BE1029051B1 - ENHANCED FOAMING FIRE EXTINGUISHING FORMULATION - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a fire extinguishing formulation comprising: a flame retardant chosen from the group of ammonium phosphates, phosphate esters, halogenated phosphates, phosphonates, red phosphorus, calcium silicate, sodium silicate, aluminum trihydroxide, magnesium dihydroxide, melamine, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), brominated phenol, or combinations thereof; a mixture of at least two different amphoteric surfactants; a mixture of at least two different anionic surfactants; an organic solvent; and a hydrophilic solvent, wherein said mixture of amphoteric surfactants and said mixture of anionic surfactants are respectively present in a concentration between 0.10 and 5.00% by weight and between 0.10 and 5.00% by weight based on of the total weight of the fire extinguishing formulation. A second and a third aspect of the invention relate respectively to the use of the fire extinguishing formulation, and a fire extinguisher comprising said formulation.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a fire extinguishing formulation. In particular, the invention relates to a fire extinguishing formulation with improved foaming characteristics.

BACKGROUND Fire extinguishing compositions generally contain mixtures of surfactants which act as foaming agents, together with solvents and other additives which provide the desired mechanical and chemical properties to the foam. There is a general desire to improve the foaming characteristics of known fire extinguishing compositions, in order to obtain a fire extinguishing process which is faster, more efficient, and in particular, adapted specifically to a certain class of fire. One way to improve the foaming characteristics of fire extinguishing compositions is to modify the composition itself. To this end, fluorinated surfactants have long been used to improve foaming properties, however they have recently come under close scrutiny in light of environmental safety. Fire extinguishing compositions comprising fluorinated surfactants are described e.g. in VEP 0 208 682. Alternatively, high molecular weight polymer additives such as acrylic polymers and polysaccharide gums have been added to fire extinguishing compositions in order to lower the required amount of — fluorinated surfactants, while still achieving reasonable foam expansion and stability. Such a composition is described e.g. in VEP 2969 052. The present variants, however, include certain disadvantages, such as increased viscosity and thus difficult application of the fire extinguishing foam. Besides, often these fire extinguishing foams are not equally applicable to extinguish Class A and Class B fires.

Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for a fire extinguishing formulation which further improves foaming characteristics, i.e. which exhibits better foam expansion, improved foam stability, and which is suitable to extinguish both Class A and Class B fires.

The present invention aims to solve at least some of the problems and disadvantages mentioned above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention and embodiments thereof serve to provide a solution to one or more of the aforementioned disadvantages. To this end, the present invention relates to a fire extinguishing formulation according to claim 1.

Preferred embodiments of the fire extinguishing formulation are described in claims 2 to 11.

In a second aspect, the present invention relates to the use of the fire extinguishing formulation to extinguish Class A or Class B fires according to claim 12.

Preferred embodiments of said use are described in claims 13 to 15.

The present invention further relates to a third aspect, which relates to a fire extinguisher according to claims 16 and 17.

— FIGURES Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a fire hose according to the present invention, which hose comprises a single indivisible body.

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a fire hose according to the present invention, which hose comprises a single indivisible body.

Figure 3a shows a perspective view of an embodiment of an assembled fire hose according to the present invention, which hose comprises three separate and/or detachable parts.

Figure 3b shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a disassembled fire hose according to the present invention, which hose comprises three separate and/or detachable parts.

Figure 4a shows a perspective view of an embodiment of an assembled fire hose for using the formulation according to the present invention to extinguish class A and B fires, which hose comprises three separate and/or detachable parts .

Figure 4b shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a disassembled fire hose for using the formulation according to the present invention to extinguish class A and B fires, which hose comprises three separate and/or detachable parts.

Figure 5 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of a ventilation chamber for using the formulation according to the present invention to extinguish class A and B fires.

Figure 6 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of a ventilation chamber and a foaming chamber for using the formulation according to the present invention to extinguish class A and B fires, which ventilation chambers and of foaming form a single indivisible body.

Figure 7 shows a perspective view and a cross-sectional entry view of one embodiment of a mixing chamber for using the formulation according to the present invention to extinguish Class A and B fires.

Figure 8 shows a cross-sectional representation along a central axial axis of one embodiment of a ventilation chamber for using the formulation according to the present invention to extinguish Class A and B fires. The present invention relates to a fire extinguishing composition having improved foaming characteristics.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms used in the disclosure of the invention, including technical and scientific terms, have the meaning generally understood by one skilled in the art to which this invention belongs. Definitions of terms are included for information purposes to better appreciate the teaching of the present invention.

As used herein, the following terms shall have the following meanings: The terms "a", "an", "the" and "the" as used herein denote both the singular and the plural, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. By way of example, “a Compartment” means one or more Compartments.

The terms "comprising", "comprising", and "comprises" and "consisting of", as used herein, are synonymous with "include", "including", "include" or "contain". , "contains >", "contains" and are inclusive or open ended terms indicating the presence of the following, and do not exclude or preclude the presence of additional, unlisted components, characteristics, elements, members, steps known in the art or disclosed herein.

Citation of numeric ranges by bounds includes all numbers and fractions subsumed within that range, as well as the quoted bounds.

The term "% by weight" or "percent by weight", here and throughout the description, unless otherwise defined, refers to the relative weight of the respective component based on the overall weight of the formulation.

In a first aspect, the invention relates to a fire extinguishing formulation comprising:

- a flame retardant selected from the group of ammonium phosphates, phosphate esters, halogenated phosphates, phosphonates, red phosphorus, calcium silicate, sodium silicate, aluminum trihydroxide, magnesium dihydroxide , melamine, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), brominated phenol, or combinations thereof, - a mixture of at least two different amphoteric surfactants, - a mixture of at least two different anionic surfactants, - an organic solvent, and - a water.

Here, said mixture of amphoteric surfactants and said mixture of anionic surfactants are respectively present in a concentration between 0.10 and 5.00% by weight and between 0.10 and 5.00% by weight based on the total weight of the fire extinguishing formulation.

The term "fire retardant" refers to a diverse group of chemicals that are intended to prevent or slow the development of a fire, or to extinguish a fire, by a variety of different physical and chemical methods.

When it comes to extinguishing a fire, flame retardants are usually formulated as a dry formulation, or must be applied as a fire extinguishing foam.

Flame retardants that are regularly used in fire extinguishing foams include, but are not limited to, monoammonium dihydrogen phosphate (MAP), diammonium phosphate (DAP), urea, sodium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate or potassium chloride.

