Foam bladder tanks are essential firefighting equipment designed to store fire extinguishing foam used in fire suppression systems. The effective use of foam bladder tanks depends on their capacity to store the required quantity of foam concentrate to cover the fire risk area. Calculating the foam bladder tank capacity is crucial to ensure that it can deliver the right amount of foam concentrate to fight the fire.
To calculate the foam bladder tank capacity, the following steps should be followed:
Step 1
Determine the Flow Rate
The first step in calculating the
foam bladder tank capacity is to determine the flow rate required to extinguish the fire. Different fire risks require different flow rates, with factors such as the size of the area, risk level, and fire type affecting the flow rate. The flow rate is usually measured in gallons per minute (GPM).
Step 2
Determine the Required Concentration
The next step is to determine the required foam concentrate concentration needed for the fire suppression system. The concentration level is determined by the type of foam concentrate used and the fire risk. The concentration is usually measured in percentage.
Step 3: Calculate the Foam Concentrate Volume
Step 3
Calculate the Foam Concentrate Volume
Once the flow rate and foam concentration levels have been determined, the next step is to calculate the required foam concentrate volume. This is done by multiplying the flow rate by the required foam concentrate concentration. For instance, if the flow rate is 150 GPM and the concentrate concentration level is 3%, the required foam concentrate volume would be 4.5 gallons per minute.
Step 4
Determine the Tank Capacity
The final step is to determine the foam bladder tank capacity needed to store the required foam concentrate volume. The tank capacity is calculated by dividing the required foam concentrate volume by the foam concentrate density. Foam concentrate density varies depending on the type of foam concentrate used and is usually measured in pounds per gallon (lbs/gal). For example, if the foam concentrate density is 8.5 lbs/gal, the required tank capacity would be 53 gallons.
