Does CAF add air to the fire? Not really. If the fire is burning (Fuel + Heat + Oxygen), the fire already has adequate natural air. Air In & Heat Out is part of the burning process – referred to as “The Flow Path”.
Just for reference, using a positive pressure ventilation fan can add upwards of 10,000 (or more) cfm of air to a fire.
What CAF is doing is using a relatively small amount of air (approximately 40 cfm/hose line for wet CAF) to convert the drops into bubbles – these bubbles (not being affected by gravity like water drops) can then be entered into the natual or forced (via PPV) fire flow path allowing the fire’s natural process to carry the bubbles (water) into the fire – thus cooling the fire even at its remote source. The air in CAF is used in the bubbles and as a straight stream does not affect the flow path – meaning it does not push the fire or flow path.
