Inerting vs.

Extinguishing
1. What is Inerting
Wikipedia : An inerting system increases the safety of a fuel tank, ball mill, or other sealed or closed-in tank that contains highly flammable material. Inert in scientific terminology means not readily reactive with other elements; forming no chemical compounds or something that is not chemically reactive. An inert fuel tank is non-combustible. The inerted space may be on land, or aboard ship,[1] or airborne. A fire requires three elements: heat (ignition source), fuel and oxygen (or air) to initiate and sustain. A fire can be prevented by removing any one of the three elements. If presence of an ignition source can not be prevented in a fuel tank then a fuel tank can be made inert by (1) reducing the oxygen content of the ullage (space above the fuel that contains air and fuel vapors) below the threshold required for combustion, or (2) by reducing the air-fuel ratio of the ullage below the minimum threshold (Lower Flammability Limit) required for combustion, or (3) increasing the fuel air ratio above the maximum threshold (Upper Flammability Limit) that can support combustion. At present, fuel tanks are rendered inert by adulterating the ullage with an inert gas such as nitrogen, nitrogen enriched air, steam or carbon dioxide. This reduces the oxygen content of the ullage below combustion threshold. Without sufficient oxygen in the tank, the fuel vapors in the ullage cannot ignite, and an explosion does not occur. Alternate methods based on reducing the ullage fuel air ratio below Lower flammable limit (LFL) or increasing the fuel air ratio above the Upper flammable limit (UFL) have also been proposed. HSE (Health and Safety Executive, UK) : Inerting, the addition of an inert gas, is a technique that can be used to prevent an explosive atmosphere developing in the event of a leak. It is based on the fact that if the oxygen concentration is reduced below a certain level, called the limiting oxygen concentration (LOC) or minimum oxygen concentration (MOC), by the addition of the inert gas an explosion cannot occur. Typically LOC values for hydrocarbons range from about 10 to 15% v/v. The LOC does depend on the inert gas used, the higher the specific heat the more efficient the inert gas (ie a higher LOC). For example the LOC for methane with carbon dioxide as the inert is 14.5% v/v, while with nitrogen it is 12% v/v. NFPA 69, Standard on Explosion Prevention Systems : 3.3.23 Inerting. A technique by which a combustible mixture is rendered nonignitible by adding an inert gas or a noncombustible dust.

2. Inerting with Carbon Dioxide

The design concentrations listed in below table shall be achieved for the specific hazards. NFPA 12. Table 5.4.2.1 Flooding Factors for Specific Hazards

3. Extinguishing Method
The most common extinguishing method is to remove the heat. This is usually done with water. Breaking down the chemical reaction is probably the second most common extinguishing method. Dry chemical, halon, and some halon replacement extinguishing agents function this way. They inhibit the ability of the materials involved to sustain a chemical chain reaction. If this reaction cannot be maintained, the fire will go out. Removing the oxygen is also a relatively common method of extinguishment. Carbon dioxide agents work this way, as do simple techniques like putting a lid on a pan.

4. Extinguishing with Carbon Dioxide

The extinguishing mechanism of carbon dioxide is primarily dilution of the oxygen content of the atmosphere surrounding a hazard to a point where that atmosphere will no longer support combustion. Under certain applications, the available cooling effect is also helpful especially where carbon dioxide is applied directly on the burning material. NFPA 12. Table 5.3.2.2 Minimum Carbon Dioxide Concentrations for Extinguishment