The three elements required for fire: fuel, heat, oxygen
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the exothermalchemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products
Elements of the Fire Triangle
Fuel
Heat
Oxygen
Fuel
Any material that can be burned such as solid, liquid, or gas. Combustion takes place when fuel is converted into gaseous state as moisture is removed.
Heat
Energy that flows through an object. Enough amount of heat would free the vapor from solid and liquid forms of fuel. The lowesttemperature needed to form an ignitable mixture in air near the surface of the liquid is called the flash point.
Oxygen
An element, estimated 21% of it can be found in the air. During combustion process chemical reaction takes place. Without an oxidizing agent like oxygen there will be no fire even if heat and fuel are present.
Fire Extinguishment
1. Removingtheheat
2. Removingthefuel
3. Removingtheoxygen
The goal of fire extinguishment is to lowerthetemperature, usually accomplished by addingwater as an extinguishing agent. Other extinguishing agents include chemical and mechanical foams.
Removing the fuel from the fire is not a practical way of extinguishing fire except when dealing with flammable liquid fires, where valves can be shut off and storage vessels pumped to safe areas to help eliminate the supply of fuel to the fire.
Removal of the air or oxygen can be accomplished by separating it from the fuel source or by displacing it with other gases like carbon dioxide, nitrogen and steam. Foam does not only lower temperature but also remove oxygen.