In light of the present invention, flame retardants are selected from the group of ammonium phosphates, phosphate esters, halogenated phosphates, phosphonates, red phosphorus, calcium silicate, sodium silicate, trihydroxide aluminum, magnesium dihydroxide, melamine, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), brominated phenol, or combinations thereof.

The term “surfactants” refers to compounds that lower the surface tension (or interfacial tension) between two liquids, between a gas and a liquid, or between a liquid and a solid.

Surfactants can therefore act as detergents, wetting agents, emulsifiers, foaming agents or dispersants. Surfactants are usually organic compounds which are amphiphilic, i.e. containing both hydrophobic and hydrophilic groups. In light of the present invention, the term "amphoteric surfactant" or "zwitterionic surfactant" refers to surfactants that include both cationic and anionic functional groups. The cationic part is based on primary, secondary or tertiary amines or quaternary ammonium cations. The anionic part is generally of a more variable nature.

The term "anionic surfactants" refers to surfactants which include anionic functional groups at their head, such as sulfates, sulfonates, phosphates and carboxylates.

"Cationic surfactants" refers to surfactants having cationic functional groups, e.g. pH dependent primary, secondary or tertiary amines, permanently charged quaternary ammonium salts such as cetrimonium bromide (CTAB), cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC), benzalkonium chloride (BAC), — benzethonium (BZT), dimethyldioctadecylammonium chloride and dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DODAB).

“Nonionic surfactants” feature covalently bonded oxygen-containing hydrophilic groups, which are bonded to hydrophobic parent structures. The water solubility of oxygen groups is the result of hydrogen bonding. Hydrogen bonding decreases with increasing temperature, and the water solubility of nonionic surfactants therefore decreases with increasing temperature. The present invention thus relates to a fire extinguishing formulation comprising both amphoteric and anionic surfactants, namely the surfactants comprising anionic functional groups, in particular at least two of each group.

A "solvent" is a substance that dissolves a solute, resulting in a solution.

A solvent is usually a liquid but can also be a solid, a gas or a supercritical fluid. In light of the present invention, the formulation generally includes a liquid solvent. Solvents can be broadly classified into two categories: polar and non-polar. Solvents with a dielectric constant less than 15 are generally considered to be "non-polar solvents", while solvents with a dielectric constant of 15 and above are considered to be "polar solvents". Heuristically, the dielectric constant of a solvent can be thought of as its ability to reduce the effective internal charge of a solute. Accordingly, the dielectric constant of a solvent is an acceptable indicator of the ability of the solvent to dissolve common ionic compounds, such as salts.

The fire extinguishing formulation according to the present invention exhibits exceptionally high foam expansion upon application, which provides effective fire extinguishing, particularly with respect to fire class A and B. The specific combination of at least two amphoteric surfactants and at least two anionic surfactants here promotes said high expansion of the foam without requiring fluorinated compounds or heavy polymer compounds. As a result, the present formulation is applied, diffuses rapidly on a solid or liquid surface on fire, and makes it possible to obtain a large volume of foam having good stability.

Preferably, said mixture of amphoteric surfactants and said mixture of anionic surfactants are respectively present in a concentration between 0.25 and 2.50% by weight and between 0.25 and 2.50% by weight based on the total weight of fire extinguishing formulation. The formulation according to the present invention shows the effects described here, namely high foam expansion, good foam stability, easy application and rapid foam diffusion, even for extremely low surfactant concentrations, as obtained at the within the described ranges. This makes it possible to obtain a fire extinguishing composition in which the present flame retardants can express a high fire extinguishing activity. As a result, less foam is needed to achieve the desired Class A and B fire extinguishing result, even for larger fire areas. More preferably, said mixture of amphoteric surfactants and said mixture of anionic surfactants are respectively present in a concentration between 0.25 and 2.00% by weight and between 0.25 and 2.00% by weight, between 0.25 and 1.90% by weight and between 0.30 and 2.00% by weight, between 0.25 and 1.80% by weight and between 0.40 and 2.00% by weight, between 0.25 and 1 70% by weight and between 0.50 and 2.00% by weight, or between 0.50 and 1.60% by weight and between 0.50 and 2.00% by weight based on the total weight of the fire extinguishing formulation. Even more preferably, said mixture of amphoteric surfactants and said mixture of anionic surfactants are respectively present in a concentration between 0.25 and 1.50% by weight and between 0.50 and 2.00% by weight based on the total weight of fire extinguishing formulation. According to a further embodiment or another embodiment, said mixture of amphoteric surfactants comprises at least three different amphoteric surfactants, and said mixture of anionic surfactants comprises at least three different anionic surfactants. By further diversifying the amphoteric and anionic surfactants present in the formulation, the expansion of the foam, as well as the general effectiveness of the formulation in extinguishing Class A and B fires, is further improved.

In certain embodiments, said mixture of amphoteric surfactants comprises at least four, five or six different amphoteric surfactants. In certain embodiments, said mixture of anionic surfactants comprises at least four, five or six different anionic surfactants. Further diversification of amphoteric and anionic surfactants further enhances the described effects. Said organic solvent, according to a further embodiment or another embodiment, has a concentration between 2.50 and 10.00% by weight based on the total weight of the fire extinguishing formulation. The presence of the organic solvent within the ranges defined here makes it possible to obtain a formulation which allows the formation of a high volume of foam and in which the present flame retardants are diffused in a homogeneous manner. As a result, the overall effectiveness of the fire extinguishing composition is further enhanced.

Preferably, said organic solvent is present in a concentration between 3.00 and 9.00% by weight, between 3.00 and 8.00% by weight, between 3.50 and 7.50% by weight, between 4, 00 to 7.00% by weight, or between 4.00 and 6.50% by weight based on the total weight of the fire extinguishing formulation. More preferably, said organic solvent is present in a concentration between 4.00 and 6.00% by weight based on the total weight of the fire extinguishing formulation.

According to a further embodiment or another embodiment, the fire extinguishing formulation comprises a foam stabilizer, said foam stabilizer is present in a concentration between 0.10 and 5.00% by weight based of the total weight of the fire extinguishing formulation.

"Foam stabilizer" herein refers to compounds known in the art to further improve foam stability, i.e., which allow the foam to remain intact longer and thus prolong fire extinguishing activity. of composition. The present invention, in particular the selective combination of at least two amphoteric surfactants and at least two anionic surfactants, achieves a relatively low concentration of a foam stabilizer in the fire extinguishing composition at the within the ranges as defined here.

