Selection of the most effective means of extinguishing flammable liquids

The paper compares the effectiveness of existing and new means of extinguishing tanks with a fixed roof containing flammable liquids. Flammable liquids are considered as combustible liquids. It is substantiated that high fire extinguishing characteristics when extinguishing flammable substances can be provided by means in which the dominant mechanism of combustion termination is the isolation of the liquid surface from the combustion zone. Currently, worldwide regulatory documents require the use of air-mechanical foams as the main means of extinguishing liquids. But they have a number of disadvantages. One of them is the low resistance of the foam to the heat flow from the flame of the burning liquid. As an alternative to air-mechanical foams, it is proposed to consider the recently developed fast-curing foams, as well as foam-glass + gel, foam-glass + bulk material, and foam-glass + bulk material + water systems. To compare the properties of new fire extinguishing systems and air-mechanical foams, it is proposed to use a quantitative complex parameter of the effectiveness of fire extinguishing agents. This parameter takes into account the financial costs of: fire extinguishing agents, their storage, processing or disposal after the expiration of their storage period; equipment and its operation; involvement of additional equipment and personnel, compensation for losses from the extinguishing process; compensation for environmental damage from fire extinguishing agents. In general, the comprehensive efficiency parameter is calculated as the sum of the seven selected financial components. At the first stage, it is proposed to use a simplified scoring option for calculating the complex economic parameter of efficiency. To do this, the components of efficiency are determined by the method of expert assessments. The highest value of the complex efficiency parameter was shown by two fire extinguishing systems: foam glass + bulk material and foam glass + bulk material + water. For these systems, it is proposed to conduct appropriate experimental studies on model fires of large size.