The wetting and cooling capacity of foam is the main characteristic that determines its extinguishing effect; by increasing the wetting efficiency of water, it is possible to use less of it and offer greater resistance to the reignition of flames.

In terms of removing heat from the fire, the efficiency of a foam system depends on the quality of the air bubbles. The smaller, more regular, compact and numerous they are, the larger the heat exchange surface and the higher the extinguishing efficiency.

Once in contact with the flames, the water contained in the bubbles converts into steam, increasing its volume by a factor of about 1700.

By occupying the space, the steam expels the air and lowers the oxygen concentration to less than 7.5%, well below the threshold necessary for the fire to sustain itself.

Simultaneously with the "suffocation" effect, the water absorbs heat through steam, causing the materials involved in the fire to cool.

Industrial

Mozzanica has been operating for years in the chemical and pharmaceutical sectors, where it has gained its most significant experience in realizing foam systems.

To date, we are engaged in researching technological solutions that enable customers to better manage and economize their plants, working on more efficient mixing systems and foams with a low environmental impact.

The company manufactures packages for mobile and fixed foam systems at its workshop, all of which are equipped with interfaces for remote management and constant monitoring of their status.

Here are some of the most frequent applications:

Chemical-pharmaceutical industry

• Flammable liquid storage tank basins
• Truck loading and unloading bays

Production areas

• Flammable liquid storage tanks
• Waste storage and processing activities
• Truck loading and unloading bays
• Conveyor belts

Logistics

• Protection of raw material or finished product storage warehouses
• Rubber or tire stores
• Mineral oil deposits

Hangars

• Aircraft hangar protection

Marine

Low, medium and high expansion foam firefighting systems are particularly suitable for the protection of specific areas on board ships, such as closed compartments and areas where important quantities of flammable liquids etc. are present. In addition, they can be designed to extinguish open deck fires. In fact, because of the delivery systems and the foams' characteristics, these systems can cope with the effects of the wind and the fact that the separation of oxygen from the flames is more complex than in a closed environment.

For the protection of particular risks such as fryers present in the kitchens, specific foams are used for the management of Class F fires (cooking oil).

Foam is a low-cost technology, safe for the crew and the environment (foam does not release dangerous decomposition products in contact with high temperatures), as well as being fast and effective.

As it expands, the foam smothers the fire, separating fuel and oxygen, and cooling occurs that hinders the flames from resuming, thereby also reducing the evaporation of flammable vapors into the air.

The foam systems ensure the total saturation of a room with space-filling rates of nearly two meters per minute.

The fast response is guaranteed by the high expansion ratio of the foaming agent, which also allows for low water consumption (fresh and/or salt).

Finally, they may or may not include clean air in the mixture, depending on the required performance. Depending on the different applications, there are foams resistant to alcohols, solvents (polar or otherwise) and hydrocarbons, substances that would otherwise break the bubbles of normal foams.

System applications

• Covered decks
• Ro-Ro decks
• Fuel loading areas
• Helicopter landing platforms
• Kitchens
• Category A machinery spaces
• Loading pump rooms
• Cisterns
• Other enclosed spaces on board ships

Reference regulations

• IMO Solas
• FSS Codes
• Flags regulations
• Class regulations
• Customer specifications

Oil & Gas

Mozzanica is able to support the customer in the design, supply and installation of the following systems:

• Low expansion
• Medium expansion
• High expansion

Foam systems are widely applicable in the petrochemical sector for their exceptional effectiveness in extinguishing fires of combustible and flammable liquids.

Mozzanica provides the full range of foams on the market (Protein, Fluoroprotein, Alcohol resistant, AFFF, etc.), choosing the most suitable solution in terms of the project specifications and the characteristics of the protected risk.

System applications

• Fixed or floating roof tanks
• Fuel loading areas
• Helicopter landing platforms
• Processing areas
• Refineries
• LNG plants

Reference regulations

• SOLAS
• IMO
• NFPA 11A-B-C-16
• EN 13565