New portable compressed air foam system

The new Rosenbauer RFC CAFS Cube S compressed air foam system (CAFS) is the ideal addition to fire departments’ standard extinguishing equipment. Wetting agent, a water/foam compound mixture, and also wet and dry compressed air foam can all be generated by the ‘little brother’ of the all-in-one RFC CAFS Cube. But the RFC CAFS Cube S is driven by a water-powered motor rather than a combustion engine. Every fire engine with a fire pump on board can therefore be tactically upgraded with this system.

Ideal retrofit solution

The RFC CAFS Cube S is particularly suitable as a retrofit solution for existing fire engines. The compact ‘extinguishing cube’ is built on an 8 DIN frame and is fixed in the low-ceiling equipment room by means of standard brackets. At the operation site, the compressed air foam system can either be swivelled out or removed from the vehicle entirely and carried to the installation site, for which it is equipped with convenient handles.

The RFC CAFS Cube S is designed to be used with a jet nozzle. In wetting agent or foam operation, the mobile extinguishing system delivers up to 200 l/min, and up to 800 l/min with compressed air foam thanks to active foaming.

Water-driven

Since the new compressed air foam system has no combustion engine, it does not generate any exhaust during operation. The water provided by a built-in pump or portable pump is used as energy for the drive. The CAFS Cube S is simply connected to the pump on the pressure and suction sides and operated via the water circuit created in this way. The water motor in turn drives a compressor, which delivers the compressed air with which both the diaphragm pump for the foam proportioning and the entire system are controlled and regulated.

Easiest operation

The CAFS Cube S is ready for use in just a few simple steps. To prepare it, only the hoses for the water circuit, the hoses for sucking in the foam compound from an external canister, and the hose on the extinguishing agent outlet need to be connected. The extinguishing agent is then selected and the admixture rate for wetting agent or the water/foam compound mixture and the foam count for compressed air foam (select between wet and dry CAFS foam) are set. The outlet is opened via a simple toggle switch, and the foam compound pump is also vented at the push of a button. A manometer shows the inlet pressure, and a thermometer shows the temperature of the compressor for system monitoring.

Optimal extinguishing effect

With the CAFS Cube S, fire departments are able to bring their extinguishing technology back up to date. The possibility of generating wetting agents, water/foam compound mixtures, and compressed air foam significantly increases their effectiveness in firefighting operations. Foam in the extinguishing medium reduces the surface tension, meaning that the extinguishing agent can penetrate deeper into the flammable material and achieve a better quenching effect. With classic firefighting foam, the flammable material can be perfectly shielded from the ambient air and thus suffocated. With compressed air foam, a high level of adhesion to objects is achieved: due to the fine and homogeneous foam bubble structure, all the water bound in the foam is used to maximize the cooling effect, while an excellent throw distance is also achieved.

The new, mobile Rosenbauer compressed air foam system will be on display for the first time at Interschutz 2022 from 20 to 25 June in Hanover. The RFC CAFS Cube S can be ordered effective immediately.