Flammability in wildfire retardants
wildfire retardants testing over 50 years ago actually require less energy for ignition.
The uploaded reports herein are complimentary to the video on the you tube channel. Wildfire Engineer. TO make sense of these documents I suggest you look at the video on the youtube channel first.
The purpose of the information that I wish to convey is that the materials are tested in an inert atmosphere that is NOT how we fight fire and therefor will not be directly indicative of what we should expect as our atmosphere is NOT inert. We do not and cannot breath 100% nitrogen and we do not and cannot breath in a vacuum.
Breathing 100% nitrogen gas is extremely dangerous and can quickly lead to death.
Here's why:
Oxygen Displacement: Nitrogen is a simple asphyxiant, meaning it replaces the oxygen in the air. This reduces the oxygen available for breathing, leading to oxygen deprivation in the body.
No Warning: Nitrogen is odorless, colorless, and tasteless. This means you cannot detect its presence without special equipment.
Rapid Asphyxiation: When exposed to a high concentration of nitrogen, the brain rapidly becomes oxygen-deprived. Loss of consciousness can occur in seconds or minutes, without warning.
Symptoms of Nitrogen Asphyxiation:
Early Symptoms: Dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, vomiting, confusion, impaired judgment.
Severe Symptoms: Loss of consciousness, convulsions, coma, and ultimately, death.
Important Notes:
Oxygen Levels: The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) considers any atmosphere with an oxygen level below 19.5% to be immediately dangerous to life or health.
Workplace Safety: If working with nitrogen or other potentially hazardous gases, it's crucial to follow safety procedures, including proper ventilation and use of monitoring equipment to ensure adequate oxygen levels.
Never Attempt: Never attempt to inhale pure nitrogen or any gas that is not specifically approved for medical use. This can be fatal.
The two reports are Effects of Ammonium Phosphate and Sulfate on the Pyrolysis and Combustion of Cellulose. USDA Forest Service Research Paper INT-90 1971.
Introduction page, bottom, footnote #2.
Sample size is listed on the document page 2.
Pyrolysis and Combustion statement is on document page 3.
Page 4 of the Documents states that Temperatures at which these reaction occure depend on sample size, configuration etc.
The Next Paper is titled Effects of Ammonium Sulfate and Ammonium Phosphate on Flammability. USDA Forest Service Research Paper INT-121, 1972.
Document page 1, The Problem last paragraph states: “It is often thought that ignitability is decreased by treating fuel with retardant chemicals such as ammonium phosphate; however, recent empirical data indicate the reverse—i.e. less energy is necessary for ignition of treated fuel”
Page 3, fuel type bottom paragraph, fuel sample size is listed as .021 x .021 x 3 inches.
The Metals in Wildfire Suppressants report is below: All rights belong to the authors.