Chemistry of FIRE

CRASH FIRE AND RESCUE INITIAL COURSE-01

CHEMISTRY OF FIRE
Module: CFRI04.1

Md. Rafiqul Islam

Assistant Director (Fire)
CFRI04.1 Civil Aviation Academy

Contents
• Objectives.
• What is fire?
• Fire Triangle and fire tetrahedron.
• Combustion modes.
• Stages of fire.
• Terms of fire, such as flash point, fire point and auto-ignition
temperature.
• Comparison on Flash Point, Fire Point and Ignition
Temperature.
• Methods of extinguishment and extinguishing agents.
• Classes of fire and agent selection according to fire.
• Types of extinguisher and their uses.

Objectives
After completion of this module the participants

will be able to –
• Learn fire triangle and extinguishment methods.
• Understand the chemistry behind fire.
• Apply the knowledge in firefighting during
emergency.

Fire Triangle
Fire is nothing but a chemical reaction that produces heat and
light.
It can be easily described by fire triangle. The three basic
ingredients required to create fire is the fire triangle. In
absence of any of them fire can’t be initiated.
Fire Triangle
1. A combustible fuel
2. Oxygen in sufficient quantities
3. A source of heat.
Fig. Diagram of fire triangle.

Fire Tetrahedron
For many years the concept of fire was symbolized by the Triangle of
Combustion and represented, fuel, heat, and oxygen.
Further fire research determined that a fourth element, a chemical chain
reaction, was a necessary component of fire. The fire triangle was changed
to a fire tetrahedron to reflect this fourth element. A tetrahedron can be
described as a pyramid which is a solid having four plane faces.
Fire tetrahedron
1. Heat
2. Fuel
3. Oxygen
4. Chain reaction

Combustion modes
The combustion process is usually associated with the

oxidation of a fuel in the presence of oxygen with the
emission of heat and light.
The combustion process occurs in two
modes:
• Flaming combustion
In the flaming mode solid and liquid
vapors need to be vaporized. And this is
what we are actually seeing when we see a
flame.
• Non-flaming combustion
If there isn’t actual flame, or fire,
combustion can still take place in the form
of smoldering.

Stages of fire
The NFPA and most other standards

classify four stages of a fire.
1. Ignition/ Incipient
2. Growth
3. Fully developed
4. Decay

1st stage: Incipient
• First stage
• No visible flame
• Little smoke.
• Is not yet self sustaining.
• The heat level of fire is
quite low.
• According to the NFPA
fires in this stage can be
controlled with a fire
extinguisher.

2nd stage: Growth
• Self sustaining.
• Heat of flame ignites more
fuel.
• Size of fire increases,
flames reach ceiling.
• Hot gases spread across the
room and raises everything
within the room closer to
ignition temperature at the
same time.
• Flashover may occur.

3rd stage: Fully developed
• Fully involved
• The fully developed
stage occurs when all
combustible materials
reached its ignition
temperature and is
burning.
• Hottest phase of a fire
and the most dangerous
for anybody trapped
within.

4th stage: Decay
• Final stage
• Longest stage.
• This happens when the fire
decrease in oxygen or fuel,
putting an end to the fire.

Terms of fire
Flash point:
The lowest temperature at which a flammable material gives
off sufficient vapor to ignite in air, given an ignition source.
Flash point of gasoline is -430C and ethanol is 170C.
Fire point:
The lowest temperature at which vapors of the flammable
material will keep burning after being ignited and the ignition
source removed.
The fire point is higher than the flash point because at the flash
point more vapor may not be produced rapidly enough to
sustain combustion.
Fire point of gasoline is -230C and ethanol is 260C

Terms of fire
Auto ignition temperature:

The ignition temperature is also known as the
auto-ignition temperature.
The lowest temperature at which the vapor of
flammable material ignites itself without the
help of an ignition source.
Auto ignition temperature of gasoline is 2800C
and ethanol is 3630C

Comparison on Flash Point, Fire
Point and Ignition Temperature
Properties Gasoline Diesel Ethanol

0
C 0
C 0
C
Flash point -43 52 17
Fire point -23 78 26
Auto ignition 280 210 363

temperature

Transmission of Heat
• The transfer of heat is

normally from a high
temperature object to a lower
temperature object.
• Heat transfers change the
internal energy of both
systems involved according
to the First Law of
Thermodynamics.

