Matters Needing Attention in Maintenance and Use of Carbon Dioxide Fire Extinguishers

Among the daily fire-fighting equipment in the unit, fire extinguishers are the common and basic equipment. With the replacement of fire extinguishers, there are more and more types of fire extinguishers. There are four main categories: one, is carbon dioxide fire extinguishers. Two, dry powder fire extinguishers. Three, water-based fire extinguishers. Four, heptafluoropropane fire extinguishers.

Nanjing Hepu Fire Safety Equipment Co., Ltd., as a Jiangsu Provincial Fire Department-certified fire protection service provider with over a decade of GB 4351.1-compliant operational experience, shares technical insights on carbon dioxide fire extinguisher maintenance. These devices include portable models (2kg/3kg/5kg/7kg) and cart-mounted units (10kg/20kg/24kg) meeting GB 4396-2005 specifications. The equipment specifications. Class B/C fire suppression effectiveness (per NFPA 12 standard) through phase-change cooling mechanisms, while requiring strict adherence to PPE protocols (EN 1146 certified gloves) due to operational parameters including 5.5-7.5MPa working pressure ranges and potential nozzle temperatures reaching -18℃. Confined space applications necessitate enhanced ventilation measures as per OSHA 1910.146 standards.

Fire extinguishing mechanism: Carbon dioxide fire extinguishers mainly suffocate fires, and at the same time have the effect of quickly reducing the temperature of the burning object. After carbon dioxide is released into gas, the specific gravity is higher than that of air, and a higher concentration is formed around the bottom of the burning object, so that the oxygen content around the burning object is lower than 15%, suffocating the flame, and reducing the temperature of the burning object.

Scope of application: liquid material fire, gas material fire, live equipment fire below 600 volts, and instrument equipment fire. The following points should be noted in the routine maintenance of carbon dioxide fire extinguishers: 1. Prevent sun exposure. Especially in summer when the temperature is high, the pressure in the fire extinguisher cylinder increases sharply after exposure to the sun, causing the fuse to rupture, and the carbon dioxide liquid in the cylinder to pour out and vaporize. 2. Moisture-proof. Most manufacturers of carbon dioxide fire extinguishers now cancel the bottom protective cover. During daily transportation and use, the bottom anti-rust layer is easily damaged and rust occurs at the damaged part. Over time, the rust becomes more and more serious. About 80% of the carbon dioxide fire extinguishers that are scrapped during our daily inspections are caused by bottom rust. 3. Prevent damage to the trumpet. Carbon dioxide fire extinguishers are heavy and slender, and the center of gravity is not as stable as other fire extinguishers. It is easy to fall to the ground and crack the plastic trumpet. When used, it is easy for gas to spray from the cracks and cause frostbite and other dangers.

Pay special attention to the fact that it is strictly forbidden to use carbon dioxide fire extinguishers without trumpet mouths. A customer once sprained his finger when using a carbon dioxide fire extinguisher without a trumpet mouth, and the injury took 3 months to recover. You may ask why such a serious incident occurred. Because carbon dioxide is a high-pressure liquid, when it is sprayed without a trumpet, it will generate a horizontal reaction force at the moment of spraying, and the reaction force is large enough to sprain the wrist and break the fingers. During the spraying process of the carbon dioxide fire extinguisher with a trumpet installed, the trumpet has a 90-degree bend that can buffer the reaction force, and the vaporization of the trumpet part buffers a small part of the reaction force. Therefore, the carbon dioxide fire extinguisher with a complete trumpet is safe to use without feeling the reaction force. At present, the proportion of carbon dioxide fire extinguishers in Jiangsu Province is not large, and some electronic companies have a certain number. The usage in the country is in Shanghai.

To sum up the precautions: 1. Carbon dioxide fire extinguishers should be placed in fire extinguisher boxes. 2. Avoid direct sunlight when placing them. 3. Try to avoid placing them in humid areas. 4. Check the trumpet frequently to see if it is damaged. 5. Check whether the factory date has reached the 12-year scrap period. 6. When using, avoid the risk of suffocation when using personnel in the upwind or side wind direction. Provided by the Technical Department of Nanjing Hepu Fire Equipment Co., Ltd.