An experimental study of the use of liquid argon and argon-filled aqueous foams for the extinction of lithium fires

The lithium pool temperatures of a 10-g lithium fire in an insulated container approximate the lithium pool temperature (above 1000°C) of a large-scale lithium fire. Addition of water or air-filled aqueous foam to a large-scale lithium fire generally results in a violent reaction. This violent reaction was observed when water or air-filled aqueous foam was added to an insulated 10-g size lithium fire.The use of a liquid argon spray against an insulated 10-g lithium fire resulted in substantial spattering of the hot, molten lithium. Consequently, a liquid argon spray is not recommended against a large-scale lithium fire.Although an argon-filled aqueous foam directed onto an insulated 10-g lithium fire resulted in an increase of the lithium pool temperature, in every experiment conducted in this effort the lithium fire was extinguished. The extinguishing action of the argon-filled foam is positively correlated to the foam flow rate directed to the fire. Aqueous argon-filled foams from concentrated sodium silicate solution or cupric chloride solution did not appear to enhance the extinguishing action of the foam, compared to argon-filled water (only) foams.