Preferably, said foam stabilizer is present in a concentration between 0.10 and 4.50% by weight, between 0.10 and 4.00% by weight, between 0.10 and 3.50% by weight, or between 0.10 and 3.00% by weight based on the total weight of the fire extinguishing formulation. More preferably, said foam stabilizer is present in a concentration between 0.10 and 2.50% by weight, between 0.10 and 2.40% by weight, between 0.20 and 2.30% by weight, between 0.30 and 2.20% by weight, between 0.40 and 2.10% by weight, or between 0.50 and 2.00% by weight based on the total weight of the extinguishing formulation fire.

According to a further embodiment or another embodiment, the fire extinguishing formulation comprises a heat stabilizer, said heat stabilizer is present in a concentration between 0.50 and 10.00% by weight based on the weight total of the fire extinguishing formulation. The purpose of the heat stabilizer is to further improve the stability of the fire extinguishing foam when exposed to extreme heat. The present invention, in particular the selective combination of at least two amphoteric surfactants and at least two anionic surfactants, makes it possible to obtain a relatively low concentration of a heat stabilizer in the fire extinguishing composition at the within the ranges as defined here.

The fire extinguishing formulation according to some embodiments comprises the flame retardant in a concentration between 1.00 to 15.00% by weight based on the total weight of the fire extinguishing formulation. Within the specified ranges, the fire extinguishing composition is exceptionally effective in extinguishing Class A and B fires.

Preferably, the flame retardant is present in a concentration between 1.00 to 14.50% by weight, between 1.00 to 14.00% by weight, between 1.00 to 13.50% by weight, between 1 .00 to 13.00% by weight, between 1.00 to 12.50% by weight, between 1.00 to 12.0% by weight, between 1.00 to 11.50% by weight, or between 1, 00 to 11.00% by weight based on the total weight of the fire extinguishing formulation. More preferably, the flame retardant is present in a concentration between 1.00 to 10.90% by weight, between 1.00 to 10.80% by weight, between 1.00 to 10.70% by weight, between 1.00 to 10.60% by weight, or between 1.00 to 10.50% by weight based on the total weight of the fire extinguishing formulation. Even more preferably, the flame retardant is present in a concentration between 1.10 to 10.40% by weight, between 1.20 to 10.30% by weight, between 1.30 to 10.20% by weight , between 1.40 to 10.10% by weight, or between 1.50 to 10.00% by weight based on the total weight of the fire extinguishing formulation. In a preferred embodiment, the fire extinguishing formulation comprises: - between 1.50 and 10.00% by weight of flame retardant; - between 0.25 and 1.50% by weight of amphoteric surfactants; - between 0.50 and 2.00% by weight of anionic surfactants; - between 0.50 and 2.00% by weight of foam stabilizer; - between 0.50 and 10.00% by weight of heat stabilizer; - between 2.50 and 10.00% by weight of organic solvent; and - between 50.00 and 95.00% by weight of water. The fire extinguishing formulation thus enables the effective extinguishing of Class A and B fires, wherein the formulation exhibits exceptional foam expansion, resulting in a foam having a large volume, high stability, which foam diffuses easily and lasts considerably long. According to certain embodiments, said amphoteric surfactants are chosen from the group of betaines, sultaines, alkylamphoacetates, amphodiacetates, alkylamphopropionates, alkyliminodipropionates, amphodipropionates, aliphatic quaternary ammonium compounds, aliphatic quaternary phosphonium compounds, aliphatic quaternary sulfonium compounds, derivatives or combinations thereof.

According to certain embodiments, said amphoteric surfactants are chosen from the group of betaines, sultaines, alkylamphoacetates, amphodiacetates, alkylamphopropionates, alkyliminodipropionates, amphodipropionates, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, said betaines are selected from the group of betaine, alky! betaine, alkylamido betaine, sulfobetaine, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, said alkyl betaine is selected from the group of coco dimethyl carboxymethyl betaine, cocoamidopropyl betaine, coco betaine, lauryl amidopropyl betaine, loleyl betaine, lauryl dimethyl carboxymethyl betaine, lauryl dimethyl alpha-carboxyethyl betaine, cetyl dimethyl carboxymethyl betaine, lauryl bis-(2-hydroxyethyl) carboxymethyl betaine, stearyl bis-(2-hydroxypropyl) carboxymethyl betaine, Voleyl dimethyl gamma-carboxypropyl betaine, lauryl bis-(2-hydroxypropylalpha-carboxyethyl betaine, or combinations thereof. In certain embodiments, said alkyl amidopropyl betaines are selected from the group of cocamidopropyl betaine, lauramidopropyl betaine, oleamidopropyl betaine, erucic amidopropyl betaine, or combinations thereof In certain embodiments, said sulfobetaines are selected from the group of coco dimethyl sulfopropyl betaine, stearyl dimethyl sulfopropyl betaine, lauryl dimethyl sulfoethyl betaine, lauryl bis-(2-hydroxyethyl)-sulfopropyl betaine, or combinations thereof. According to a further embodiment or another embodiment, said amphoteric surfactants are selected from the group of aliphatic quaternary ammonium compounds, aliphatic phosphonium-quaternary compounds, aliphatic quaternary sulfonium compounds, derivatives or combinations of these. Preferably, said amphoteric surfactants are chosen from the group of 4-[N,N-di(2-hydroxyethyl)-N-octadecylammonio]-butane-

1-carboxylate; 5-[S-3-hydroxypropyl-5-hexadecylsulfonio]-3-hydroxypentane-1-sulfate; —3-[P,P-diethyl-P-3,6,9-trioxatetradecoxylphosphonio]-2-hydroxy-propane-1-phosphate; 3-[N,N-dipropyl-N-3-dodecoxy-2-hydroxypropylammonio]-propane-1-phosphonate; 3-(N,N-dimethyl-N-hexadecylamino)propane-1-sulfonate; 3-(N,N-dimethyl-N-hexadecylammonio)-2-hydroxypropane-1-sulfonate; 4-[N,N-di(2-hydroxyethyl)-N-(2-hydroxydodecyl)ammonio]-butane-1-carboxylate; 3-[S-ethyl-S-(3-dodecoxy-2-hydroxypropyl)sulfonio]-propane-1-phosphate; 3-[P,P-dimethyl-P-dodecylphosphonio]-propane-1-phosphonate; and 5-[N,N-di(3-hydroxypropyl)-N-hexadecylammonio]-2-hydroxy-pentane-1-sulfate, or combinations thereof.

