Environmental-friendly equipment tested at Dover

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Matthew Hubby
  • 436th AW Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  The 436th Civil Engineering Squadron, United States Army Corps of Engineers and Odyssey International conducted a preliminary test for a new high expansive foam system in Hanger 945 Aug. 12.

The goals of the test were to cover 90 percent of an aircrafts silhouette within a minute of alarm and discharge, and to fill the hanger with foam above the level of a meter in four minutes.

The installed system surpassed the set goals. There will be one more test before the building is accepted by the 436th CES.

"This was the first time I witnessed a foam dump. It was quite a sight to see how fast an aircraft hangar could be filled with foam," said 1st Lt. Jeffrey Fowlkes, 436th CES project manager. "We were standing outside the hangar doors on top of a flatbed trailer to witness the test. By the time we hit the two and a half minute mark the foam was flowing out the door, and we had to jump off of the trailer. It had to have been the biggest bubble bath I've ever seen."

The new high expansion foam system will be more environmentally friendly than the older fire suppression system. The new system creates a foam blanket when the foam solution, which has the consistency of dish washing detergent, is mixed with water. This blanket then floods the hanger, limiting the amount of oxygen to support a fire.

This system is critical in the hanger, because it has the capability to quickly put out fires which in turn can save an aircraft.

"I was quite surprised at how the high expansive foam has evolved since the late 90s. The test was outstanding, it went better than we expected," said Robert Jones, 436th CES military construction, construction representative. "Because of how the foam has evolved, it's better than the previous system. It's environmentally-friendly - it's safer than dishwashing detergent. The old system had a lot more hazards to the environment and we had to contain it if it flowed. It has to be sanitized before it can go out to the environment. This current foam is an environmentally-friendly product; you just turn it on and let it go."

The successful completion of the test is a milestone for the construction team. The team can now bring in the United States Army Corps of Engineers Center of Expertise to witness and approve the final test. When the construction is complete, work will begin on Hanger 715.