Purple-K

[3] Purple-K was developed by the United States Naval Research Laboratory in 1959, as an improvement over sodium bicarbonate for extinguishing oil and gasoline fires.

It was named due to the characteristic lavender tint imparted to flames, owing to the potassium (chemical symbol "K") content.

[4] Purple-K powder has an acrid taste and odor, is free-flowing, floating on most liquids, non-abrasive, does not wet with water and is compatible with most foam concentrates.

Purple-K is commonly used in oil refineries, airport ramps, service stations, military facilities, naval warships, power plants, and other places where large volumes of flammable liquids are handled.

Purple-K is used in many forms, from small handheld fire extinguishers to large mobile and stationary units, including fixed-nozzle piping systems.