Modes of Heat Transfer
There are three ways heat can move.

Methods of Extinguishment
• Cooling the burning material.

• Smothering (excluding oxygen from the
fire).
• Starvation (removing fuel from the fire).
• Interrupting the chemical reaction with a
flame inhibitor.

Extinguishing Agent
• Principal extinguishing agent.

• Water
• Protein Foam
• Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF)
• Complementary extinguishing agent.

• DCP
• Carbon dioxide, CO2
• Halon

Classes of Fire

Agent Selection
• Class A – Combustible solid material(wood, paper, cloth etc)
 Extinguishing agent – Water, Foam, DCP, Wet chemical.
• Class B – Flammable liquids( gasoline, kerosene, oils, paints etc)
Extinguishing agent – Foam, DCP, CO2 .
• Class C – Energized electrical equipment.
Extinguishing agent – DCP, CO2 .
• Class D – Combustible metals as Na, K, Li, Mg, Al.
 Extinguishing agent – DCP
• Class K/F – Cooking oil fire.
 Extinguishing agent – Wet chemical.

Types of fire extinguisher and
their uses

Mostly Used Fire Extinguisher
DCP CO2

DCP – Dry Chemical Powder
Advantages:
a) Can use all classes of fire except
class K.
b) Easy to handle.
c) Comparatively cheaper.
d) Higher efficiency.
Disadvantages:
e) It has residue.
f) In confined space fire fighting, it’s
residue causes suffocation or
irritation of breathing.

Carbon-di-oxide (CO2 ) GAS
Advantages:
a) It has no residue.
b) It is useful for extinguishing the
sophisticate and expensive electrical
equipment fire.
Disadvantages:
c) In open space fire fighting, flash
back may occur.
d) It is less efficient compared to DCP.
e) Comparatively expensive and heavy
to move.

How to use Fire Extinguisher ?

PAS S

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CRASH FIRE AND RESCUE INITIAL COURSE-01

Md. Rafiqul Islam

CFRI04.1 Civil Aviation Academy

CFRI04.1 Civil Aviation Academy

After completion of this module the participants

CFRI04.1 Civil Aviation Academy

Fig. Diagram of fire triangle.

CFRI04.1 Civil Aviation Academy

CFRI04.1 Civil Aviation Academy

The combustion process is usually associated with the

CFRI04.1 Civil Aviation Academy

The NFPA and most other standards

CFRI04.1 Civil Aviation Academy

CFRI04.1 Civil Aviation Academy

CFRI04.1 Civil Aviation Academy

CFRI04.1 Civil Aviation Academy

CFRI04.1 Civil Aviation Academy

CFRI04.1 Civil Aviation Academy

Auto ignition temperature:

CFRI04.1 Civil Aviation Academy

Properties Gasoline Diesel Ethanol

Flash point -43 52 17

Fire point -23 78 26

Auto ignition 280 210 363

CFRI04.1 Civil Aviation Academy

• The transfer of heat is

CFRI04.1 Civil Aviation Academy

CFRI04.1 Civil Aviation Academy

• Cooling the burning material.

CFRI04.1 Civil Aviation Academy

• Principal extinguishing agent.

• Complementary extinguishing agent.

CFRI04.1 Civil Aviation Academy

CFRI04.1 Civil Aviation Academy

• Class A – Combustible solid material(wood, paper, cloth etc)

 Extinguishing agent – Water, Foam, DCP, Wet chemical.

• Class B – Flammable liquids( gasoline, kerosene, oils, paints etc)

Extinguishing agent – Foam, DCP, CO2 .

• Class C – Energized electrical equipment.

Extinguishing agent – DCP, CO2 .

• Class D – Combustible metals as Na, K, Li, Mg, Al.

 Extinguishing agent – DCP

• Class K/F – Cooking oil fire.

 Extinguishing agent – Wet chemical.

CFRI04.1 Civil Aviation Academy

CFRI04.1 Civil Aviation Academy

CFRI04.1 Civil Aviation Academy

CFRI04.1 Civil Aviation Academy

CFRI04.1 Civil Aviation Academy

CFRI04.1 Civil Aviation Academy

CFRI04.1 Civil Aviation Academy

CFRI04.1 Civil Aviation Academy

CFRI04.1 Civil Aviation Academy

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