What are the types of fire extinguishers? Introduction of 6 Fire Extinguisher Component Classifications and Principles

A fire extinguisher is the most useful initial firefighting tool. A fire extinguisher can quickly and effectively put out the fire, avoiding loss of goods and casualties before the fire spreads.

But how do you choose the right type of fire extinguishers that will be effective at critical moments with so many options?

One should first consider the type of fire that might occur in the “setting” and choose a suitable type of fire extinguisher with appropriate composition. One should then consider whether there is sufficient staff training for smooth operation. Finally, one should consider the price of the fire extinguisher. Here are the 6 types of fire extinguishers available on the market:

What types of fire extinguishers?

Introduction to the principles/compositions/prices of the six major types of fire extinguishers

Dry Powder Fire Extinguisher

The dry powder fire extinguisher is the most common type abc fire extinguisher uses. It works by spraying pressurized dry powder to isolate the fire source and oxygen and to extinguish the fire.

The advantage of a dry powder fire extinguisher is the affordable price point and easy access to the materials. It’s suitable for Class A, B, and C fires (may vary by manufacturers). However, the downside is that it needs to be refilled every three years, and the replaced filler dry powder cannot be recycled in an environmentally friendly way, leading to pollution. Additionally, the sprayed dry powder is sticky and hard to clean, causing secondary pollution to the site, damage to electronic devices or precision equipment, and even inhalation injuries to humans.

Early dry powder fire extinguishers were pressurized (new models are pressure-stored) and required caution when used, as there have been cases of explosions causing serious injury or death to people in the past. Regularly checking the instructions on the extinguisher’s package is mandatory to ensure that the dry powder firefighting agent has not expired and that the pressure inside the bottle is normal.

Eco-Wet Fire Extinguishers

The Eco-Wet fire extinguisher is the top recommendation for fire extinguishers by Cheng Deh Fire Protection. It works by spraying a non-hazardous chemical component, an alkali metal salt water solution, which not only extinguishes the fire but also penetrates the root of the fire strongly to prevent re-ignition. It is suitable for commonly seen Class A/B/C fires in daily life and has excellent fire extinguishing effects on a wide range of fire sources, including ordinary materials, oils, or electronics. Its fire extinguishing penetration, rapid cooling, and flame retardant effects are superior to “Wetting Agent Fire Extinguishers” or “Water Fire Extinguishers (with the added wetting agents)”, with twice the fire extinguishing performance rating than that of water fire extinguishers. Its fire extinguishing capability and characteristics are also better than traditional ABC dry powder and CO2 gas fire extinguishers, without the risk of cancer-causing crystalline silica present in ABC dry powder, or the danger of suffocation and frostbite caused by CO2. Eco-Wet fire extinguisher possesses strong fire-extinguishing capability to prevent disaster expansion in terms of firefighting and disaster control; from an environmental perspective, the non-toxic agent is friendly to the environment and human body, which is easy to clean up after extinguishing the fire without the problem of dust pervading; for economic and value considerations, the service life of the Eco-Wet fire extinguisher lasts 5-10 years, which is 2-3 times than the valid period of traditional dry powder, saving the costs and efforts of frequent refills. Its positives have far outweighed the negatives of traditional fire extinguishers. Thus, the Eco-Wet fire extinguisher has been widely adopted in recent years by advanced countries like Japan, Europe, and America.

CO2 Fire Extinguisher

Carbon dioxide fire extinguisher class

The CO2 fire extinguisher is filled with pressurized carbon dioxide gas (CO2). When sprayed towards the fire source, it displaces the surrounding oxygen and smothers the fire.

Carbon dioxide can be considered one of the least polluting types of fire extinguishers. The downside is that its extinguishing effect on ordinary fires, i.e., Class A fires, is not satisfactory. The CO2 fire extinguisher cannot pass the fire inspections since it has no performance rating for Class A fires. Also, it should not be used in enclosed spaces to prevent suffocation.

Foam Fire Extinguisher

The Foam fire extinguisher works by having a pre-mixed foam-water solution in suitable proportions inside the steel bottle. The solution foams up when sprayed through a specially designed nozzle, completely isolating the fire source from oxygen.

Foam fire extinguishers are suitable for Class A and B fires, but not necessarily for alcohol-based (alcoholic) fires. In the case of electrical fires, foam fire extinguishers may cause electric shock if the atomization degree of the foam fire extinguisher’s spray is insufficient.

Water Fire Extinguisher

The correct name for a water fire extinguisher (which also contains an agent in the water) should be “Wetting Agent Fire Extinguisher” or “Water Fire Extinguisher (with the added wetting agent)”. The ingredients of the wetting agent could be antifreeze, phosphorus compounds, or other agents that can enhance the performance or characteristics of the water fire extinguisher. It works by spraying pure water to cool down the fire source and thereby extinguish the fire. Water fire extinguishers are suitable for Class A fires. However, in the case of Class B fires that are primarily oil-based, it can cause the spread of the fire source. According to the “Approval Criteria for Fire Extinguisher” and technical specifications in Taiwan and Japan, water fire extinguisher has no performance rating for Class B fires.

Clean Agent Fire Extinguishers vs. Halon Fire Extinguishers

Haloalkane fire extinguishers, widely known as the Halon fire extinguisher in the last century, are effective in extinguishing all types of fires. However, the halon extinguishing agent produces highly toxic hydrogen fluoride at high temperatures, which forms strongly corrosive hydrofluoric acid when in contact with water. Moreover, the filling material destroys the ozone layer, intensifying the greenhouse effect. Therefore, the production and sale of halon fire extinguishers is prohibited worldwide from January 1, 1995.

Clean agent fire extinguishers are new products meant to replace halon fire extinguishers, such as HFC-227ea (FM-200), NAF S125, and other halon substitutes, all of which comply with the American NFPA 2001 Standard on Clean Agent Fire Extinguishing Systems. However, because there are no corresponding fire extinguisher approval standards domestically, clean agent fire extinguishers cannot pass the fire inspections. Although clean agent fire extinguishers can extinguish Class A, B, and C fires, their extinguishing effects are unsatisfactory, and they are expensive.

Eco-Wet Fire Extinguisher vs. Various Fire Extinguishers: Environmental Impact and Risk

Eco-Wet Fire Extinguisher vs. Various Fire Extinguishers: Fire Extinguishing Performance

The New GenerationEco-Wet Fire Extinguisher- Environmentally friendly, non-toxic, and highly effective

The Eco-Wet fire extinguisher is suitable for Class A, B, and C fires, has the widest application among residential fire extinguishers, and does not contain PFOS. It is environmentally friendly, non-toxic, and highly effective as the top recommendation for fire extinguishers by Cheng Deh Fire Protection.