According to certain embodiments, said anionic surfactants are chosen from the group of alkyl sulphates, alkyl ether sulphates, alkyl ether sulphonates, sulphate esters of an alkylphenoxy polyoxyethylene ethanol, ammonium sulphates alcohol sulfonates, alpha-olefin sulfonates, beta alkoxy alkane sulfonates, alkylauryl sulfonates, alkyl monoglyceride sulfates, alkyl monoglyceride sulfonates, alkyl carbonates, carboxylates of alkyl ether, fatty acids, fatty alcohol sulfates, sulfosuccinates, sarcosinates, octoxynol or nonoxynol phosphates, taurates, fatty taurides, polyoxyethylene fatty acid amides, isethionates, anionic derivatives of alkyl polyglucosides, or combinations thereof.

According to certain embodiments, said anionic surfactants are chosen from the group of C8-C18 alkyl sulfates, C8-C18 fatty acid salts, C8-C18 alkyl ether sulfates comprising one or two moles ethoxylation, C8-C18 alkamine oxides, C8-C18 alkyl sarcosinates, C8-C18 sulfoacetates, C8-C18 sulfosuccinates, C8-C18 alkyl diphenyl oxide disulfonates C18, C8-C18 alkyl carbonates, C8-C18 alpha-olefin sulfonates, methyl ester sulfonates, or combinations thereof.

Preferably, said anionic surfactants are chosen from the group of — lauryl sulphates, octyl sulphates, 2-ethylhexyl sulphates, lauramine oxide, decyl sulphates, tridecyl sulphates, alkyl sulphate of ammonium triethanol, cocoates, lauroyl sarcosinates, lauryl sulfosuccinates, linear C10 diphenyl oxide disulfonates, lauryl sulfosuccinates, lauryl ether sulfates, myristyl sulfates, oleates, stearates, tallates, ricinoleates, cetyl sulfates, or combinations thereof.

In some embodiments, said anionic surfactants are selected from the group of alkyl sulfonates, alkylaryl sulfonates, alkylated diphenyl oxide disulfonates, alkylated naphthalene sulfonates, isethionates, alkylaryl sulfonic acids, secondary alkane sulfonates, alkoxylate carboxylates, sarcosinates, taurates, acyl amino acids, alkanoic esters, phosphate esters, sulfuric acid esters, or combinations thereof. In some embodiments, said anionic surfactants are selected from the group of sodium lauryl glucoside carboxylate, disodium glucoside-coco citrate, sodium glucoside-coco tartrate, disodium glucoside-coco sulfosuccinate; sodium cocoglucoside hydroxypropylsulfonate, sodium decylglucoside hydroxypropylsulfonate, sodium laurylglucoside hydroxypropylsulfonate; a cross-linked polymer of sodium cocoglucoside-hydroxypropylsulfonate, a cross-linked polymer of sodium decylglucoside-hydroxypropylsulfonate, a cross-linked polymer of sodium laurylglucoside-hydroxypropylsulfonate. Said organic solvent, in certain embodiments of the present invention, is chosen from the group of diols, glycols, glycol ethers, or combinations thereof. Preferably, said organic solvent is chosen from the group of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butyl-di-glycol, n-propyl ether of dipropylene glycol, n-butyl ether of dipropylene glycol, propylene glycol n-butyl ether, propylene glycol, n-propyl ether, tripropylene glycol n-butyl ether, propylene glycol phenyl ether, dipropylene phenyl ether glycol, dipropylene glycol dimethyl ether, propylene glycol methyl ether, propylene glycol methyl ether acetate, dipropylene glycol methyl ether, dipropylene glycol methyl ether acetate , tripropylene glycol methyl ether, ethylene glycol hexyl ether, diethylene glycol hexyl ether, ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, ethylene glycol monoethyl ether, ethylene glycol monopropyl ether,

Ethylene Glycol Monoisopropyl Ether, Ethylene Glycol, Monobutyl Ether, Ethylene Glycol Monobenzyl Ether, Diethylene Glycol Phenyl Ether, Ethylene Glycol Phenyl Ether, Poly (oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), alpha-phenyl-omega-hydroxy, diethylene glycol monomethyl ether, diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, diethylene glycol n-butyl ether, ethylene glycol n-butyl ether, dipropylene glycol methyl ether, or combinations thereof. According to certain embodiments, said thermal stabilizer is chosen from the group of ammonium phosphate, an ester phosphate, sodium citrate, sucrose, maltose, dextrose, sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate , potassium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate, sodium sulfate, sodium orthophosphate, or combinations thereof.

A second aspect of the present invention relates to the use of the fire extinguishing formulation according to any of the disclosed embodiments to extinguish Class A or Class B fires.

Regarding the terminology "fire class", according to VEN 2, there are six fire classes. “Fire Class A” relates to fires in combustible solids, primarily solids of an organic nature such as coal, wood, paper and cloth. "Class B fires" refer to fires in flammable liquids, such as gasoline, petroleum, tars, oils, oil-based paints and solvents. "Class C fires" indicate fires in flammable gases, such as hydrogen, propane, butane, or methane. "Class D fires" specifically target combustible metals, especially alkali metals such as lithium, sodium, and potassium, alkaline earth metals such as magnesium, and group 4 elements such as titanium and zirconium. — “Class F fires” relate to fires in cooking oils and fats, e.g. kitchen fires.

Preferably, the extinguishing of class A or class B fires is carried out by means of a fire extinguisher comprising said fire extinguishing formulation according to the first aspect of the invention. The use of the fire extinguishing formulation thus results in the formation of a large volume fire extinguishing foam having a high activity, and thus enables the effective extinguishing of both Class A and Class A fires. B.

As described herein, a "fire extinguisher" is an active fire protection device used to extinguish or control small to medium sized fires, often in emergency situations. Typically, a fire extinguisher consists of a portable pressurized cylindrical container containing a fire extinguishing composition that can be discharged in order to extinguish a fire.

