Fighting fire with mist
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They are known for putting out fires.
Yesterday, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) picked up a Watermark award for another ability - saving water.
The Watermark award is given to individuals and organisations for protecting Singapore's water resources.
An SCDF in-house team designed the Watermist gun, which uses up to 90 per cent less water compared with traditional water jets.
Used since September 2004, the gun has a specially-designed two-nozzle system.
The long throw shoots high-pressured water out as fine mist from a single hole.
The wide angle nozzle sprays mist out through multiple holes.
When approaching an inferno, the firefighter tends to choose the long throw nozzle. This shoots water mist on the affected area.
To cover a wider surface area or to fully extinguish the flames, the firefighter simply tilts the gun 45 degrees to the right and its internal ball-bearing mechanism switches to the wide-angle nozzle.
The method used depends on the size and type of fire to be contained, an SCDF spokesman said. Still, the science is the same: The mist contains micro-sized water droplets with increased surface area that absorbs heat more quickly.
When the droplets come into contact with the fire's heat, the mist turns to steam. Oxygen is displaced, thus extinguishing the flames.
Central Fire Station Rota commander Captain Foo Ying Kai, 34, said: "Less water is used, which means a smaller area is directly affected by the fire. This facilitates investigation, making it easier for the team to determine the cause of fire."
Environment and Water Resources Minister, DrVivian Balakrishnan, honoured four other Watermark winners - Sony Electronics Asia Pacific, Fuhua Primary School, Bendemeer Primary School and Nature Society (Singapore).
The Watermark award is in its fifth year.
http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne+News/Singapore/Story/A1Story20111012-304644.html