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Definition "fluorine-free" - Technical Information

The topic of "fluorine-free", the presence or absence of organic fluorine compounds in foam extinguishing agents is currently widely discussed.

Among other things, it is topic of various discussions, regulations and causes considerable uncertainties on the part of the user.

In order to rise awareness and to clarify the term "fluorine-free", we have developed a technical information sheet.

Download Link:

https://www.sthamer.com/en/pdf/Prospekte/TI021_v01-fluorine_freeno_Fluor-EN.pdf

 

We are looking foward to oyur feedback!

Comprehensive test programme of vaPUREx® product line.

The changeover from alcohol resistant AFFF to sustainable fire extinguishing foams due to changes in environmental legal regulations which concerns not only industrial fire services. Municipal fire brigades also have to deal with alcohol resistant foam agents as part of their hazard prevention plan for fighting solvent and alcohol fires. Next to the tried and tested MOUSSOL®-FF, a while ago Dr. Sthamer introduced a range of high-performance fire extinguishing foam agents which are produced without PFAS.

Compared to low-viscosity alcohol resistant AFFF, polymer based foam agents have a higher viscosity. Therefore, questions must be asked on the suitability of venturi inductors like the Z4 or Z8 types. During the 2nd quarter 2021, product and marketing management of Dr. Sthamer have run an extensive test program with the AWG Z4-FD and TFT 400 inductors. During the tests our product vaPUREx® AR 3/3 and vaPUREx® 3% were also cooled to their freezing point, during these tests we were able to re-produce positive proportioning results.


Conclusion of the tests:
The concentrates can be inducted. The diameters of the suction pipes / hoses may have to be increased/adjusted. We are happy to assist with detailed consultations on the selection of foam agents and suitable proportioning technology.

135 years of Dr. Sthamer Hamburg

13th January 1886 to 13th January 2021

 

Congratulations to everyone on the company's 135th anniversary!

We haven't taken the past 135 years for granted.

Thanks to everyone who put their trust in us, thanks for your loyalty and your commitment!

Unfortunately, COVID-19 invited itself and crashed our party.

Please stay healty!

We are looking foward to the next 135 years with you!

Fluorine-free into the future

Responsible use of the environment and its scarce resources places high demands on modern fire protection.


The development of environmentally compatible and efficient extinguishing agents based on renewable raw materials has been our focus since the early 80s.

This page gives you an overview of our fluorine-free products.

In particular, our brand new STHAMEX®-Performance 1% F-10 and vaPUREx® AR 3/3 F-15

Fire risk during handling and storage of disinfectants

Due to the Corona Pandemic, disinfectants are additionally and in large quantities in many hospitals and nursing homes. Storage is often organized in IBCs or plastic canisters. Disinfectant usually consists of alcohols with a volume content of 60-90%. Such mixtures are combustible and can not be extinguished with normal multi purpose foam or Class A foam.
Therefore, when reporting fire, it is recommended to include a sufficient amount of alcohol-resistant foam in the first alarm.

Depending on the composition of the disinfectant, MOUSSOL®-FF 3/6 can also be used as low expansion foam on ethanol fires with only 3% and on isopropanol fires with 6%. It is fluorine-free and completely biodegradable. Thus, it is an environmentally friendly addition to the foam concept for these special applications and tasks.

Be in on firefighting foam

Increase your firefighting foam knowledge using our training-poster, our guideline foam concepts for municipal fire departments or our DR. STHAMER product catalogue, where you can find, besides of our products, a broad range of useful knowledge!

Continuation of our day-to-day activity

Despite the restrictions on public life caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic we are here for you!
Our business is running smoothly. In order to keep it that way whilst reducing the risk of infection we have taken the following preventive measures:

• Home office for all staff who do not necessarily have to work on site.


• Limitation of presence of staff per department in order to provide back-up teams and reduce the risk of infection.


• Physical separation of working areas and departments with contact by phone / e-mail only. Where – in isolated cases – this is not possible a safety distance is observed.


• Lorry drivers have no access to offices or any indoor facilities. Processing of paperwork is separated from our main offices and at no time are lorry drivers given access to our handling office.


• Our staff are trained and advised to abide by all necessary hygiene rules.


• Larger meetings and gatherings have been put on hold for the time being.


• Cleaning operations have been intensified in all areas.