More preferably, said fire extinguisher comprises a fire hose, said hose comprising a mixing chamber, a ventilation chamber and a foaming chamber, in which: - said ventilation chamber is coupled to said mixing chamber, and comprises a first hollow cylindrical body comprising at least three air inlet holes, said air inlet holes are arranged on the circumference of the first hollow cylindrical body, and are directed into it; - said foaming chamber comprises a second hollow cylindrical body having an axial length (L) and an internal diameter (d), which foaming chamber is coupled to said ventilation chamber; and - said ventilation chamber and/or said foaming chamber comprise a mesh, in which said mesh is oriented in the radial plane of the internal cross section of the ventilation chamber and/or of the foaming chamber; and wherein the ratio of the axial length to the inside diameter (L:d) of the foam chamber is between 4:5 and 9:5 for extinguishing Class A fires, or between 6:1 and 10:1 for extinguishing Class B fires. The lance as described herein comprises a mixing chamber, a venting chamber and a foaming chamber, wherein the terms "mixing", "venting" and "foaming" specifically indicate the function performed by said chambers. Therefore, they respectively have the function of (pre)mixing a fire extinguishing composition in the lance, allowing ventilation and/or aeration of the fire extinguishing composition, and optimizing the foaming process, namely the production of a fire extinguishing foam from the liquid fire extinguishing composition as supplied to the mixing chamber.

The term "mesh" as described herein refers to a barrier made of connected strands of metal, fiber, or other flexible or ductile material. A mesh can also be called a "screen". Meshes are generally characterized by their "mesh opening", specifically their "U.S. mesh opening", which is defined as the number of openings in one square inch of a mesh. For example, a 36 mesh aperture screen will have 36 apertures per square inch. By the nature of this expression, the average diameter of the openings is however dependent on the thickness of the connected strands. In light of the present invention, mesh size is preferably expressed as a value in microns indicating the average diameter of the mesh openings. For example, a mesh aperture of 1000 µm indicates a mesh in which the average diameter of the apertures is 1000 µm. The term “axial length” represents the length of a cylindrical body along its axis of rotation. Accordingly, the "internal diameter" is measured in the plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation and extends along the inside of the hollow cylindrical body. The use of the fire extinguishing formulation with the fire extinguisher comprising the lance as described herein further improves the foaming characteristics, in particular the foam expansion of the resulting fire extinguishing foam. . The specified use has the benefit of improving the foaming characteristics of a fire extinguishing formulation for Class A fire or Class B fire situations. whereby the L:d ratio is between 4:5 and 9:5, it is observed that the discharged fire extinguishing foam is of a less compact nature and is finer than fire extinguishing foams of which are discharged through lances as generally known in the art. This is particularly advantageous for Class A fires, where fire extinguishing foam must be applied to the surface of a burning material, which must be covered as quickly and completely as possible. — Generally, when denser foams exhibit a slower diffusion of fire extinguishing foam onto a burning object, the fire hose according to the present invention allows a faster diffusion of a fire extinguishing foam fire, thus resulting in the highly efficient and highly rapid extinguishing of class A fires. With respect to the fire hose with which the L:d ratio is between 6:1 and 10:1, it is observed that the discharged fire extinguishing foam is more compact and thicker than fire extinguishing foams which are discharged through lances as generally known in the art. This is particularly advantageous for Class B fires, since the fire extinguishing foam is intended to form a substantial layer above the burning liquid surface. The resulting compact and thick foam layer is able to better contain the flames in a certain area, and thus prevents the further spread of the fire. At the same time, contact between the burning liquid and ambient air is effectively reduced and/or eliminated, resulting in faster extinguishment of the liquid fire. As a result, it is argued that the fire hose as described herein achieves more efficient and faster extinguishment of Class A or Class B fires.

According to a further embodiment or another embodiment, said ratio of the axial length to the internal diameter (L:d) of the foaming chamber is between 4:5 and 8:5 for extinguishing class A fires , or between 7:1 and 9:1 to extinguish Class B fires.

In certain embodiments, said ratio of the axial length to the internal diameter (L:d) of the foaming chamber is between 4:5 and 9:5, preferably between 4:5 and 8:5 to extinguish the class A fires.

In certain embodiments, said ratio of the axial length to the internal diameter (L:d) of the foaming chamber is between 6:1 and 10:1, preferably between 7:1 and 9:1 to extinguish the Class B fires.

According to a further embodiment or another embodiment, said mesh has a mesh size between 700 and 1200 µm. It is argued that the mesh opening has an impact on various foaming characteristics, such as discharge time, discharge rate, foam expansion, foam bubble size, discharge angle of the foam etc The inventors have discovered that the mesh opening range as described herein strikes a delicate balance between all of the foaming characteristics mentioned above. In particular, the smaller mesh sizes result in a foam having a smaller bubble size, which is beneficial for controlling eg hydrocarbon fires. However, by using a smaller mesh opening, the amount of foam expansion is reduced, which is suboptimal when it comes to extinguishing Class B fires. On the other hand, using a larger opening of mesh increases the amount of foam expansion and improves the foam discharge angle, while the resulting bubble size is suboptimal with respect to extinguishing Class A fires. A mesh opening between 700 and 1200 um has all the advantages mentioned above, and allows the lance as described here to further optimize the characteristics of the foam for class A or class B fires. Preferably, said mesh has an opening of mesh between 800 and 1100 um. More preferably, said mesh has a mesh size between 900 and 1100 μm, even more preferably between 950 and 1050 μm, between 960 and 1040 μm, between 970 and 1030 μm, between 980 and 1020 μm, or between 990 μm. and 1010 µm.

EXAMPLES The invention is further described by the following examples which illustrate the invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, nor should they be construed as such.

…—Example 1 - Fire Extinguishing Formulation Examples of fire extinguishing formulations according to the present invention are shown in Tables 1-3 below. The invention has the particular advantage that the fire extinguishing formulations exhibit optimum fire extinguishing properties, and produce a fire extinguishing foam having a high foam volume, good diffusion and optimum stability, producing optimum results in extinguishing both Class A and B fires.

