Adam, Do a search for MSDS (Material Safety and Data Sheet) This will list the flash point vapor pressure, and recommended fire suppression media. In the case of one MSDS, it was noted that foam (AFFF), dry chemical and CO2 were recommended. As a former fire fighter, you have to have enough fire suppression material on hand but the best advice, is get out and call 911 because no amount of material wealth is worth losing your life over fighting a fire. If you store your finish product in a steel drum, that needs to have a bonded ground connection. Static protection is a good idea anyway with working around the storage or making of bio-diesel. If your 200 L is stored with a fire resistant lid (hopefully) then the next problem is storage in an area where there is a source of combustion (other flammables, ignition source point such as hot work equipment like welding, drill motors, grinding equipment. Have a fire resistant oily rag can with a spring lid. Answering exactly how much fire fighting media is need depends on several points. Did a fire occur when the 200 L has spilled and has involved other types of combustibles as in a wooded floor, out door near dry grass or brush, curtains, furnishing, paper. Is the weather a factor such as wind, humidity and temp. Is your fire contained within a drum only? Is it in an enclosed area, open area outdoor, under an overhang, under a tree? In the best case, you can extinguish a self contained fire by placing a lid on the container. Gas and petroleum fires are fought by containing the source and laying on a blanket of oxygen reducing foam Small multi class fire extinguishers have a limited amount of material and should be checked annually as some dry chemicals will cake during long storage they are not a good choice outdoors as the wrong use can actually spread flames.One of the first things a fire fighter learns is the term, "Put the wet stuff on the red stuff.". Water is the number one choice for firefighting because it's cheap, available and easy to transport. Water may or may not be a good choice because it can actually help to spread flames. Water is used to cool a fire below the flash point. Remember only a gas burns, not a liquid or a solid. Only when a material is heated will it release a gas that actually burns, not the material. This is the same for fluids. A garden hose will deliver between 3-7 gallons per minute which is just enough to push a good fire around, not put it out, Foams are mixed with water because they will blanket the fuel and cool the flash point. There are several commercial systems like Ansel available if you store fuel in a secure area. The most serious consideration in a bio-diesel fire are the by- products of combustion. This has to be considered. In an enclosed area the rapid lack of available breathable air is the single biggest factor in your survival during a fire. People generally succumb to respiration issues due to toxic substances. The best thing to do is have a plan, including the layout of your storage area, utility shut offs, evacuation route, first aid kit. Your fire may happen in the middle of the night and the fire dept needs to know where you've stored it if it is in a building. You won't be doing your best thinking at 3AM so be prepared. Also have a spill kit to contain and absorb any spills to aid in preventing a larger fire potential. Run through a fire drill several times and make sure others beside you know exactly what you're up to out in the garage at night brewing bio-diesel. The 5 P's save lives-Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance.. Ok so this sounds like preaching but if you've ever seen someone terribly burned in a fire, you'd understand.. One last thing.. don't be a dead hero, call the fire dept in the event of a fire.. If fact pre-empt them and call and ask the same question, How do I fight a bio-diesel fire. They are not there to shut down your operation but would be helpful in setting up a safety program for you. Arlos -----Original Message----- From: Hunt, Adam [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, June 04, 2004 2:11 AM To: biofuel@yahoogroups.com Subject: [biofuel] Diesel fire suppression What is the recommended fire suppressant for diesel fires? I am thinking about what type of safety system would be used around a >200L batch processor.
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