A fire extinguisher is a device used to put out fire.
Fire extinguisher can be used as an adjective or as a noun . In the first case, the term allows you to qualify that which extinguishes .
As a noun, meanwhile, the idea of extinguisher refers to a device that, by expelling a mixture of substances or a jet of water, is used to put out a fire . Fire extinguishers aim to stop or hinder combustion .
How fire is generated
Before analyzing in detail what a fire extinguisher is (also called a fire extinguisher or extinguisher ), it is important to study several concepts that are related to this equipment. First, it must be taken into account that the notion of extinguishing , in this context, refers to making the fire cease.
Fire is the phenomenon that includes the emission of light and heat with a flame . The flame, in turn, is a gaseous mass that is in combustion, rising from those materials that burn.
For there to be fire, ultimately, there must be combustion : a chemical reaction that occurs violently between an oxidizable material and oxygen, releasing energy and manifested by the flame. The oxidizable material is known as fuel , while oxygen acts as an oxidizer .
Operation of a fire extinguisher
As we said above, the extinguisher can throw water or a product capable of hindering or canceling combustion (the reaction that generates fire). Extinction can be sought by acting on the different elements that promote fire, which are the fuel , the oxidizer and the heat necessary to function as the activation energy of the reaction.
The extinguisher itself, as an object, is a container (a cylinder or cylinder) that contains an extinguishing agent stored under pressure . When a valve is opened, said agent comes out through a hose or nozzle that can be directed toward the base of the fire.
The extinguishing agent can be water , a powder or a foam . Depending on the substance in question, it achieves extinction by cooling (that is, removing heat), suffocation (separating the fuel from the oxidizer) or inhibition (preventing the chemical reaction).
Fire extinguishers can contain different kinds of substances inside.
Classification according to type
It must be taken into account that fire is classified in different ways depending on the material that combusts. This is key since, according to the properties of the fire, there are different types of extinguishers.
In a fire caused by an electrical fault, for example, water should not be used as an extinguishing agent because water conducts electricity . Regardless of the differences, there are universal use extinguishers that are considered appropriate for most fires.
Water extinguishers , carbon dioxide extinguishers , and dry powder extinguishers are some types of extinguishers. Depending on the size, in turn, we can differentiate between mobile fire extinguishers and portable fire extinguishers .
Fire extinguisher in cars
In many regions, it is mandatory to carry a fire extinguisher in the car . The objective is that, in the event of an emergency, the driver is in a position to intervene quickly to put out the fire that has arisen in the vehicle .
In Argentina , to mention one case, you must have an ABC powder extinguisher in your car, which can put out fires generated by solids, liquids or electricity. The extinguisher must be recharged every year to ensure its effectiveness. In addition, the fire extinguisher must be installed in a safe and easily accessible place inside the car .