At the beginning of the 1980s a new kind of nozzle arrived in Europe. Before that time, Europeans built nozzles with a straight jet and a long throw, or an attack spray with a fixed angle – both nozzles provided droplets of an average size.
Then a new kind of nozzle appeared on the market which was originally used for oil tankers that had a reshaped straight jet and adjustable spray. Firefighters were enthusiastic about them and this led European manufacturers to adopt this new technology. The distance of throw distance of the new reshaped jet nozzles quickly performed as well as oil tank nozzles. They produced thin droplets that could absorb heat faster, or droplets of an average size necessary for a longer throwing distance that had all the advantages of the different shapes.
Today, most of the worldwide manufacturers manage to produce monitors and nozzles meeting diverse levels of requirement. Some insurance companies invested into studies to better understand the parameters that matter the most in extinguishing fire quickly and efficiently – they even offered equipment to some fire brigades. By utilising the latest equipment resulted in savings for the insurance companies due to the reduction in damage caused by fire and water. Monitors with much higher flow rates were developed in parallel and forty years ago, a monitor capable of delivering 2,000 to 5,000lpm was towed behind fire trucks. Today the same monitor weighs less than 10kg, fits easily in a fire truck and can be operational on-site very easily.
Our newest kind of nozzles and monitors are powder-foam extinguishers. The foam carries the powder at the right distance and the speed of extinguishment is remarkable: the foam reduces the temperature and the powder suffocates the fire! Helicopter platforms on French frigates are protected by POK’s powder foam monitors.
For more information, go to www.pok.fr
