WHAT IS FIRE

• FIRE is an associated series of

chemical reactions, which
releases the energy stored in
fuel, such as heat and light
(flame).
FIRE TRIANGLE

HE
R
AI

TA
FUEL
 CLASSIFICATION OF FIRE

• CLASS “A” :

FIRE IN SOLID CARBONAEOUS

SUBSTANCES LIKE WOOD, PAPER,
JUTE, COAL, CLOTH ETC.
 CLASSIFICATION OF FIRE

• CLASS “B” :

LIQUID FIRE- FIRE IN

FLAMMABLE LIQUID LIKE PETROL,
KEROSENE OIL, ALCOHOL, BENZENE
ETC.
 CLASSIFICATION OF FIRE

• CLASS “C” :

GAS FIRE- FIRE IN GASES

LIKE
L.P.G., HYDROGEN, ACETELENE ETC.
 CLASSIFICATION OF FIRE

• CLASS“D” :

METAL FIRE- FIRE IN

METALS Like Sodium, Magnesium,
Aluminum etc.
 CLASSIFICATION OF FIRE

• Fire of any class (i.e. Class A, B, C Or D) ,

when associated with Electrical power
supply, shall be taken extra care.
 Flash Point
• The minimum Temp. at
which any substance gives off
sufficient combustible vapours to
produce a momentary flash on the
application of any external source
of flame.
 Fire Point
• The minimum Temp. at which any
substance gives off sufficient
combustible vapours to continue the
flame on the application of any external
source of flame.
 Ignition Temperature
• The minimum temp. at which
any combustible material starts
burning itself without any
application of external source of
flame.
 Spontaneous Combustion:-
Spontaneous combustion occurs
as a result of the heat generated by
the reacting substance themselves,
the substance soon begin to fume
and afterwards they burst into
flame.
Spontaneous ignition temperature :-

It is the lowest temperature at which

the substance will ignite
spontaneously without the
introduction of flame or other
ignition source.
FLAMMABILITY LIMITS

• Limits within which the

vapours of fuel can produce a
flame after mixing with air.
 Flammability limits
FUEL LFL UFL
• H2 4.0 75.0
• CO 12.574.2
• CH4 5.0 15.0
• C3H8 2.2 9.5
• C4H10 1.5 9.0
(% by Volume)
 Fire Suppression Procedures

PRIMARY SECONDARY

• Removal of Fuel • Shock Wave

• Reduction of Heat • Critical Vibration

• Reduction of Air • Ion Separation

(strong electric field)

 PRIMARY FIRE SUPRESSION

COOLING (limitation of temperature)

SMOTHERING (limitation of oxygen)

STARVATION (limitation of fuel)

 COOLING
• The cooling principle is the one most commonly
employed for fire extinction
• The extinguishing medium operates by
absorbing heat from the fire.
• Its temperature is raised.
• It is converted to the vapour state.
• For Fire fighting, Water is the best coolant
 WHY WATER?
• Easily available.
• Comparatively cost is less than other
extinguishing media.
• High latent heat of vapourisation i.e. 536 cal/ gm
• After evapourisation it expands enormously
(1:1700 times).
• Thus removing the oxygen from the scene of
Fire.
 Starvation
• By removing combustible material
from the neighborhood of the fire.

• By removing the fire from the

neighborhood of combustible
material .
 Smothering

• If the oxygen content of the

atmosphere in the immediate
neighborhood of burning material can
be sufficiently reduced, combustion
will cease.

• Agents- Foam, CO2, DCP, Sand etc

 SECONDARY FIRE SUPRESSION

• Shock Wave

• Critical Vibration

• Ion Separation (strong electric field)

 SHOCK WAVE
• Shock Waves are normally generated by explosion,
Resulting in
– Rise in temp. & Pressure in a confined space.
– Time lag between Ignition and destructive pressure.
– Suppression system can react between this time
lapse.

• Explosion may be single or Multiple

 CRITICAL VIBRATIONS

• It is done to disrupt the mixing of fuel

vapour and oxygen in a proper ratio.
This disruption will create a time lag
and that is the time for activating
primary fire suppression system.

• Precision is essential.
 ION SEPARATION
 Fire is a chemical process between
Reducing and Oxidising agents. Chemically,
positive and negative charged ions participate
in the exothermic reaction i.e,. Fire. Creation of
strong electric field in the vicinity of Fire, will
force the ions to move towards the electrodes,
thus not allowing them to mix up and react with
each other.

 Hence fire will not sustain.

• Bad house-keeping
• Electrical
• Careless smoking
• Poor maintenance of machinery
e.g: Mechanical heat, Spillage of hot
oils/ lubricants.
 Contd…..
• Unsafe handling of Hazardous chemicals
and gases
• Lack of periodical maintenance of
pipelines carrying steam, gas, fuels
• Poor awareness about fire safety systems
• Poor manpower training in Fire fighting
 DO NOT LOSE SIGHT

• Scorch marks on furniture or fittings.

• Discoloured or charred electrical plugs,
sockets.
• Cigarette burns.
• Hazards
– Arcing
– Overheating
– Shock
• Causes
– Improper installation
– Lack of maintenance
– Improper use
– Carelessness or over-sight
• Prevention
– Use of proper size conductor appropriate to the load
– Suitable insulation of environment
– Correct rated fuse/MCB
– Provision of ventilation/air circulation
– Prevention /Dissipation of static charges
• Good house keeping
• Separation of process from storage.
• Preventive maintenance of machinery and
periodical lubrication.
• Regular fire safety checks and fire drills.
• Standard work practices.
• Maintenance of fire safety systems.
• Training of personnel.
Any ?
 Diffusion Flame

• Flame in which reactants are

mixed by diffusion, hence called
Diffusion flame.
 Pre- Mixed Flame

• Occurs when a Fuel is well mixed

with an oxidising agent before the
ignition source is applied