Formulation and performance test of palm-based foaming agent concentrate for fire extinguisher application

The utilization of foaming agent for fire extinguisher application improves the efficiency of water as a fire extinguishing agent, lowers surface tension, and acts as a foaming agent. The formed foam cools the fire down and covers the burned material to avoid it from further contact with oxygen which may reignite the fire. This study aimed to produce and assess the performance of foaming agent concentrate from palm oil as a fire extinguisher agent. In the performance test, measurements were taken on foam stability, foaming ability, surface tension, interfacial tension, viscosity, contact angle, density, and specific gravity. The formulation was conducted by using the best produced potassium palmitate, potassium methyl ester, and sodium lauric combined with diluents, chelating agent, and other additives at various composition comparisons. The produced foaming agent concentrate was found to be in a rather paste and liquid form with viscosity of 2.34 - 253 cP. It was also found that the resulted foaming agent concentrate dissolved in water at the concentration rate of 1% had a foam stability level of 30- 91%, foaming ability of 288 - 503%, surface tension of 19.68 - 25.05 dyne/cm, interfacial tension of 0.54 - 4,20 dyne/cm, viscosity of 1.00 - 1.05 cP, contact angles of 53.75 - 63.79 degrees at 0 minute and 11.84 - 22.42 degrees at minute 10, density of 0.99586 - 0.99612 g/cm3, and a specific gravity of 1.00021 - 1.00046. Based on foam stability, foaming ability, and surface tension parameters, it was concluded that NF5 and NF17 were the best formulas. Compared to the other formulas, NF5 formula had the best droplet diameter (minimum 0.14 mm) and droplet density (maximum 3056 droplets/cm(2)).