TR-2346-ENV, TECHNICAL REPORT: NOFOAM SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY FOR AIRCRAFT HANGAR FIRE SUPPRESSION FOAM SYSTEM – FINAL REPORT (JUL-2011)

TR-2346-ENV, TECHNICAL REPORT: NOFOAM SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY FOR AIRCRAFT HANGAR FIRE SUPPRESSION FOAM SYSTEM – FINAL REPORT (JUL-2011)., Currently, Department of Defense (DoD) policy requires periodic aircraft hangar fire suppression foam system nozzle discharge checks ensuring that the fire suppression foam delivery system remains ready to go when the times arises. However, these foam system discharge checks generate significant amount of foam laden wastewater. Despite its wide use and effectiveness, aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) poses an environmental concern and raises questions about its long-term continued use. The environmental concerns are fish toxicity, biodegradability, treatability in wastewater treatment plants, and nutrient loading when foam laden wastewater reaches natural or domestic water systems. Also, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has highlighted a potential problem by placing glycol ether and ethylene glycol (common solvent constituents of AFFF) on the list of hazardous air pollutants under the 1990 Clean Air Act amendments. Waste handling, collection, disposal, and waste management of the foam laden wastewater are burdensome and disposal is a liability. Due to environmental concerns, and prohibitive disposal and treatment costs of the foam laden wastewater, many facilities are not performing the required periodic aircraft hangar fire suppression foam system nozzle foam discharge checks. The failure to perform the required aircraft hangar fire suppression foam system checks is jeopardizing and, in some cases, reducing the ability of facilities to meet their mission requirements. The NoFoam System technology provides DoD facilities a tool for eliminating foam laden wastewater from periodic aircraft hangar fire suppression foam system nozzle discharge checks, while verifying the fire suppression foam delivery system (theoretical water and surrogate flow).