Table 1. Formulation A according to the invention components Concentration (% by weight)

Infugel in BO

Flame retardant 2 1.5

Anionic surfactant 1 0.5

Anionic surfactant 2 0.7

Amphoteric surfactant 1 0.5

Amphoteric surfactant 2 0.5

Amphoteric surfactant 3 0.5

Foam stabilizer 1 1.2

Foam stabilizer 2 0.4

Heat Stabilizer 3.0

Organic solvent 5.0

Water 78.2

Table 2. Formulation B according to the invention components concentration

(% in weight)

Infugel AS

Flame retardant 2 1.0

Anionic surfactant 1 0.3

Anionic surfactant 2 0.4

Anionic surfactant 3 0.4

Amphoteric surfactant 1 0.2

Amphoteric surfactant 2 0.3

Amphoteric surfactant 3 1.2

Foam Stabilizer 1.2

Heat stabilizer 5.0

Organic solvent 1 4.0

Organic solvent 2 1.0

Water 83.4

Table 3. Formulation C according to the invention components Concentration (% by weight) Infugel to BD Flame retardant 2 4.0 Anionic surfactant 1 0.3 Anionic surfactant 2 0.3 Anionic surfactant 3 0.5 Amphoteric surfactant 1 0.5 Amphoteric surfactant 2 0.5 Amphoteric surfactant 3 0.5 Foam stabilizer 1.2 Heat stabilizer 1.5 Organic solvent 1 3.0 Organic solvent 2 2.0 Water 82.7 Example 2 — foaming characteristics The foaming characteristics of formulations A , B and C (cf.

Example 1) are compared to a generic fire extinguishing foam X.

The nominal discharge time (T), foam height (h), foam volume (V) and nominal foam expansion (FE) are given in the table below.

All formulations were discharged with a fire extinguisher at a pressure of 15 bar, and a volume of 6 | of solution was discharged to generate the foams as shown below.

Table 4. Comparison of foaming characteristics of formulations X, A, B etc. formulation T(s) h(em) VO ET x 3% 3 7.6 125 A 37 36 85.6 13.9 B 35 37 83.3 13.6 C 42 36 81.5 13.8

It is concluded from the above values that the fire extinguishing formulations according to the invention exhibit a significantly longer nominal discharge time, and that the resulting fire extinguishing foam is significantly higher, has a higher foam volume, and has a higher nominal foam expansion.

The resulting fire extinguishing foam is particularly advantageous for extinguishing Class A and B fires.

Example 3 — using a fire extinguishing formulation with a dedicated nozzle

The use of fire extinguishing formulations A, B and C (cf.

Example 1) was compared as follows: (i) using a fire extinguisher with a nozzle as described in some of the embodiments of the invention (as shown in Figures 1-8) , (ii) using a generic fire hose.

The nominal discharge time (T), foam height (h), foam volume (V) and nominal foam expansion (FE) are given in the table below.

All formulations were discharged with a fire extinguisher at a — pressure of 15 bar, and a volume of 6 | of solution was discharged to generate the foams as shown below.

Table 5. Comparison of the foaming characteristics of formulations A, B and C using (i) the lance according to the invention (IN), or (ii) a generic lance (GN). formulation T(s) h(em) VO ET A/GN 0 6% 3% 856 1380 A/ IN 57 56 135.2 22.6 B/ GN 35 37 83.3 13.6 B/IN 55 56 133, 6 22.5 C/GN 42 36 81.5 13.8 C/IN 58 57 137.2 22.6 @WVWVÎVÎ It is concluded from the above values that the foaming characteristics of the extinguishing formulations d fire according to the invention are further improved by using them by means of a fire extinguisher provided with a dedicated lance according to the invention.

The nominal discharge time, the height of the foam, the volume of the foam and the nominal expansion of the foam give better results when using the lance according to the invention compared to a generic lance as known in the art. art. The resulting fire extinguishing foam is particularly advantageous for extinguishing Class A and B fires.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The following description of the figures of specific embodiments of the invention is illustrative only and is not intended to limit the present teachings, their application or their uses. Throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features. In particular the figures show a fire hose which is intended for use of the fire extinguishing formulation according to the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a fire hose 1 for using the formulation according to the present invention to put out class A and B fires, which hose 1 is particularly useful for putting out class A fires and must be understood as having an input a and an output b. Here, inlet a is to be coupled to a fire extinguisher and outlet b is for the passage through which the fire extinguishing composition is discharged. The lance 1 comprises a mixing chamber 2, a ventilation chamber 3 and a foaming chamber 4. Despite the fact that the mixing chamber 2, the ventilation chamber 3 and the foaming chamber 4 are formed as a single indivisible body , the ratio of the axial length to the internal diameter (L:d) of the foaming chamber 4 is unambiguously determined between 4:5 and 9:5. The ventilation chamber 3 comprises four air inlet holes 6, allowing contact between the ambient air and the fire extinguishing composition passing through the lance 1. To facilitate the coupling and/or decoupling of the lance 1 to a fire extinguisher or a fire extinguisher hose, an external thread 12 is provided at the inlet a. Using the lance 1 as described herein, the fire extinguishing foam discharged is of a less compact nature and is finer than fire extinguishing foams which are discharged through lances as generally known in art. This is particularly advantageous for Class A fires, where fire extinguishing foam must be applied to the surface of a burning material, which must be covered as quickly and completely as possible. It is further argued that the lance as described herein further increases the foam expansion of the fire extinguishing composition according to the invention.

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of one embodiment of a fire hose 1 for using the formulation according to the present invention to extinguish class A and B fires, which hose 1 is particularly useful for extinguishing class B fires and must be understood as having an input a and an output b. Here, inlet a is to be coupled to a fire extinguisher and outlet b is for the passage through which the fire extinguishing composition is discharged. The lance 1 comprises a mixing chamber 2, a ventilation chamber 3 and a foaming chamber 4. Despite the fact that the mixing chamber 2, the ventilation chamber 3 and the foaming chamber 4 are formed as a single indivisible body , the ratio of the axial length to the internal diameter (L:d) of the foaming chamber 4 is unambiguously determined between 6:1 and 10:1. The ventilation chamber 3 comprises four air inlet holes 6, allowing contact between the ambient air and the fire extinguishing composition passing through the lance 1. To facilitate the coupling and/or decoupling of the lance 1 to a fire extinguisher or a fire extinguisher hose, an external thread 12 is provided at the inlet a. Using lance 1 as described herein, the fire extinguishing foam discharged is more compact and thicker than fire extinguishing foams which are discharged through lances as generally known in the art. This is particularly advantageous for Class B fires, since the fire extinguishing foam is intended to form a substantial layer above the burning liquid surface.

The resulting compact and thick layer of foam is able to better contain the flames in a certain area, and thus prevents the further spread of the fire. At the same time, contact between the burning liquid and ambient air is effectively reduced and/or eliminated, resulting in faster extinguishment of liquid fires. It is further argued that the lance as described herein further increases the foam expansion of the fire extinguishing composition according to the invention.

