Potential Fire Suppression Agents for Metal Hydride Fires

Sodium chloride and four or five other particulate materials have been used successfully as fire suppression agents for specific combustible metal fires. The certification testing and National Fire Protection Association recommendations for using these suppression agents are summarized here. The sodium chloride based agent and ordinary sand have also been used in some sodium hydride fires, and in a sodium hydride fire test series. However, there is a need to explore chemical compatibility and fire suppression effectiveness for these and other agents against the wide assortment of candidate metal hydrides being considered for hydrogen storage applications. A three-task research program to determine the compatibility and effectiveness of these agents is recommended for DOE funding.