Fluorescein and poly(ethylene oxide) hose stream additives for improved firefighting effectiveness

Eric B. Chen; Antonio J. Morales; Chien Chung Chen; Alfred A. Donatelli; William W. Bannister; Bruce T. Cummings

Fluorescein and poly(ethylene oxide) hose stream additives for improved firefighting effectiveness

Eric B. Chen, Antonio J. Morales, Chien Chung Chen, Alfred A. Donatelli, William W. Bannister, Bruce T. Cummings

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

A novel technique has been developed to accurately monitor levels of hose stream additives by adding a fluorescein tracer. A fluorescent agent system is proposed to control and monitor additives into hose streams. Fluorescent water streams also have the advantage of improved nighttime and low-light visibility. Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) was shown in the 1960s to be very effective in fire hose streams, providing dramatic increases in hose stream pressure, reach, and volume. As is discussed in this paper, however, PEO fell into disrepute for firefighting operations. A reexamination strongly indicates the inaccuracy of previous misperceptions and indicates that PEO deserves reconsideration as being potentially powerful for greatly enhanced petroleum, ordnance, high-rise and impeded access firefighting, in which increased stand-off distances are desirable.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	304-306
Number of pages	3
Journal	Fire Technology
Volume	34
Issue number	4
Publication status	Published - 1998
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Aqueous film forming foam (AFFF)
Class A foam
Diethylene glycol butyl ether (DGBE)
Drag reduction
Fire hose stream
Firefighting
Fluorescein
Metering
Night time visibility
Poly(ethylene oxide)

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Engineering (miscellaneous)
Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality
Materials Science(all)

Cite this

@article{b279307e098a416b8292b7b55fdeb364,

title = "Fluorescein and poly(ethylene oxide) hose stream additives for improved firefighting effectiveness",

abstract = "A novel technique has been developed to accurately monitor levels of hose stream additives by adding a fluorescein tracer. A fluorescent agent system is proposed to control and monitor additives into hose streams. Fluorescent water streams also have the advantage of improved nighttime and low-light visibility. Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) was shown in the 1960s to be very effective in fire hose streams, providing dramatic increases in hose stream pressure, reach, and volume. As is discussed in this paper, however, PEO fell into disrepute for firefighting operations. A reexamination strongly indicates the inaccuracy of previous misperceptions and indicates that PEO deserves reconsideration as being potentially powerful for greatly enhanced petroleum, ordnance, high-rise and impeded access firefighting, in which increased stand-off distances are desirable.",

keywords = "Aqueous film forming foam (AFFF), Class A foam, Diethylene glycol butyl ether (DGBE), Drag reduction, Fire hose stream, Firefighting, Fluorescein, Metering, Night time visibility, Poly(ethylene oxide)",

author = "Chen, {Eric B.} and Morales, {Antonio J.} and Chen, {Chien Chung} and Donatelli, {Alfred A.} and Bannister, {William W.} and Cummings, {Bruce T.}",

year = "1998",

language = "English",

volume = "34",

pages = "304--306",

journal = "Fire Technology",

issn = "0015-2684",

publisher = "Springer Netherlands",

number = "4",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Fluorescein and poly(ethylene oxide) hose stream additives for improved firefighting effectiveness

AU - Chen, Eric B.

AU - Morales, Antonio J.

AU - Chen, Chien Chung

AU - Donatelli, Alfred A.

AU - Bannister, William W.

AU - Cummings, Bruce T.

PY - 1998

Y1 - 1998

N2 - A novel technique has been developed to accurately monitor levels of hose stream additives by adding a fluorescein tracer. A fluorescent agent system is proposed to control and monitor additives into hose streams. Fluorescent water streams also have the advantage of improved nighttime and low-light visibility. Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) was shown in the 1960s to be very effective in fire hose streams, providing dramatic increases in hose stream pressure, reach, and volume. As is discussed in this paper, however, PEO fell into disrepute for firefighting operations. A reexamination strongly indicates the inaccuracy of previous misperceptions and indicates that PEO deserves reconsideration as being potentially powerful for greatly enhanced petroleum, ordnance, high-rise and impeded access firefighting, in which increased stand-off distances are desirable.

AB - A novel technique has been developed to accurately monitor levels of hose stream additives by adding a fluorescein tracer. A fluorescent agent system is proposed to control and monitor additives into hose streams. Fluorescent water streams also have the advantage of improved nighttime and low-light visibility. Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) was shown in the 1960s to be very effective in fire hose streams, providing dramatic increases in hose stream pressure, reach, and volume. As is discussed in this paper, however, PEO fell into disrepute for firefighting operations. A reexamination strongly indicates the inaccuracy of previous misperceptions and indicates that PEO deserves reconsideration as being potentially powerful for greatly enhanced petroleum, ordnance, high-rise and impeded access firefighting, in which increased stand-off distances are desirable.

KW - Aqueous film forming foam (AFFF)

KW - Class A foam

KW - Diethylene glycol butyl ether (DGBE)

KW - Drag reduction

KW - Fire hose stream

KW - Firefighting

KW - Fluorescein

KW - Metering

KW - Night time visibility

KW - Poly(ethylene oxide)

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M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:0032434996

SN - 0015-2684

VL - 34

SP - 304

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JO - Fire Technology

JF - Fire Technology

IS - 4

ER -

Fluorescein and poly(ethylene oxide) hose stream additives for improved firefighting effectiveness

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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