Fire Fighting Properties (NISTIR 6191)

Published

July 1, 1998

Author(s)

D W. Stroup, Daniel M. Madrzykowski

Abstract

Water uses several different mechanisms to suppress and extinguish fires: fuel cooling, flame cooling, oxygen displacement and reduction of radiation feedback to the fuel. Laboratory experiments were conducted to determine which of these mechanisms play dominant roles in the suppression of Class A fires and which mechanisms are enhanced by addition of the agents. These laboratory-scale experiments have the advantage of being able to examine individual mechanisms one at a time. The sections in this chapter address experiments conducted to quantify specific heat, droplet size, fuel cooling and penetration, and fuel surface contact.

Citation

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR) - 6191

Report Number

6191

NIST Pub Series

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR)

Pub Type

NIST Pubs

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.6191

Keywords

fire fighting, specific heat, fire suppression, penetration, drop sizes, water, velocity, fog, nozzles

Citation

Stroup, D. and Madrzykowski, D. (1998), Fire Fighting Properties (NISTIR 6191), NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.6191 (Accessed October 23, 2025)