What are extinguishing agents made of?

Extinguishing agent must meet certain requirements in Germany. In conventional extinguishers either foam, powder, water, grease fire extinguishing agent or liquid carbon dioxide is used for extinguishing purposes depending on the application.

Flammable substances are assigned different fire classifications according to their combustion characteristics. There is a code letter on the extinguisher that indicates which fire class rating the extinguishing agent which is filled in is suitable for.

Carbon dioxide is often used, for example in factories or laboratories as an extinguishing agent, where it suffocates the fire by displacing the oxygen and ensures cooling.

In living areas, one should try to use foam for extinguishing, as the extinguishing residue can be far more easily removed.

Extinguishing agents in fire extinguishers of F-Exx

Great emphasis on the environmental impact of the extinguishing agent is put on F-Exx fire extinguishers. Harmful PFOS / PFOA (perfluorooctane sulfonates / perfluorooctanoic acids), which can be deposited in the human body have been omitted. In addition, thanks to the patented elastomer-force element in use no propellants are needed, so that even at high temperatures or during the disposal process is no risk of an explosion.

Depending on the fire rating different extinguishing agents are being used in F-Exx, which, as a rule, are biodegradable and pH neutral:

The grease extinguishers of F-Exx use liquid extinguishing agents based on organic alkali salts, which simultaneously allow for an anti-freeze to temperatures down to -20 ° C. The F-Exx all-round extinguishers, which have no anti-freeze, use a foam, consisting of aqueous solutions of various soaps (surfactants). The all-universalextinguisher F-Exx 8.o C works at temperatures down to -20 °C by the anti-freeze properties.