Extinguishing Agents

Refer to our downloads page for complete technical information.

Fire extinguishing agents have a history of more that 90 years. The first extinguishing powders were produced on a base of sodium bicarbonate. Yet they are only suitable for the fighting of burning liquids (class B) and gases (class C). In cases of fires or solid matters burning with incandescence, however, they fail. Therefore the demand was to develop a multi-purpose extinguishing powder (classes ABCD) capable of fighting as well fires in which incandescent materials are involved as liquid, gas and metal fires.

This was more necessary as practical experience showed that pure liquid or gas fires seldom occur. Mostly incandescent materials are involved. The development of these multi-purpose extinguishing powders is synonymous with the name COGNIS (formally Grunau GmbH).

The invention of the first ABCD-extinguishing powder of the world by COGNIS in the late fifties was a breakthrough which enabled fire extinguishing powders to become generally accepted and almost universally applicable extinguishing medium.

A team of scientists and experts is continuously working on further development of the existing range of products. Our proven quality products are even used for the successful fire fighting or radio-active metal fires.

Since 1995 we have emphasized our product range also to liquid agents named Pyrosal ® . These products are highly effective in fighting class A and class B fires. In fire class A, these liquid extinguishing agents show an extremely high extinguishing performance. The reason for this is the combination of the cooling effect of water and the barrier layer effect which arises when Pyrosal forms a crust of salt.

In fire class B the extinguishing agent releases a thin watery film which exhibits extreme spreading properties to quickly cover the burning liquid, extinguish all flames, keep oxygen off and prevents re-ignition. In this new development the fire experts form COGNIS have continued their tradition of success: we aim to make goods products even better!

Part of our service is that we offer our customers excellent technical advice: e.g. rapid determination of the optimal extinguishing agent for every extinguisher and type of fire, by laboratory and practical tests.

Particular attention is given to continuous quality control. Each batch is tested - starting from raw material to the finished product - using the most modern physical and chemical test methods. The high standard and consistent quality of our products are the basis for our long established good partnership with our customers throughout the world.