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Q. What is Thermo-Gel?
A. Thermo-Gel is a Class-A fire retardant gel concentrate that when added to
water transforms water into a fire preventing and heat absorbing gel. This gel
adheres to any kind of surface, even to vertical window panes and forms a
protective layer of gel that cools and protects objects from heating, charring
and flame impingement. This gel can also be used for bringing fires under
control more quickly. Water and time savings of up to 50% are possible.
Thermo-Gel is U.S. Forest Service approved and meets NFPA 1150 standard.
Why is Thermo-Gel More Expensive than Foam? [go to top]
A. Thermo-Gel is a specialized polymer product that suspends water - it is similar to the materials found in disposable diapers. Thermo-Gel is more effective than foam which suspends air bubbles. Any price differential between the two products begins to drop when you consider how much foam is really required to reach the effectiveness level of Thermo-Gel. Thermo-Gel cleans up quickly and is Ecologically friendly - foam is not and cleanup costs will be higher. Thermo-gel requires specially designed eductor nozzles, hoses and hardware to apply it in the correct solution of 2% for structures or 1% for fire lines and outdoor areas. These items are expensive but well-built. When choosing between between water-only (good), foam (better) or Thermo-Gel (best) you must consider the value of your home or property. If you decide to save money on firefighting, you risk more damage.
Questions About Structures and Home Protection [go to top]
Q. What can be protected with Thermo-Gel?
A. Thermo-Gel will protect any surface such as shrubs, trees, windows, siding,
cars, fuel tanks, rail cars, utility poles, etc.
Q. Does Thermo-Gel cause damage to my house?
A. Thermo-Gel is an environmentally compatible, non-aggressive gel consisting of
98% water, a small portion of surfactants and the gelating agent, which is a
super-absorbent polymer similar to those used in baby diapers. Thermo-Gel is not
aggressive to paint, wood, glass, stone or concrete. Due to high water content,
direct exposure to electricity or electric equipment should be avoided in order
to reduce the risk of short circuits.
Q. How much do I need for my house?
A. One gallon of Thermo-Gel per 50 gallons of water (2% solution) will vocer
1,000 square feet surface area. A homeowner's kit with (4) gallons will cover
4,000 square feet. A typical 2000 sq.foot house measuring 60' long by 35' wide
and 9' high walls is about 2,000 square feet needing two gallons. The other two
gallons can be used for eaves, roof, deck and creating a wetted outside
perimeter.
Q. How long does the protection last?
A. When applied at the proper amount, Thermo-Gel will protect a structure for
several hours. The cooling effect is provided by the evaporation of water from
the gel. As long as there is still a gel layer on the object, it will remain
protected. Strong winds and very high temperatures will decrease the protection
time
Q. At what temperature does Thermo-Gel start to
burn?
A. At a 2% solution the gel consists of 98% water. Just like water, the gel
never starts to burn. Only after all of the water has been evaporated the
residuals can begin to be burned. However, as they make up for less than 2%
there is barely enough energy set free in this unlikely case. The polymer
decomposes mainly into carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and water. No toxic
components like cyanides or hydrogen chloride have been found.
Q. How else can I use Thermo-Gel to protect
my home?
A. Thermo-Gel is very effective in creating a home defense barrier around a
structure so it can be used to create a fire free zone around a house.
Questions About Forest Fire Fighting [go to top]
Q. How do we create a fire line or firebreak with Thermo-Gel?
A. Spray the gel on vegetation. Make sure that foliage, grass, branches,
combustibles on the ground are well protected. Large quantities of Thermo-Gel
may be ordered for truck-mounted or stationary tanks.
Q. How much Thermo-Gel do we need to create a fire lane?
A. One 5-gallon container of Thermo-Gel at 2% dilution will cover approximately
5000 square feet or a lane 40' wide by 125' long. At 1% dilution a 5-gallon
container will cover approximately 10000 square feet or a lane 40' wide by 250'
long.
Q. How do we apply Thermo-Gel without a fixed water source or
electricity for pumps?
A. Thermo-Gel offers FireDos® water driven proportioners that
can be mounted to fire trucks, irrigation systems or portable tanks. It is
powered by water flow only. Flow rates from 34gpm to over 2500gpm are possible.
Custom design applications are available for projects of any size.
Questions About Fire Fighting [go to top]
Q. Can Thermo-Gel be used to extinguish fires?
A. Thermo-Gel is very effective in fighting Class A fires. It can knock down
fires in minimum time with a minimum amount of water needed. It also minimizes
the risk of rekindling, even when very critical combustibles are burning.
Q. Can Thermo-Gel be used to extinguish liquid combustibles like
petroleum or diesel?
A. No, Thermo-Gel is a Class A fire additive. It works perfectly on solids but
Class B pool fires cannot be fought with Thermo-Gel. It is possible, however, to
protect oil tanks and similar items from fire by applying a gel coating on the
surface and prevent ignition extremely effectively.
