Compressed Air Foam

System
- Understand the uses for Compressed Air Foam

- Understand the basics of the foam concentrate

used by the GFD

- Understand basic components of the CAFS

- Understand the basic operation of the CAFS

- Understand the daily and monthly maintenance

Advantages of Compressed Air Foam

Based on studies starting back in the 1970’s

through the 2000’s by numerous agencies which
included:

- Texas Department of Forestry

- Boston Fire Department
- Los Angeles City Fire Department
- Los Angeles County Fire Department
Advantages of Compressed Air Foam
- Uses less water
- extinguishment of given test fire (Boston Fire)
69 gallons = Water
30 gallons = CAF

- extinguishment of given test fire (Boston Fire)

100 gallons = Water
36 gallons = CAF
- extinguishment of given test fire (LAFD)
75 gallons = Water
16 gallons = CAF

- Less accumulated weight (reduced chance

of structural collapse)
Advantages of Compressed Air Foam

- Absorbs heat more rapidly due to greater

surface area of a given volume of water
- cool a test fire from 1000 degrees F to 212 degrees F (NIFC)
222.9 seconds = Water
38.5 seconds = CAF

- cool a room from 600 degrees F to 200 degrees F (LAFD)

363 seconds = Water
88 seconds = CAF
Advantages of Compressed Air Foam

- Reduces the weight of hose lines

- Reduces water and smoke damage
- Reduces property damage
- Deceases rekindle
- Clings to surfaces for exposure protection
- Forms a vapor barrier and excludes oxygen
Disadvantages of Compressed Air Foam

- Adds expense to apparatus

- Hose reaction can be erratic if air ratio is off

- Accentuates reaction of hose is it ruptures

- Is under utilized do to lack of training

CAF can be mixed either wet or dry
- Wet CAF
- Fire Attack
- Mansards
- Attic Fires
- Basement Fires
- Overhaul
- Dry CAF
- Pre-treating
- Overhaul
Phos-Chek WD-881
Phos-Chek WD-881
- Manufactured by ICL ( was acquired from Monsanto)

- Class A

- Can be used at 0.1 – 1.0% ( recommended 0.2 -0.5% for

CAFS)

- 85% reverts to carbon dioxide within 28 days of

exposure to ambient conditions in the environment

- Can be used on Class B but will breakdown and must

be reapplied (consider accumulation of water due to
repeated applications)
Phos-Chek WD-881
- Health effects and Toxicological Information:

Ingestion: “practically nontoxic”

Skin Contact: “no more than slightly toxic” and
moderately irritating
Eye Contact: severely irritating

Inhalation: may cause nose and upper respiratory

irritation

- These are greatly reduced when mixed at foam

solution concentrations
3 Subsystems Of The Hercules CAFS

- Water Pump

- Foam Proportioning System

- either Husky 10 or 12 depending on year

- Air Compressor
System
Air Compressor System (basic components)
Control Panel
- Turning the compressor on/off
- Setting foam or tool mode
- Displaying the air flow
- capable of at least 140 SCFM at 150psi
- Oil Temperature
- 165 to 210 degrees F normal range
- High oil temperature warning
- Activates at 250 degrees F
Pressure Control Valve
- Operates compressor through a range of 60
to 150psi
- Matches air pressure to water pressure
(+ or - 5%)

Check Valves
- Keeps water from flowing into the air
circuit
- Keeps air from pressurizing back into the
pump
Air Compressor

- Rotary screw type

- Hydraulically driven off transmission PTO

- Oil cooled with thermostat and oil/water heat

exchanger that uses discharged pump water to
control its temperature
4 Steps to producing Compressed Air Foam

- Flow Water

- Add Foam

- Add Compressed Air

- Adjust product to desired consistency

Flow Water
- Check compressor oil (sight gauge) and foam
tank levels: part of pre-check

- Engage pump and establish water supply

(tank or hydrant) Intake gated down to 50psi
Note: Manual states 70psi

- Cannot flow additional lines when using

CAF
- Flow water from discharge (Front or Rear)
Add Foam

- Turn on Husky Foam System

- Adjust percentage to .2 to .5% (default is .5%)

- Confirm foam solution is flowing

Add Compressed Air
- Turn on Hercules System
(must be under 1000 RPM and
less than 30psi air in system)

- Set to “Foam” (“Auto” on some engines)

- Confirm air pressure is building on gauge

- Open CAFS air to Discharge

Adjusting product to desired consistency (Dry)

- Initial pump discharge at 100 psi

- Gate discharge down to produce dryer foam

- Adjust foam percentage (0.2 – 0.5%)

- Good dry foam can be made as low as .2%

- There tends to be a fine line between good

dry CAF and a hose that pulses with air
pressure
Adjusting product to desired consistency (Dry)

- Use a nozzle ball valve without the nozzle or

a smooth bore tip (1 3/8”)
- Fog nozzles will strip the air

- Lob foam from a distance or bank off an

object if trying not to disrupt the foam
blanket
Check compressor oil
- Daily and after every use
- oil should be between ½ and ¾ on sight gauge
- wait 10 minutes is it was just used

Check hydraulic fluid reservoir

- Daily and after every use
- Visually inspect hoses, filter, compressor for leaks

Operate Husky 10 / 12 monthly

- Prevents foam concentrate from congealing in
lines
Operate compressor monthly
- Uncap CAFS Discharge
- Put in pump gear
- Open the discharge air supply valve
- Turn on the compressor
- Bring pump pressure up to 125psi while
recirculating of flowing water
- Run for 10 to 20 minutes
- Monitor pump and compressor temperatures
It’s not on the F-295, but exercise the system
monthly
- The more it is used, the better it works

- It keeps components and valving moving freely

There is no perfect setting for dry foam

- Each rig is slightly different

- Will require manipulation to dial the system in for

good quality foam
- May require periodic adjustment while in use