DIN EN 16327:2014-07

This European Standard DIN EN 16327 is based on the DIN 14430, was initiated by Germany as an European standardisation project and has been prepared under German chairmanship in European Working Committee CEN/TC 192/WG 2. It describes systems installed in firefighting vehicles in order to improve the efficiency of fire-extinguishing processes. This is achieved by adding chemical solutions or foam concentrates under pressure to the water being delivered by the firefighting centrifugal pump, where appropriate, compressed air may be injected to create the finished foam. These systems can also be designed as mobile or portable equipment meeting at least the safety and performance requirements. Stationary systems and mobile or portable equipment operating independently are not within the scope of this standard. The aim of these systems is to improve the adhesion, penetration and retention time of the fire-extinguishing agent on the burning material, thereby transferring more energy, and improving the cooling effect of the applied media. The object of using foams with fire-extinguishing agents is to increase the effective contact area of the extinguishing medium water and to improve the adhesion to non-horizontal surfaces of the burning material. Thereby, the time period is increased in which heat is effectively transferred. For mixing foam concentrates to water, the following systems are available: - self-priming inductor proportioners for foam compound according to DIN 14384: These foam generation systems are not dealt with in this standard since proportioners according to DIN 14384 do not add foam compounds under pressure (inactive) and a separate standard on this technology is already available. - pre-mixing pump systems: These foam generation systems are also not dealt with in the standard since pre-mixing pump systems do not add foam compounds under pressure (inactive) and the basic requirement of this standard for a firefighting centrifugal pump which does not use foam compounds is not met. Pre-mixing pump systems serve for use of the overall conveying capacity of a fire fighting centrifugal pump to deliver a water-foam mixture. - Positive-Pressure Proportioning System (PPPS): These systems are internationally referred to as Class A foam systems, for example. These systems can be operated with any other suitable foam compound, however. A PPPS can replace a system on the base of a proportioner according to DIN 14384, provided that the foam compounds used, their proportioning and the nozzle are selected appropriately and the performance is comparable. - Compressed-Air Foam System (CAFS): These systems are internationally referred to as CAFS (Compressed-Air Foam Systems). A CAFS can replace a system on the base of a proportioner according to DIN 14384 in conjunction with a foam nozzle in accordance with DIN 14366, provided that the fire-extinguishing agents, their proportion and the nozzle are suitable and the performance is comparable. Some clauses in this standard contain safety requirements. The corresponding list of hazards is given in clause 4 of the standard. It specifies performance requirements in addition to safety aspects. Moreover, the standard includes specifications for classification and designation, for the type test report, information for users and for marking. A guideline for acceptance test at delivery, sample diagrams for the operating range of a Positive-Pressure Proportioning System and a Compressed-Air Foam System are given in informative annexes. In addition, samples of typical system diagrams and information on environmental impact of fluorine-containing foam extinguishing agents are given. The committee responsible for this standard is NA 031-04-05 AA "Feuerlöschpumpen - SpA zu CEN/TC 192/WG 2" ("Fire fighting pumps - mirror committee of CEN/TC 192/WG 2") at DIN.