Fig. 3a shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a fire hose 1 for using the formulation according to the present invention to extinguish class A and B fires, which hose 1 comprises three separate and/or detachable parts, namely a mixing chamber 2, a ventilation chamber 3 and a foaming chamber 4. The lance 1 is particularly useful for extinguishing class A fires and should be understood as having an inlet a and an outlet b.

Fig. 3b shows a perspective view of the same embodiment of the fire hose 1 in a disassembled state. The mixing chamber 2, the ventilation chamber 3 and the foaming chamber 4 are here recognizable as being three separate entities. To facilitate coupling and/or uncoupling of said parts, external threads 12 are provided at the inlet a of the mixing chamber 2, at the outlet of the mixing chamber 2, and at the outlet of the ventilation chamber 3. Compatible internal threads 11 are provided at the entrance to the ventilation chamber 2 and at the entrance to the foaming chamber 4. The ratio of the axial length to the internal diameter (L:d) of the foaming chamber 4 is further unambiguously determined between 4:5 and 9:5. The ventilation chamber 3 comprises four air inlet holes 6, allowing contact between the ambient air and the fire extinguishing composition passing through the lance 1. The ventilation chamber 3 further comprises a mesh 7, which impacts various foaming characteristics, such as discharge time, discharge rate, foam expansion, foam bubble size, foam discharge angle etc. By using the lance 1 as described herein, the foaming characteristics of a fire extinguishing composition are - modified in such a way that the fire extinguishing composition can be used optimally to put out fires of Class A quickly and efficiently.

Fig. 4a shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a fire hose 1 assembled to use the formulation according to the present invention to extinguish class A and B fires, which hose 1 comprises three separate and/or detachable parts, namely a mixing chamber 2, a ventilation chamber 3 and a foaming chamber 4. The lance 1 is particularly useful for extinguishing class B fires and should be understood as having an inlet a and an outlet b. Fig. 4b shows a perspective view of the same embodiment of the fire hose 1 in a disassembled state. The mixing chamber 2, the ventilation chamber 3 and the foaming chamber 4 are here recognizable as being three separate entities. To facilitate coupling and/or uncoupling of said parts, external threads 12 are provided at the inlet a of the mixing chamber 2, at the outlet of the mixing chamber 2, and at the outlet of the ventilation chamber 3. Compatible internal threads 11 are provided at the entrance to the ventilation chamber 2 and at the entrance to the foaming chamber 4. The ratio of the axial length to the internal diameter (L:d) of the foaming chamber 4 is further unambiguously determined between 6:1 and 10:5. The ventilation chamber 3 comprises four air inlet holes 6, allowing contact between the ambient air and the fire extinguishing composition passing through the lance 1. The ventilation chamber 3 further comprises a mesh 7, which impacts various foaming characteristics, such as discharge time, discharge rate, foam expansion, foam bubble size, foam discharge angle etc. By using the lance 1 as described herein, the foaming characteristics of a fire extinguishing composition are changed in such a way that the fire extinguishing composition can be used optimally to extinguish class fires. B quickly and efficiently.

Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a ventilation chamber 3 for using the formulation according to the present invention to extinguish class A and B fires, comprising air inlet holes 6 and a mesh 7. To facilitate the coupling and/or decoupling of the ventilation chamber 3 to the other parts of the lance, an external thread 12 is provided.

Fig. 6 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a ventilation chamber 3 and a foaming chamber 4 for using the formulation according to the present invention to extinguish class A and B fires, which ventilation chambers 3 and foaming 4 form a single indivisible body.

Despite the fact that the ventilation chamber 3 and the foaming chamber 4 are formed as a single indivisible body, the ratio of the axial length to the internal diameter (L:d) of the foaming chamber 4 is unambiguously determined between 4 :5 and 9:5. Fig. 6 further serves to illustrate the first hollow cylindrical body 5 of the ventilation chamber 3, which is internally provided with an internal thread 11, to provide easy coupling and/or decoupling to a mixing chamber, and includes four air inlet holes 6.

Fig. 7 shows a perspective view and an entry cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a mixing chamber 2 for using the formulation according to the present invention to extinguish class A and B fires. The mixing chamber 2 includes two constricted inlet holes 8, which provide increased velocity and turbulence to the liquid flow of a fire extinguishing composition prior to entry into a ventilation chamber. Easy coupling of said mixing chamber 2 to an upstream fire extinguisher and a downstream ventilation chamber is provided by the external threads

12. The mixing chamber further includes an elongated outlet 9 which is configured such that it effectively guides a fire extinguishing composition within and/or at least halfway through a chamber. ventilation coupled to it. Fig. 8 shows a sectional representation along a central axial axis of an embodiment of a ventilation chamber 3 for using the formulation according to the present invention to extinguish class A and B fires. The ventilation chamber 3 comprises holes 6 air inlet and features 7 mesh and 12 external thread, for easy coupling to a frothing chamber. The first hollow cylindrical body 5, in particular the inner cross section of the ventilation chamber 3, comprises a cross section constriction 10, which is formed as a venturi type constriction. This induces the venturi effect inside the first hollow cylindrical body 5, thus sucking air through the air inlet holes 6 of the ventilation chamber 3. List of numbered elements: 1 fire hose 2 mixing chamber 3 ventilation chamber 4 foaming chamber 5 first hollow cylindrical body 6 air inlet hole 7 mesh 8 constricted inlet hole 9 elongated outlet 10 constriction in cross section 11 internal thread 12 external thread a inlet b outlet L axial length d internal diameter

Claims (17)

