Dryfoam specifications
Dryfoam is a passive floating bead system. A six-inch layer of inert, buoyant beads covers the surface of a flammable liquid and blocks the vapors that burn, so the liquid can't ignite. It needs no water, piping, pumps, power or detection, and if exposed to flame, the surface beads form a sacrificial crust that protects the beads and liquid beneath.
Physical properties
| Bead diameter | 0.4 in (10 mm) |
|---|---|
| Specific gravity | 0.17 g/cc |
| Coatings | Oil-phobic, water-phobic and intumescent |
| Intumescent activation | 575°F (300°C) |
| Working temperature | −260°F to +140°F (−160°C to +60°C) |
| Typical layer | 6 in (150 mm) |
| Shelf life | 10+ years |
Testing and certification
UL Listed
Dryfoam is UL Listed as buoyant media for protection against full-surface fires in fixed flammable and combustible liquid tanks and repositories (UL category CPHW, file EX27169), investigated to UL 63345. The listing covers the media on the liquid surface of an enclosed fixed-roof tank or repository, or on the internal floating roof of one as supplemental protection. Check with the Authority Having Jurisdiction before installing. Verify the listing in UL Product iQ.
Vapor suppression (Southwest Research Institute)
In independent tests at Southwest Research Institute, a six-inch layer cut the evaporation rate of acetone by up to 98.7% in moving air, and by about 91–93% for heptane and acetone across tank sizes. With more than an inch of beads, the evaporation rate under the layer was unaffected by moving air: the beads hold a zone of saturated vapor above the liquid that wind can't strip away.
In the field
Case study: live oil-filled substation transformers near Heathrow protected in under an hour each, with zero downtime.
Patents
Protected by US Patent 8,297,460 (vapor barrier for flammable liquid storage tanks).
Liquids
Dryfoam works on common flammable liquids, including crude oil, jet fuel, gasoline, mineral oil, ethanol, methanol, LPG and LNG.
Applications
Pre-placed protection
- Oil-filled electrical transformer catch basins (transformer fire protection)
- Floating roof rim seals and sunken floating roof tanks (tank farms and terminals)
- Sumps
- LNG/LPG trenches and boil-off pits (LNG and LPG fire protection)
- Temporary containment
Incident response
- Flammable liquids that need rapid vapor suppression, or lasting protection
- Fires where water is scarce or unavailable
- Alongside traditional water-based foams: Dryfoam acts as an inert raft that lets small amounts of foam do more, even on polar solvents like ethanol
Industries served
- AI data and compute centers (data center fire protection)
- Electrical utilities and substations
- Oil and gas operations
Formats
Bulk, for interior containment: poured from a supersack. Each holds 1 m³ (35 ft³), measures 107 × 122 × 135 cm (42 × 48 × 53 in) and weighs 156 kg (343 lb) on its pallet.
Outdoor bags, for exterior containment: UV-resistant polyester mesh bags of beads, installed by hand.
Dryfoam coverage calculator: estimate how much your containment needs.
Shipping, handling and storage
- Store dry, between −40°C and +40°C
- HTS code 8419.89.9585
Downloads and contact
Dryfoam cut sheet (PDF) and outdoor bags cut sheet (PDF). For a technical conversation, email contact@dry-foam.com.