Aerial fire retardants use fluid dynamics to create a chemical barrier on forest canopies
Specialized aircraft use fluid dynamics to create chemical barriers on forest canopies, dropping thousands of gallons of ammonium-polyphosphate to slow the spread of wildfires that can double in size every ten minutes.
Aerial firefighting relies on the precise atomization of fire retardants to protect vulnerable forests. Dropping from heights of 100 to 200 feet, aircraft like the CL-415 release a mixture of ammonium-polyphosphate designed to coat the canopy. Unlike water, which evaporates quickly, these retardants create a chemical barrier that remains effective for several hours.
There's more to this story — open the app to keep reading.
Continue Reading in App
1 more paragraphs · plus a 3-question quiz