Not a foam. Gel is designed for protection, and while long lasting for protection, offers no enhancement over plain water for suppression. Gels work by encapsulating the water drops to hold them in place. Since the water is surrounded by the gel, the gel may slightly inhibit heat absorption, as the heat must break through the gel to be exposed to the water drops (not bubbles).
The original gels in the 1990’s used “diaper” polymer technology to encapsulate the liquid (holding water in place). However, the application left a reoccuring gooie mess on the ground that resurfaced everytime water (rain) was applied. The gel was washed off the walls after the fire, but heavier remediation was necessary to remove the product from the ground.
Gel requires special mixing and application equipment to apply the effective visible and reflective heat barrier. Encapsulated water remains to absorb any remaining heat as needed. If applied properly, gel leaves no residue. If improperly applied, gel can remain in the ground and has been known to re-hydrate on rain into a slimy goo. Extensive clean up may be required. Special training as well as special equipment are required for proper use of gel.
Gel cannot be used with standard foam concentrate proportioning equipment.
