Based on the production of ethanol and ethanol blended fuels, there is a paradigm shift taking place in municipal fire departments which greatly increases the need for F-500 Encapsulator Agent. Almost every gas station in the United States is selling E-10, which is gasoline with 10% ethanol. There are over 8 million vehicles on the road today capable of using E-85, in which gasoline is mixed with 85% ethanol.
Over 1,700 cities in the United States are selling E-85. AFFF foam is not adequate for these ethanol applications. Therefore, the entire foam industry, including ourselves as producers of Pinnacle Foam, are guiding municipal fi re departments from a non-effective $19.95/gallon AFFF to a $29.95/gallon AR-AFFF. F-500 Encapsulator Agent which can both encapsulate and extinguish ethanol and ethanol blended fuels is more cost effective than AR-AFFF.
The table shows the results of testing comparing the vapor mitigation capabilities of plain water, AFFF foam, ARAFFF foam and F-500 EncapsulatorAgent on diesel fuel, gasoline, E-85 and ethanol. The testing was conducted per NFPA 18A: Standard on Water Additives for Fire Control and Vapor Mitigation, Section 7.6. The testing shows whether or not each fire suppression agent can continue to prevent ignition of the fuel after two hours. The F-500 encapsulates all of the fuels, rendering them permanently nonflammable. Water, AFFF foam and AR-AFFF foam all failed to mitigate diesel, gasoline and E-85. All of the agents were able to mitigate ethanol because plain ethanol is a polar solvent, soluble in water and can be diluted to a point where it is not flammable.
Vehicles operating within a municipal fire department’s jurisdiction can be using diesel fuel or any of several gasoline/ethanol blends. Based on performance and tight budgets, F-500 Encapsulator Agent is positioned as the municipal fire department product of choice.