Research On AFFF Fire Extinguishing Performance Under High Plateau Environment

China has the largest number of high plateau airport all over the world, and the number of high plateau airport is still increasing. With the special geographical features, the operation of the high plateau airports are faced with a higher risk when compared with plain airports, which more likely caused aircraft fire. Fuel is the most major and the most dangerous fire sources among aircraft fire, while the aqueous film-forming foam extinguishing agent is recognized as the best fire extinguishing agent to put out oil fire around the world, and civil airport universally are equipped with it. However, there is not a clear understanding about whether its extinguishing performance will be affected by the special environment of high plateau, so high plateau airport objectively exist an unknown fire risk. Fire extinguishing efficiency is dependent on the double mutation of the fire behavior and fire extinguishing performance under high plateau environment. The effects of high altitude hypobaric hypoxia environment on fire behavior have been studied by some scholars. However, whether the special environment have a significant effect on extinguishing performance has not been studied. Therefore, comprehensively studying fire behavior and the aqueous film-forming foam fire extinguishing performance in order to reveal the fire risk under high plateau environment, which is a prerequisite for China high plateau airport fire safety technology research and development, and has an important practical significance. Based on this background, the special work includes:Choosing two typical aqueous film-forming foam extinguishing agent, carrying out experiments in Kangding airport high plateau aviation safety engineering laboratory (high plateau area) and Civil Aviation Flight University of China civil aviation security engineering laboratory in Guanghan (plain country). In accordance with national standards and some experts'research findings, studying the influence of high plateau environment on aqueous film-forming foam physical and chemical properties and fire-fighting performance. Firstly, comparing the differences of physical and chemical properties between Kangding airport and Guanghan, analysising the influence mechanism of high plateau environment on physical and chemical properties. Then reasoning how the physical and chemical properties influences fire extinguishing performance. Secondly, comparing the differences of fire extinguishing performance between two actual fire extinguishing experiments and analyzing the reason causing the differences. Finally, revealing fire risk of high plateau airport.Discovered from the research that:(1) There is obvious influence of high plateau environment on physical and chemical properties of existing aqueous film-forming foam fire extinguishing agent. Spreading rate is increased by 20%, the spreading quantity is reduced by 20%. Under the state of naturally aspirating, foaming ability is reduced, under the state of actively intaking, the foaming capacity is increased, foam stability is improved greatly. (2) There is not obvious influence of high plateau environment on fire extinguishing speed, and anti-burning performance is improved obviously. Existing aqueous film-forming foam fire extinguishing agent is applicable for high plateau airport and meets fire safety standards of existing airports. (3) High plateau environment greatly improves anti-burning performance, but produces little impact on fire extinguishing speed. It means that changing aqueous film-forming foam complex method or formulation with appropriately reducing anti-burning performance to improve fire extinguishing speed is feasible.