Q. Is it easy to
clean up?
A. Yes, Thermo-Gel can be washed off with a strong stream of water. In case of
stubborn residues or large amounts of gel, treatment with regular household salt
will help.
Application and Equipment [go to top]
Q. How is Thermo-Gel applied?
A. Thermo-gel is applied with specialized nozzle-end eductors designed for this
product that can supply either a 1% or 2% solution. Thermo-Gel should not be
applied with any other equipment. Homeowners need a 1" minimum hose with 12-15
gallons per minute flow rate and 40 psi minimum pressure. If you do not have
that kind of pressure, a booster pump will be required. If pressure and flow
permit, our home and commercial systems are designed for 30 gallons per minute
and a 1 1/2" fire hose. Industrial and forest fire applications up to 3000
gallons per minute or more can be custom designed.
Q. Can I dilute Thermo-Gel inside the container with water?
A. No this cannot be done. It is vital that no water gets into the Thermo-Gel
container as Thermo-Gel will immediately form gel inside the container and block
the delivery system, hoses, nozzles, etc.
Q. Can Thermo-Gel be added to a secondary foam tank on fire
engines?
A. Yes, but it must be clean and free of water. Care must be taken that
plumbing and metering devices are completely free of water before Thermo-Gel is
injected.
Q. Can Thermo-Gel be mixed with fire fighting foams?
A. Thermo-Gel cannot be mixed with Class-A foam concentrates due to the high
water content of the foam concentrate. This would lead to uncontrolled gelation
in the reservoir before the product can be used.
Q. Can the product be used with very hard water?
A. Yes, but the proportions may have to be increased due to the loss of
effectiveness with very hard water.
Q. Does Thermo-Gel
require any special handling?
A. Thermo-Gel is very slippery when applied, so users must use extreme caution
not to slip or fall when it is used.
Q. How far can we project the gel? Does it behave similar to
foam?
A. Foam cannot be projected as far as Thermo-Gel and Thermo-Gel lasts much
longer than foams. When the same nozzle pressure is applied the projection
distance of Thermo-Gel is at least equal to water.
Storage [go to top]
Q. How long can I store Thermo-Gel?
A. Thermo-gel may be stored for 3 years after date of purchase, after that the
product has expired.
Q. Can I store Thermo-Gel in any container?
A. Some metals can be affected, high-grade steel and aluminum work fine. Plastic
materials should be plasticizer free (no Styrofoam). HDPE and polyester resins
are fine. We strongly recommend storing Thermo-Gel in it's original containers.
Q. Are there any specific requirements for storage?
A. Thermo-Gel should be stored above freezing and below 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
It should preferably be stored in a place without direct UV (sunlight) exposure.
Containers must always be tightly closed.
Q. What is the shelf life of a 1%
solution?
A. Tests with fire extinguishers show at least a 2-year shelf life. UV exposure
shortens shelf life.
Thermo-Gel and the Environment [go to top]
Q. What happens to a plant that is protected by Thermo-Gel?
A. While no long-term damage to plants has been observed, the gel on foliage can
cause spots on leaves due to the tendency of gel to absorb moisture. At a very
heavy coverage over some days and under drought conditions, and depending on
plant type, can cause a drying effect on foliage. Some plant species may lose
their leaves. However this effect is only temporary and very soon new foliage
should develop. Fire damage to plants without Thermo-Gel protection is much more
destructive.
Q. What happens when Thermo-Gel gets into the soil?
A. Thermo-Gel will only enter the top layer of soil There is no possibility for
leaching.
Q. Will Thermo-Gel persist in the environment?
A. Thermo-Gel is a water/oil emulsion containing a polymer. The main
constitution of the oil phase is a fatty acid ester of biological origin. The
oil phase is readily biodegradable, while the remaining polymer is expected to
biodegrade with time. This is reflected in biodegrading studies that were
carried out with similar polymers. Recent studies demonstrated that polymers of
this kind are biodegraded by white rot fungus in soil. The process is at a low
but constant rate. The polymers are solubilized, incorporated into the fungus
mycelia and mineralized. The constitutes of the polymer will enter into the
natural carbon and nitrogen cycle. No toxic metabolites have been identified.
Q. What are the effects of Thermo-Gel until it is
biodegraded?
A. The polymer in Thermo-Gel which provides the gelation effect and which shows
the slowest biodegrading among the components of Thermo-Gel is very similar to
other products which are used for soil enhancement or erosion control. These
products improve and help to recover soil by balancing the moisture content or
preventing erosion after catastrophies like flooding, severe drought or fires.
They are not intentionally brought into the environment and are harmless. There
is no proof that the polymers in Thermo-Gel are effective in this way, too, yet
negative effects of the polymers are obviously not expected.
Thermo-Gel is covered by U.S. Patent numbers 5,989,446 & 6,245,252. Other patents pending.