How Does Dry Powder Extinguish a Fire?

Views: 6     Author: Site Editor     Publish Time: 2023-09-30      Origin: Site

facebook sharing button
twitter sharing button
line sharing button
wechat sharing button
linkedin sharing button
pinterest sharing button
whatsapp sharing button
sharethis sharing button

There are various chemicals used in putting out fires, and dry powder is one of them. Dry powder is made with different chemical components for use in fire extinguishers. It assists in smothering fires to bar any further damage.    


How Does Dry Powder Function?

Fires cause massive destruction. Dry powder consists of components that help put out fires. For a fire to occur, there have to be three components: oxygen, which is present in air, heat, and fuel.  Fuel is anything that can burn, for example, cardboard, fabric, and flammable liquids. What dry powder does is create a barrier between fuel and the oxygen in the air, helping put out the fire. A layer of dry powder covers a fire, preventing it from going on. It also protects items nearby from heat.

Fire extinguishers contain different dry powders used on different fire types. Your extinguisher can have monoammonium phosphate, sodium bicarbonate, monex powder, or L2 and M28 powders.

  • Monoammonium phosphate: this is the most common dry powder used in fire extinguishers. It helps with class A, B, and C fires. Class A fires involve combustible solids like paper, wood, and fabric, the B category involves flammable liquids like paraffin and diesel, while C involves flammable gasses like propane and butane.

  • Sodium bicarbonate: this dry powder is made for smothering flammable liquid and gas fires (Class B and C fires).

  • Monex powder: this dry powder offers superior performance in putting out fires. It is a potassium bicarbonate-urea based suppressant designed for Class B and C fires. It is excellent for areas where flammable gasses and liquids are used and kept like fuel stores, garages, and airports.  

  • L2 and M28 Powder: L2 powder is used on metal fires (class D) and is efficient on lithium fires. On the other hand, M28 powder also puts out metal fires involving burning magnesium, aluminum, and sodium but is not effective on burning lithium.

  • Dry powder can also be used on electrical fires involving equipment under 1000 volts.

In summary, dry powder can be used on combustible solids, flammable liquids and gasses, and burning metals like lithium, magnesium, and aluminum. Be careful with metal fires (class D) when using dry powder to ensure you use the right extinguishing agent. Additionally, dry powder should not be used on cooking oil fires


Why Use Dry Powder to Extinguish Fire?

Dry powder is a common fire extinguishing agent and comes with several advantages to benefit users. For starters, it is versatile, meaning you can use it on many types of fire, including flammable solids, liquids, and gasses. You get to use one chemical to put out different fires. From that, you get to enjoy convenience and cost efficiency.

What about metal fires? The market has special powders for such fires to ensure safety and efficiency. Note that dry powder does not conduct electricity, making it safe for fires involving ‘live’ appliances.


Macro Fire Supply Dry Powders

Macro Fire Supply offers different dry powders for your fire extinguishers. The powder range includes monoammonium phosphate and sodium chloride, which help handle flammable solid, liquid, gas, and metal fires. Sodium chloride powder extinguishes burning metal fires like sodium and magnesium. The powders are high-quality and flow easily, providing high performance when putting out flames. They are also toxic-free to protect your health and animals.

Macro Fire Supply powders also undergo in-house lab tests and third-party examination to ensure customers get high-grade, safe fire extinguishing agents. The monoammonium phosphate powder can be used with fluoroprotein foam or water film-forming foam extinguishing agents.

The dry powders are packaged securely to protect product integrity and prevent accidental spilling. You can use the products in various areas, including oil fields, chemical warehouses, oil refineries, chemical plants, depots, and other areas where fire can cause enormous harm and damage to personnel and property.

Dry powder helps extinguish different fires, protecting lives and property. It forms a thin barrier between fuel and oxygen to smother fires. There are different powders to choose from depending on the burning fuel, solid, liquid, gas, or metal. Ensure you choose the right powder for your extinguisher, and do not use dry powder on cooking oil fires.