Long-term retardant and fire-suppressing gel compositions
Disclosed herein are compositions comprising a super absorbent polymer (SAP) concentrate mixed with a long-term fire-retardant concentrate, prior to dilution with water, to form a mixed concentrate and methods of making such compositions. The mixed concentrate composition can be subsequently mixed with water to produce an aqueous fire-fighting solution.
1 . A fire-fighting concentrate composition, the fire-fighting concentrate composition comprising a homogeneous mixture of a super absorbent polymer (SAP) concentrate and a long-term fire-retardant concentrate, wherein:
the SAP concentrate is a non-aqueous liquid comprising less than about 4% free water and the long-term fire-retardant concentrate is an aqueous liquid concentrate that contains less than about 1% free water, and
the composition comprises about 40 to 60 parts by volume or weight SAP concentrate and about 60 to 40 parts by volume or weight long-term fire-retardant concentrate, and wherein:
the free water content of the composition is less than about 5%;
the composition further comprises a thickener, and optionally a corrosion inhibitor, a coloring agent, a flow conditioner, or a combination thereof; and
the long-term fire-retardant concentrate comprises an ammonium phosphate fire retardant and/or an ammonium sulfate fire retardant.
2 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the SAP concentrate is a non-aqueous liquid comprising less than about 3% free water.
3 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the long-term fire-retardant concentrate is an aqueous liquid concentrate that contains no free water.
4 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the SAP concentrate is a non-aqueous liquid comprising less than about 2% free water.
5 . The composition of claim 1 wherein the SAP concentrate comprises a potassium and/or sodium polyacrylate, a polyacrylamide, a mineral oil, a vegetable oil or combinations thereof.
6 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the long-term fire-retardant concentrate comprises an ammonium phosphate fire retardant.
7 . The composition of claim 6 , wherein the ammonium phosphate fire retardant comprises monoammonium phosphate and/or diammonium phosphate.
8 . The composition of claim 1 wherein the long-term fire-retardant concentrate comprises an ammonium sulfate fire retardant selected from monoammonium sulfate and/or diammonium sulfate.
9 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises a corrosion inhibitor, and a coloring agent.
10 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the thickener comprises a biopolymer or an attapulgite clay.
11 . The composition of claim 10 wherein the biopolymer comprises xanthan, welan, and/or rhamsan.
12 . A method of preparing a fire-fighting concentrate, the method comprising mixing a SAP concentrate and a long-term fire-retardant concentrate, wherein:
the fire-fighting concentrate composition comprising a homogeneous mixture of a super absorbent polymer (SAP) concentrate and a long-term fire-retardant concentrate, wherein,
the SAP concentrate is a non-aqueous liquid comprising less than about 4% free water and the long-term fire-retardant concentrate is an aqueous liquid concentrate that contains less than about 1% free water, and
the composition comprises about 40 to 60 parts by volume or weight SAP concentrate and about 60 to 40 parts by volume or weight long-term fire-retardant concentrate, and wherein:
the free water content of the composition is less than about 5%;
the composition further comprises a thickener, and optionally a corrosion inhibitor, a coloring agent, a flow conditioner, or a combination thereof; and
the long-term fire-retardant concentrate comprises an ammonium phosphate fire retardant and/or an ammonium sulfate fire retardant.