CO2 & Marine CO2 Systems on Ships
CO2 or carbon dioxide is one of the most popular and well known fire suppressing gas. We all learnt in our junior schools that when carbon dioxide is exposed to raging flames, they are instantly lose their ferocity and if the gas is in a greater quantity, the flames die out completely. Carbon dioxide is an effective fire suppression agent and can be applied to a wide range of fire types. When pushed on the flames, the CO2 covers it as if a heavy blanket was placed on it thus cutting access to fresh oxygen which is the core ingredient for a fire to gather strength. Since it is a gas, it gets mixed in the air and soon dissolves in the particles. There is no cleaning up mess after it has been used to fight the thermal hazard that had occurred. It is one of the most effective gases being sold commercially and has the tendency to keep a ship, house, building and even cars safe after fire has broken loose in them. Being a compound of carbon and oxygen, it is a colorless gas but can cause serious coughing when inhaled. In higher concentrations, it is highly toxic and is advised to keep humans and animals away when releasing it. But in the case of CO2 & marine CO2 systems, it is released inside closed rooms hence the concentration is usually at its lowest. As a fire fighting agent, the advantages of using the CO2 & marine CO2 systems are as follows:
Density of CO2 is 1.5 times higher than air hence it settles down and a person standing up will have more chances of breathing clean air.
It can be easily liquefied and can be stored inside single skinned containers.
20% - 30% of it is enough to extinguish fire by smothering.
It is non corrosive hence your metals remain unharmed.
Being a non conductor of electricity, no problem if it gets inside the electrical sockets. It will soon evaporate without causing any harm.
After application there is no residue hence you don’t need to call in the cleaning staff to get rid of CO2.
Does not expire however it can lose pressure when kept for long. It is not the fault of the gas but can be considered as the fault of the container. Hence you need to keep measuring the gas with the ultrasonic liquid level indicator to know the pressure is still there.