Bio-based, PFA-free fire foam concentrate compositions comprising plant proteins, surfactants, alcohols, and builders, production thereof, and use thereof
A PFAS-free fire foam concentrate composition comprising water, a plant-based protein, a surfactant, an alcohol, and a builder. The bio-based content of the PFAS-free fire foam is preferably 80% by weight or greater. There is also disclosed a process to produce the PFAS-free fire foam concentrate composition, and the application of the fire foam concentrate onto a Class A fire or Class B fire.
1 . A method of extinguishing a fire using a PFAS-free bio-based fire foam concentrate composition, the method comprising:
providing a PFAS-free bio-based fire foam concentrate composition, comprising: water, an enzymatically modified plant protein that has been prepared by:
forming a protein dispersion by mixing the plant protein with water containing 0.1% to 1% sodium bisulfite or sodium sulfite based on a dry weight of the plant protein,
adjusting the protein dispersion to pH 7-8 by adding a buffer comprising a 2:1 mixture of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate,
modifying the plant protein in the plant dispersion with an alcalase enzyme at a concentration sufficient to substantially reduce the viscosity of the protein dispersion for 1-2 hours at a temperature between 30 degrees C. and 50 degrees C., and
adding a C1-C4 alcohol to halt the enzymatic reaction;
a non-ionic surfactant selected from capryl glucoside and decyl glucoside, the C1-C4 alcohol, and a builder;
mixing the PFAS-free bio-based fire foam concentrate composition with water to form a diluted wetting agent;
directing the diluted wetting agent to a fire to extinguish the fire.
2 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the plant protein is a plant protein comprising a soy-based protein.
3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein modification of the plant protein results in the concentrate composition having a Brookfield viscosity of less than 2000 cps utilizing spindle #4 at 100 rpm at 40° C.
4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the composition is a composition comprising from about 20% to about 80% of the plant protein based on the total dry weight of the composition.
5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the composition is a composition comprising from about 50% to about 70% of the plant protein based on the total dry weight of the composition.
6 . A method of extinguishing a fire using a PFAS-free bio-based fire foam concentrate composition, the method comprising:
providing a PFAS-free bio-based fire foam concentrate composition, comprising: water, an extracted and flash desolventized soy-based protein flour that has been prepared by:
forming a protein dispersion by mixing the soy-based protein flour with water containing 0.1% to 1% sodium bisulfite or sodium sulfite based on the dry weight of the soy-based protein flour,
adjusting the protein dispersion to pH 7-8 by adding a buffer comprising a 2:1 mixture of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate,
enzymatically modifying the soy-based protein flour in the protein dispersion with an alcalase enzyme at a concentration sufficient to substantially reduce the viscosity of the protein dispersion for 1-2 hours at a temperature between 30 degrees C. and 50 degrees C., and
adding a C1-C4 alcohol to halt the enzymatic reaction;
a non-ionic surfactant selected from capryl glucoside and decyl glucoside, the C1-C4 alcohol, and a builder;
mixing the PFAS-free bio-based fire foam concentrate composition with water to form a diluted wetting agent;
directing the diluted wetting agent to a fire to extinguish the fire.
7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the modification of the soy-based protein flour results in the concentrate composition having a Brookfield viscosity of less than 2000 cps utilizing spindle #4 at 100 rpm at 40° C.
8 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the composition is a composition comprising from about 20% to about 80% of the soy-based protein flour based on the total dry weight of the composition.
9 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the composition is a composition comprising from about 50% to about 70% of the soy-based protein flour based on the total dry weight of the composition.