Fire suppression by aerosols of aqueous solutions of salts

Results of laboratory experiments were verified by full-scale tests in which two types of model fire sources were extinguished by salt-solution aerosols. The tests showed that short-term action of an aerosol cloud of an aqueous solution of potassium ferricyanide K$_3$[Fe(CN)$_6$] on the flame front of a surface forest fire led to suppression of the gas-phase combustion, and in the case of a model fire source of class A (burning wood) to its complete extinction. The minimum extinguishing mass concentration of K$_3$[Fe(CN)$_6$] in these experiments – 4.5 g/m$^3$ – is close to that measured earlier in laboratory experiments. It was found that, in fire suppression by an aerosol of the aqueous solution of K$_3$[Fe(CN)$_6$], the volumetric flow rate of this fire suppressant was 30 times lower than the standard flow rate of pure water from a fire hose.