplets when sprayed is achieved by providing a product in the form of an aqueous solution with a low surface tension close to that of water.

In case of a fire, a strong air pressure is developed by resulting in Burning tree branches and other materials that fly hundreds of meters around, and therefore a barrier formed by the film has to be formed, which is deep enough, which is achieved with the invention.

The product to be spread disappears from nature by itself without any color traces. _ The last mentioned sodium salt ingredient of the product is a colourless, water-soluble

O solid whose aqueous solutions are rapidly and completely degraded even by non-adapted ro Bacteria and is suitable as a substitute for phosphates. Urea is also eco-friendly and & 25 harmless for plants. Glycerol is a non-toxic colorless, and odorless polyol compound.

I a The product of the invention is fluid enough with a low viscosity so that it can be spread & out in the same way as water with conventional fire fighting equipment for water spraying = and thus a faster, more accurate and more efficient applying is achieved than by letting it drop down aerially. The ingredients are mixed in water and in proportions in order to achieve the correct viscosity.

Nozzles, pipes, pumps, adjusting means etc for extinguishing fires are in conventional equipment designed for water. In conventional solutions of prior art, if additives and substances are added, the consistency of the solution to be spread out changes, e.g. the viscosity becomes too high, whereby the equipment does not work well, and it can even be plugged. Therefore, aerial dropping is conventionally used. The consistency of the product of the invention is close enough to that of water, why conventional equipment meant for water spraying can be used.

The chemical composition of the invention to be Sued as the fire-retardant is water soluble and can be mixed with water to form an aqueous solution. It prevents the spread of fire in being flame-retardant and fire suppressive. It also prevents new fires and can be used as a preventive measure. It can be spread at or outside the outer edges of an area of fire or then directly at the fire.

As said above itis in the first hand means to be spread out over areas at or outside edges of a forest fire but can also be applied over surfaces to protect material, things and buildings, and vegetation in general. Consumers can spread out the product by means of watering cans, handheld sprayers, hand pumps, high pressure cleaners, etc. for the protection. Thus, the product can also be used for protecting materials, buildings, parts of buildings, furniture, and other material properties. The product is suitable sold concentrated so that when diluted for use, 1000 liters is achieved from a 10 liter vessel.

Camp fires are a common source for fires. Can the product of the invention be put in a small bottle of only 2dl and an area of ca 20 -50 m? can be treated. The Camper or hiker can spread out the product of the invention after having extinguished the camp fire over the = area of the camp fire and its surroundings. It can of course also be used to quench the

N camp fire itself. 3 © 25 The invention provides a new environmentally-friendly solution for preventing and to stop

I spreading of fires, especially forest fires and other wildfires. It involves an Inventive a © method of spreading a fire-retardant with a new principle of acting. By using the invention,

LO fires can be stopped or prevented quickly and cost-effectively.

OF

N The solution is neither harmful nor to people nor the ecosystem. The product is an environmentally friendly fire retardant with no ammonia, hydrochloric acid or phosphates.

Claims (16)

1. Method for preventing a fire by spreading an agueous solution of a fire-retardant over an area in the form of small droplets by eguipment for water spraying.

2. Method of claim 1, characterized by applying the agueous solution of a fire-retardant over a surface at or outside the outer edges of a forest fire area.

3. Method of claim 1, characterized by applying the agueous solution of a fire-retardant over a surface at or outside a building or a material object.

4. Method of any of claims 1 - 3, characterized by spraying the solution from helicopters, airplanes and/or fire trucks to the area.

5. Method of any of claims 1 - 4, characterized by the equipment for water spraying comprising a nozzle with a diameter of 0,1 mm — 500 mm.

6. Method of any of claims 1 - 5, characterized by the eguipment for water spraying comprising a hose with a diameter within the range of 1 mm — 40 mm at a flow rate within the range of 0,1 I/min -20000 I/min, with a pressure of 0,1 bar — 30 bar.

7. Method of any of claims 1 - 6, wherein the aqueous solution comprises as fire-retardant, a chemical composition with an amino acid salt and additives mixed in a proportion for achieving the aqueous solution with a viscosity of 11 — 19 according to DIN CUP 4 in a concentration of 1 — 10 % of weight.

8. Method of claim 7, characterized by the aqueous solution having a viscosity close to = 20 water, such as 11 -14, preferably ca 11 sec + 1 sec measured with a DIN CUP 4 test O N at +20 °C. LO <Q

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9. Method of claim 7 or 8, characterized by forming the aqueous solution by mixing E glycerol, alanine, N,N-bis(carboxymethyl)-, sodium salt (1:3), and urea in water in © proportions to achieve the desired viscosity. 3 N 25

10. Method of claim 9, characterized by mixing 1 — 5% of the chemical in water so that N it contains 3 — 5% urea, preferably < 5%, 1 — 3% glycerol, preferably < 3%, and 1 — 3% alanine, N,N-bis(carboxymethyl)-, sodium salt (1:3), preferably < 3%.

11. A chemical composition to be used in the method of claims 1 — 10 as the fire-retardant, characterized in that when solved in water in a concentration of 1 — 10 % of weight, an agueous solution is formed comprising an amino acid salt and additives, which are mixed in a proportion for achieving an agueous solution with a viscosity of 11 — 19 according to DIN CUP 4.

12. A chemical composition of claim 11, characterized in that, when solved in water in a concentration of 1 — 10 % of weight, an aqueous solution is formed comprising an amino acid salt and additives, which are mixed in a proportion for achieving an agueous solution with a viscosity close to water, such as 11 — 14, preferably ca 11 sec + 1 sec measured with a DIN CUP 4 test at +20 *C.

13. A chemical composition of claim 11 or 12, characterized by forming the agueous solution by mixing glycerol, alanine, N,N-bis(carboxymethyl)-, sodium salt (1:3), and urea in water in proportions to achieve the desired viscosity.

14. A chemical composition of any of claims 11 - 13, characterized by dissolving 1 — 5% of the chemical composition in water so that it contains 3 — 5% urea, preferably < 5%, 1 — 3% glycerol, preferably < 3%, and 1 — 3% alanine, N,N-bis(carboxymethyl)-, sodium salt (1:3), preferably < 3%.

15. Use of the chemical composition of any of claims 11 — 14, dissolved in water to form an aqueous solution for preventing or quenching wildfires when spread out over an area at or outside edges of a fire.

16. Use of the chemical composition of any of claims 11 — 14 dissolved in water to form N an agueous solution for protecting material when spread out over surfaces over the

N . LÖ material to be protected. <Q 0 I a a 00 00 LO LO N O N