Return to A-Foam Introduction

Making Foam

As small as 1 Bubble at a time to making millions of Bubbles with a Fire Engine, making Foam is simple. Think about the child playing with a bottle of bubbles.

The bottle contains W + Conc (Solution).

The ring sets up a film of the Solution and forms the size of the Bubble and acts as the agitator (A).

The child merely blows air (A) on the solution coated ring and viola!!! W + Con (=Sol) + A + A = A Foam Bubble (Foam is Bubbles and Bubbles is Water)

It’s that simple.

Now, let’s make foam on a larger scale.

W – Turn on the Water

Conc – Turn on the Concentrate

A – Add the Air

A – Add the Agitation

We just made Foam (Foam is Bubbles and Bubbles is Water)

Another method for making Foam is using a PW Extinguisher charged with Solution (W + C) and incorporating an aspirating nozzle (A + A) to create a Finished Foam. {Add Photo}

W – Water Pump

W + Conc (=Sol) + A + A = Foam (Foam is Bubbles and Bubbles is Water) The water pump. Even though water is 1 of 4 of the ingredients to making Foam, it is not the intent of this web site to teach Firefighters how to operate water pumps. All Fire Engines have water …

Conc – Foam Concentrate System

W + Conc (=Sol) + A + A = Foam (Foam is Bubbles and bubbles is Water) There are two different ways to add Concentrate: Batch Mixing and Concentrate System. A Concentrate System is a machine that simply adds Concentrate to the Water to make Solution. There are different types of systems or pumps available …

A – Air

W + Conc (=Sol) + A + A = Foam (Foam is Bubbles and Bubbles is Water) The Air is fairly simple. When making NAF, atmospheric air is pulled into the Solution (W+Conc) at the aspirating nozzle. For CAF, a high pressure system, typically a compressor, adds the air just after the Solution Discharge Valve …

A – Agitation

W + Conc (=Sol) + A + A = Foam (Foam is bubbles and Bubbles is Water) Agitation is nothing more than scrubbing the Solution Air mixture to generate the bubbles. In NAF – The agitation occurs in the aspirating nozzle just prior to the foam discharge. The nozzle usually has some type of obstruction …