Johnson Controls Launches ANSUL NFF 3x3 UL201 Foam Concentrate To Provide Effective Fire Suppression

22 Mar 2021

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Johnson Controls, the pioneer for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings and architect of OpenBlue connected solutions, is setting a new standard in fire suppression with the launch of ANSUL® NFF 3x3 UL201 Foam Concentrate.

This new, patent-pending, Non-Fluorinated Foam (NFF) technology provides fast, effective fire suppression on most Class B hydrocarbon and polar solvent fuel fires. With a longer drain time than most AR-AFFFs, this foam blanket also delivers excellent post-extinguishment burnback resistance and vapor suppression.

Minimum design application

ANSUL® NFF 3x3 UL201 Concentrate passes the UL 162 synthetic foam concentrate protocol. It has also passed, under independent third-party witness, the UL 162 AR-AFFF test protocol for Type III hydrocarbon fuel at a 3-to-1 expansion ratio. This protocol’s more challenging foam application test rate of 0.04 gpm/ft2 (1.6 lpm/m2) is two-thirds that of the UL 162 synthetic, non-fluorinated foam protocol, and for an AR-AFFF this result would correspond to a minimum design application rate of 0.10 gpm/ft2 (4.1 lpm/m2).

ANSUL® NFF 3x3 UL201 concentrate provides flexibility and ease of use for first response teams, as it allows for consistent three percent proportioning for both hydrocarbon and polar solvent fires. This means there is no need to adjust proportioning for different Class B hazards.

Significant hardware changes

The foam concentrate is compatible with most standard response proportioning and discharge devices

With a 3-to-1 expansion ratio and viscosity similar to a 3x3 AR-AFFF, the foam concentrate is compatible with most standard response proportioning and discharge devices, reducing the need for significant hardware changes. The low expansion ratio provides greater throw distance for the foam, giving firefighters additional separation from the flames.

“We developed and tested the NFF Concentrate at the Johnson Controls Fire Technology Center, one of the most extensive fire research and testing facilities in the world,” said Craig Cook, global product development leader, Foam Products at Johnson Controls. “When tested on a hydrocarbon fuel fire at three percent concentration, the foam quickly gained 90 percent control and exceeded the requirements for extinguishment and burnback time for a UL 162 AR-AFFF Type III listing.”

Fire protection products

ANSUL® NFF 3x3 UL201 concentrate is defined as a non-fluorinated firefighting foam concentrate, produced in an equipment free from the use of PFAS chemistry. Since this product is free from any intentionally added PFAS chemistry and precautions have been taken to avoid PFAS contamination, it inherently complies with Directives (EU) 2017/1000 on PFOA and 2019/1021 (EU POPs directive) as a non-fluorinated product.

Along with other Johnson Controls fire protection products and solutions, this ANSUL® NFF Concentrate helps protect people and property within industries like petroleum and chemical where spills and limited scale hazards require municipal and industrial response. It is also suitable for use in foam systems with Type II discharge devices.

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