Liquid CO2 fire suppression in liquor warehouses: A full-scale experimental study

Due to the inadequacy of existing fire suppression technologies in liquor warehouses, this study demonstrates the applicability of liquid CO 2 for extinguishing high-proof liquor fires. Full-scale fire suppression experiments using liquid CO 2 were conducted. Results indicated a 100% fire extinguishing success rate across all tested scales (4–60 m 2 ). Under a valve opening of 28% (approximately 450 kg/min), the suppression time was between 17 and 56 seconds, with amount of liquid CO 2 agent ranges from 0.12m 3 ∼0.38m 3 (120∼356kg). Upon extinguishment, the O 2 concentration decreased to 11.4–12.5%, while the CO 2 concentration reached 17.8–22.6%. After successful fire suppression, the warehouse environment was fully restored within 10 minutes through ventilation, significantly accelerating operational recovery. The cooling rate of the liquid CO 2 system increased significantly with fire size expansion, demonstrating advantages in cooling and explosion suppression for large-scale, high-temperature fires. This study confirms the high efficacy and engineering applicability of liquid CO 2 in suppressing liquor warehouse fires, provides theoretical support for fire prevention, and addresses a technical gap in practical implementations within this field.