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The content inside fire extinguisher, besides a pick-up tube and a valve, is made up of several commercially recognized and approved suppressant materials such as:

water, water with additives (such as foams like AFFF, FFFP, etc.) Dry Chemicals such as sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) or potassium bicarbonate and other salts in combination, gasses like CO2 and streaming gasses like Halon, FM 200, FE 36, etc.

For specific fire class usage such as class D (metals) and class K (cooking media, i.e., vegetable oils and fats) extinguishers may contain wet chemical compounds of potassium salt for K ratings and Dry Chemical formulations that contain mica and other salts that may suppress or control flammable metals (class D).

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10y ago
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13y ago

That depends entirely on what type of extinguisher it is.

Air pressurized water extinguishers contain compressed air and water, the former forcing out the latter up through an uptake tube and out the hose. For use at low temperatures, an antifreeze might be added to the water

Foam extinguishers are similar to air pressurized water extinguishers, but the water is mixed with foaming agents and small holes are added near the top of the uptake tube to aerate the extinguishing agent.

Dry chemical extinguishers contain a powdered agent (bicarbonate of soda, ammonium phosphate, potassium bicarbonate, potassium chloride, &c.) and a compressed gas, usually nitrogen. The latter propels the former out the nozzle or hose.

Carbon dioxide extinguishers contain liquefied carbon dioxide under high pressure.

Halon and other clean agent extinguishers contain a variety of chemicals of varying risk to the ozone layer.

Dry powder extinguishers are typically buckets containing the extinguishing agent (sodium chloride mixed with thermoplastic, powdered copper, graphite, sodium carbonate, &c.) which are shoveled onto the burning metal. Sometimes these agents are placed in containers more typical of what we think of as a fire extinguisher.

Kitchen or type-K extinguishers are similar to foam extinguishers, but contain a soap-like emulsifier that brings the burning lipids into solution with the water.

Dry chemical and dry powder extinguishers are also available in cartridge-operated forms where a large amount of powder is contained in the main body of the extinguisher, and gas cartridges are attached to pressurize the unit. This allows the unit to be recharged more quickly an on site, not requiring special equipment. In this case, the pressurized gas is typically carbon dioxide, and is stored in a separate container, punctured at the start of use.

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11y ago

Modern fire extinguishers normally use one of three agents, Carbon Dioxide, Dry Chemical, or Halon. It depends on the intended use and class of fire they are designed to suppress.

Water-type fire extinguishers (using compressed air) are, by far, the most prevalent fire extinguishers in use for "ordinary" combustibles. They are inexpensive to fill, charge and maintain and are non-toxic. However, they cannot be used safely on live electrical fires or on flaming liquid fires.

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14y ago

Depending on the type of anticipated fire, an extinguisher may be filled with (inter alia): water, carbon dioxide, halon gas or foam.

For instance, you do not use water on an electrical fire, as water is a conductor of electricity (albeit a poor one). Halon gas is effective at consuming oxygen, thereby depriving the fire of that gas; but it follows halon can be dangerous in, say, a car or aircraft cockpit, as it can deprive the driver/pilot of air to breathe. The same applies to CO2. Halon is also dangerous to the ozone layer, and is being phased out.

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9y ago

There are many different types of fire extinguishers, and the most are water and foam extinguishers. Some of them are made of carbon dioxide too, so decide which one you want to concentrate on.

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9y ago

Most fire extinguishers contain one of a family of chemicals called hyddrofluorocarbons plus pressurized carbon dioxide as a propelling agent. Hydrofluorocarbons function by making oxygen less available to the fire, and fires cannot burn without oxygen.

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11y ago

there is co2 in the form of foam which forms a layer around the fire and cuts off the supply 0f o2.

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11y ago

Water and pressurized air, sometimes with anti-freeze chemical in the water.

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11y ago

CO2

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Q: What chemicals can be found inside a fire extinguisher?
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Related questions

What is present inside the fire extinguisher which prevents fire from burning?

Sodium chloride


Where can carbon dioxide be found?

fire extinguisher


Where can carbon dioxide found?

fire extinguisher


Why can't you put out a fire with a foam extinguisher?

Well, you CAN- depending on the type of fire.


What chemicals are used in making soda acid fire extinguisher?

hydrochloric acid and hydrogen


How do fire extinguisher valve works?

valve releases stufff inside. puts out fire.


Why should not use a chemical fire extinguisher on a metals fire?

Flammable metals often require special chemicals to extinguish, assuming there are any. So, in fact, you WOULD use a "chemical extinguisher", but probably not an ordinary dry chemical extinguisher.


Would shooting a fire extinguisher put out a fire?

No. Depending upon the type of fire, there are other ways. For instance, a brush fire can be put out with dirt or water, but is generally put out by removing the fuel. An electrical fire might be put out by simply turning off the electricity. A fire extinguisher contains water or other chemicals and you can certainly apply water or chemicals to a fire without having them come out of an extinguisher.


How fire extinguisher is able to control fire?

A fire extinguisher is meant to extinguish a fire, or at least a portion of the fire within the fire extinguisher's capacity.


What happens to the particles in carbon dioxide gas when compressed in a fire extinguisher?

The gas becomes a liquid inside the extinguisher. When the extinguisher is operated, the liquid changes back to a gas when released.


Diagram of fire extinguisher?

how does a fire extinguisher work


What fire extinguisher for electric fire?

A Class C fire extinguisher.