Re: vapor versus gas

[Sampere <sampere@SUHEP.PHY.SYR.EDU>]

I thought the CO2 was to replace any oxygen around the fire, thus quenching the
fire.  When I refill my CO2 extinguishers, they are charged to 1800 lbs/in2 of
CO2 only.  No ammonium phosphate is added.  These things make great rocket
engines for demos!!  Be careful, don't try to hold one of these babies if you
modify the nozzle.

Sam

Gordon Smith wrote:

> At 06:15 PM 7/25/99 -0700, you wrote:
> > Carbon dioxide is a liquid at room temperature (otherwise CO2 fire
> > extinguishers wouldn't work. Who says, e.g., "CO2 Vapor is responsible
> > for a small fraction of the greenhouse effect"? CO2 is almost always
> > called a gas at room temperature.
>
> Ummm, the boiling point of CO2 is listed at 194.7K, well below room
> temperature, much less the temperature of a fire.  I believe that the CO2
> acts as a propellant for the cool foamy stuff, such as ammonium phosphate
> which actually does the work.
>
> CO2 will liquify at higher temperatures, but you also need higher pressures.
>
> -G-
>
> ...or perhaps I am just confused about more things than I thought...
>
> -----------------------------------------
> Gordon Smith
> National Center for Physical Acoustics
> Coliseum Drive
> University, MS 38655
> slipstk@olemiss.edu
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