1. Fire extinguishing formulation comprising: - a flame retardant chosen from the group of ammonium phosphates, phosphate esters, halogenated phosphates, phosphonates, red phosphorus, calcium silicate, sodium silicate , aluminum trihydroxide, magnesium dihydroxide, melamine, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), brominated phenol, or combinations thereof ci, - a mixture of at least two different amphoteric surfactants, - a mixture of at least two different anionic surfactants, - an organic solvent, and - water, characterized in that said mixture of amphoteric surfactants and said mixture anionic surfactants are respectively present in a concentration between 0.10 and 5.00% by weight and between 0.10 and 5.00% by weight based on the total weight of the fire extinguishing formulation. 2. Fire extinguishing formulation according to claim 1, characterized in that said mixture of amphoteric surfactants and said mixture of anionic surfactants are respectively present in a concentration between 0.25 and 1.50% by weight and between 0. 50 and 2.00% by weight based on the total weight of the fire extinguishing formulation. 3. A fire extinguishing formulation according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said mixture of amphoteric surfactants comprises at least three different amphoteric surfactants, and said mixture of anionic surfactants comprises at least three different anionic surfactants. 4. Fire extinguishing formulation according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said organic solvent has a concentration between 2.50 and 10.00% by weight based on the total weight of the fire extinguishing formulation. 5. Fire extinguishing formulation according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said fire extinguishing formulation comprises a foam stabilizer, said foam stabilizer is present in a concentration between 0 .10 and 5.00% by weight based on the total weight of the fire extinguishing formulation. 6. Fire extinguishing formulation according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said fire extinguishing formulation comprises a heat stabilizer, said heat stabilizer is present in a concentration between 0.50 and 10.00% by weight based on the total weight of the fire extinguishing formulation. 7. Fire extinguishing formulation according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the flame retardant is present in a concentration between 1.50 to 10.00% by weight based on the weight total of the fire extinguishing formulation. 8. Fire extinguishing formulation according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said fire extinguishing formulation comprises: - between 1.50 and 10.00% by weight of agent fire retardant ; - between 0.25 and 1.50% by weight of amphoteric surfactants; - between 0.50 and 2.00% by weight of anionic surfactants; - between 0.50 and 2.00% by weight of foam stabilizer; - between 0.50 and 10.00% by weight of heat stabilizer; - between 2.50 and 10.00% by weight of organic solvent; and - between 50.00 and 95.00% by weight of water. 9. Fire extinguishing formulation according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said amphoteric surfactants are chosen from the group of betaines, sultaines, alkylamphoacetates, amphodiacetates, alkylampho-propionates, alkyliminodipropionates, amphodipropionates, aliphatic quaternary ammonium compounds, aliphatic quaternary phosphonium compounds, aliphatic quaternary sulfonium compounds, their derivatives or combinations thereof. 10. Fire extinguishing formulation according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 9, characterized in that said anionic surfactants are chosen from the group of alkyl sulphates, alkyl ether sulphates, sulfonates of alkyl ether, alkylphenoxy polyoxyethylene ethanol sulfate esters, ammonium alcohol sulfates, alpha-olefin sulfonates, beta alkoxy alkane sulfonates, alkylauryl sulfonates, monoglyceride sulfates of alkyl, alkyl monoglyceride sulfonates, alkyl carbonates, alkyl ether carboxylates, fatty acids, fatty alcohol sulfates, sulfosuccinates, sarcosinates, octoxynol or nonoxynol phosphates, taurates, fatty taurides, polyoxyethylene fatty acid amides, isethionates, anionic derivatives of alkyl polyglucosides, or combinations thereof. 11. Fire extinguishing formulation according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 10, characterized in that said organic solvent is chosen from the group of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butyl-di-glycol, dipropylene glycol n-propyl ether, dipropylene glycol n-butyl ether, propylene glycol n-butyl ether, propylene glycol, n-propyl ether, n Tripropylene Glycol Butyl, Propylene Glycol Phenyl Ether, Dipropylene Glycol Phenyl Ether, Dipropylene Glycol Dimethyl Ether, Propylene Glycol Methyl Ether, Dipropylene Glycol Methyl Ether Acetate, propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol methyl ether, dipropylene glycol methyl ether acetate, tripropylene glycol methyl ether, ethylene glycol hexyl ether, diethylene hexyl ether glycol, ethylene glycol monomethyl ether, ethyl monoethyl ether ethylene glycol, ethylene glycol monopropyl ether, ethylene glycol monoisopropyl ether, ethylene glycol, monobutyl ether, ethylene glycol monobenzyl ether, phenyl ether diethylene glycol, ethylene glycol phenyl ether, poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl), alpha-phenyl-omega-hydroxy, diethylene glycol monomethyl ether, diethylene glycol monoethyl ether, diethylene glycol, diethylene glycol n-butyl ether, ethylene glycol n-butyl ether, dipropylene glycol methyl ether, or combinations thereof. 12. Use of the fire extinguishing formulation according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 11 to extinguish Class A or Class B fires. 13. Use according to claim 12, characterized in that the extinguishing of class A or class B fires is carried out by means of a fire extinguisher comprising said fire extinguishing formulation. 14.Use according to claim 13, characterized in that said fire extinguisher comprises a fire hose (1), said hose comprising a mixing chamber (2), a ventilation chamber (3) and a foaming chamber ( 4), wherein - said ventilation chamber is coupled to said mixing chamber, and comprises a first hollow cylindrical body (5) comprising at least three air inlet holes (6), said air inlet holes air are arranged on the circumference of the first hollow cylindrical body, and are directed therein; - said foaming chamber comprises a second hollow cylindrical body having an axial length (L) and an internal diameter (d), which foaming chamber is coupled to said ventilation chamber; and - said ventilation chamber and/or said foaming chamber comprise a mesh (7), in which said mesh is oriented in the radial plane of the internal cross-section of the ventilation chamber and/or of the foaming chamber; characterized in that the ratio of the axial length to the internal diameter (L:d) of the foaming chamber is between 4:5 and 9:5 for extinguishing class A fires, or between 6:1 and 10: 1 for extinguishing Class B fires. 15. Use according to claim 14, characterized in that said mesh (7) has a mesh opening between 700 and 1200 um, preferably between 800 and 1100 um. 16. A fire extinguisher comprising a fire extinguishing formulation according to any one of claims 1 to 11. 17. Fire extinguisher according to claim 16, characterized in that said fire extinguisher comprises a fire hose (1), said hose comprising a mixing chamber (2), a ventilation chamber (3) and a chamber foaming chamber (4), wherein - said ventilation chamber is coupled to said mixing chamber, and comprises a first hollow cylindrical body (5) comprising at least three air inlet holes (6), said air inlets are arranged on the circumference of the first hollow cylindrical body, and are directed therein; - said foaming chamber comprises a second hollow cylindrical body having an axial length (L) and an internal diameter (d), which foaming chamber is coupled to said ventilation chamber; and - said ventilation chamber and/or said foaming chamber comprise a mesh (7), in which said mesh is oriented in the radial plane of the internal cross-section of the ventilation chamber and/or of the foaming chamber; characterized in that the ratio of the axial length to the internal diameter (L:d) of the foaming chamber is between 4:5 and 9:5 for extinguishing class A fires, or between 6:1 and 10: 1 for extinguishing Class B fires.