Carbon dioxide fire extinguishers, when used in the right circumstances can save lives. However, it would be dangerous to use a carbon dioxide fire extinguisher when dealing with flammable gases, cooking oils and fats , or in a confined space.
What should you not use a carbon dioxide fire extinguisher for?
Dangers: CO2 extinguishers should not be used on fires involving solid materials , such as paper, wood and fabric, and also are not suitable for use on flammable gases. How it works: The CO2 works by cutting off the fire’s oxygen supply. This then smothers it and, as it does so, extinguishes the flames.
What does a carbon dioxide extinguisher restrict?
Carbon dioxide extinguishers suppress fires by displacing oxygen thereby taking away the oxygen element of the fire triangle.
What can CO2 not be used on?
CO2 fire extinguishers discharge CO2 gas, also known as carbon dioxide. ... Unlike water and foam extinguishers, CO2 fire extinguishers do not work by cooling the fire and so are ineffective on fires involving flammable solids .
How do I know if my CO2 fire extinguisher is full?
If there is no gauge, how do I check my fire extinguisher? Because CO2 fire extinguishers cannot be tested by measuring the pressure, they are weighed . This can assure the amount of CO2 inside the canister and tell the owner when it must be refilled and serviced.
Can CO2 put out fire?
Carbon dioxide extinguishes work by displacing oxygen, or taking away the oxygen element of the fire triangle. ... CO2s may be ineffective at extinguishing Class A fires because they may not be able to displace enough oxygen to successfully put the fire out. Class A materials may also smolder and re-ignite.
When should you not use a CO2 fire extinguisher?
Carbon dioxide fire extinguishers, when used in the right circumstances can save lives. However, it would be dangerous to use a carbon dioxide fire extinguisher when dealing with flammable gases, cooking oils and fats , or in a confined space.
When should a CO2 fire extinguisher be used?
CO2 extinguishers are ideal for places with a lot of electrical equipment such as offices or server rooms because they are safe to use on fires involving electrical apparatus . Carbon dioxide extinguishers do not leave any residue, unlike a foam extinguisher.
Why is carbon dioxide considered an excellent fire extinguisher?
The carbon dioxide considered the best fire extinguisher to put off fires caused by burning of inflammable liquids such as petrol or oil because carbon dioxide stops the influence of oxygen because it decreases the oxygen present in that fire which leads to the fallout of fire.
What are the side effects of CO2?
Exposure to CO2 can produce a variety of health effects. These may include headaches, dizziness, restlessness , a tingling or pins or needles feeling, difficulty breathing, sweating, tiredness, increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, coma, asphyxia, and convulsions.
What happens if there is an increase in carbon dioxide in the blood?
Blood tests: An increase in carbon dioxide in the blood also causes blood acidosis (lowering of the pH of the blood). You can develop respiratory acidosis due to a lung problem or metabolic acidosis due to a medical illness.
Is CO2 acidic or alkaline?
Carbon dioxide, which is mildly acidic , is a waste product of the processing (metabolism) of oxygen and nutrients (which all cells need) and, as such, is constantly produced by cells.
What is the difference between ABC and CO2 fire extinguisher?
CO2s are designed for Class B and C (flammable liquid and electrical) fires only. Carbon Dioxide is a non-flammable gas that extinguishes fire by displacing oxygen, or taking away the oxygen element of the fire triangle.
What is the effective range of a CO2 extinguisher?
To be most effective, a carbon dioxide fire extinguisher should be used no closer than 3 feet and no further than 8 feet from the fire itself .
Are ABC fire extinguishers CO2?
Carbon dioxide extinguishers are filled with non-flammable carbon dioxide gas. The CO2 fire extinguisher can be easily identified by its hard horn and lack of pressure gauge. ... Just like a typical ABC fire extinguisher, it is important to fire the CO2 extinguisher using the P.A.S.S. Method.
Which is a disadvantage of CO2 extinguishers?
Because of this, CO2 has been and is being used for fire protection in a number of hazard situations. One drawback to using carbon dioxide, however, is that its mechanism of fire suppression is through oxygen dilution , and not, as is the case for halon, through chemical disruption of the catalytic combustion chain.
