Is Bromothane™ Flammable?

The simple answer is no, none of the Bromothane™ solvents are flammable. All of these products are nonflammable azeotropes or nonflammable near-azeotropes. But, as with many simple answers, there is more to the story.

Specifically, none of the Bromothane™ blends exhibit a tag closed cup flash point. The products are rated as nonflammable according to the Tag Closed Cup Method ( ASTM-D-56). Because of these test results, none of the solvents are classified as flammable liquids by either the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) or the Department of Transportation (DOT). So far, so good.

However, the BromoBooster™ concentrate is a flammable mixture. It needs to be handled with all the normal care and caution used on any flammable material, such as isopropyl alcohol. It's worth noting, however, that BromoBooster™ is not a solvent product per se, and should never be used as a stand-alone cleaner. It always is added to one of the other Bromothane™ products and at that point the flammability risk is extinguished.

In addition, some of the Bromothane™ products include flammable constituents and therefore have "vapor flammability limits." This means that it is theoretically possible to find a combination of vapors and oxygen which could sustain combustion under very unusual circumstances. These normally are described as a "lower explosive limit" (LEL) and the "upper explosive limit" (UEL). For Bromothane™ solvents, those limits are between approximately 3.8% and 7.5%. For example, in the event of a spill or leak the mixture of air and solvent vapors around the spill may fall between the LEL and the UEL and, therefore, become flammable.

These vapor flammability limits are presented on each Product Spec sheet and each MSDS sheet. They are designed to provide the user with information that should be used as elements of a fire risk assessment. This assessment should determine guidelines for the safe handling of any volatile chemical. Example of typical precautions to consider may include (a) defining plans for evacuating an area, (b) installing systems to provide maximum ventilation (especially in low places where heavy vapors might collect), and/or (c) ensuring there are no ignition sources present.

Updated: Dec. 21, 2004
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