• Additional hand sanitiser dispensers have been installed in key areas.

 

At present, we do not experience shortages of raw material supplies. Moreover, we hold large material stocks in order to be able to supply at short notice. Response times to enquiries and order lead times however, may be extended due to the organisational measures explained above. We are cautiously quoting lead times of approx. 2-3 weeks rather than the usual approx. 1-2 weeks ex works.

Further hold-ups may occur during transport due to additional border checks. Ocean freight containers are in short supply at the moment which may cause extended transport times.

We maintain our 24-hours emergency service for standard products as usual.

We apologise for any cancelled or postponed training sessions or appointments and ask for your kind understanding in these extraordinary times. We are available for you any time on +49 (0)40 7361 68-0.

Look after yourselves and keep well!

Your Dr. STHAMER team

 

 

 

(Image rights: Berliner Morgenpost)

Expansion of storage capacities

We've completed the installation of additional storage tanks!

The short delivery times and the 24/7 emergency service can thus be guaranteed despite the high demand for our fluorine-free and 100% biodegradable wetting agents and fire fighting foams.

VdS-Approval for firefighting foams

We were the first firefighting foam manufacturer in the world to receive VdS approval for firefighting foam concentrates in 2016. 

VdS approved products meet particularly high quality requirements and are required by many insurers of fixed firefighting systems.

Dr. Sthamer - Fire fighting foam analysis

In order to be able to rely on the effectiveness of your fire fighting foam concentrate with peace of mind, we recommend an annual check-up of your foam concentrate stock.

We offer the opportunity to test your fire fighting foam concentrate by our laboratory!

New product line of enviromentally responsible high performing foam agents (April 2018)

Dr. STHAMER Hamburg establishes a new product line of environmentally responsible high performing foam agents of the new type F3 according to EN 1568:2018. The new product line's name is vaPUREx®.

vaPUREx® is made-up word composed from the terms „vapor", „pure" and „x" as the short form of „ex" (latin for "extinguished", "put out" or "terminated"). We envision the term vaPUREx® as a synonym for the performance claim of this new product line:

Cover Flammable Liquids Safely and Stable, Extinguish Efficiently And Direct!

Three key properties of our vaPUREx®-Products deliver:

Efficacy:
vaPUREx®-Products are built to deliver a safe and efficient extinguishment of class B fires even without using fluorine technology. This particularly includes the forceful application of firefighting foam.

Robustness:
vaPUREx®-Products are built to deliver a stable and robust fire performance irrespective of changing conditions (such as changing water quality, accurateness of proportioning, performance of foaming devices etc.).

Sustainability:
all products of the vaPUREx®-Line are fully degradable and free of fluoro-organic compounds.

The first two products of our new product line - vaPUREx® LV 1% F-10 #7141 and vaPUREx® LV ICAO B 3% F-10 #7341 – were introduced at the foamschool 2018.

vaPUREx®LV 1% F-10 # 7141 is dedicated to industrial users facing class B fires of non-polar fuels as their key risk to manage. Due to its low viscosity and newtonian character vaPUREx®LV 1% F-10 can be admixed with any standard common proportioner down to -10°C.

vaPUREx® LV ICAO B 3% F-10 #7341 is our response to the demand of the international airport firefighting community for a fluorine free high performing foam concentrate suitable for low- and medium expansion applications. Also this foam concentrate is a low viscosity non-Newtonian liquid which can be proportioned by any standard proportioning system of airfield fire engines and standard fire trucks. The foam generated from solutions of vaPUREx® LV ICAO B 3% F-10 is capable to effectively blanket large spills of kerosene with a stable foam providing a high level of burn-back stability.

Factory Mutual (FM) Approval (April 2018)

We have successfully completed FM approval testing of several of our fire extinguishing agents. The extensive tests conducted in the USA comprised a number of fire fighting foam concentrates along with their application with various sprinklers. The test program was rounded off by the likewise successful company audit. We are now listed in the FM Approval Guide with a variety of products.

Due to their chemical composition, a special feature of our FM approved products is their FM 'Green' classification. Moreover, all sprinkler tests were conducted using the maximum permissible installation height.

Our FM-approved fire fighting foam concentrates offer additional benefits. We will be happy to provide you with further information.

Link to the FM Approval Guide

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