Overheat and Fire Detectionin Tunnels

An ISO 9001 Registered Company

SPECIAL HAZARD APPLICATION

The construction and environment of a vehicular tunnel posesunique and difficult fire safety problems. The life safety risks andpotential danger facing people who travel through these enclosedstructures are compounded when passengers are forced to evacuatethrough smoke-filled roadways or other emergency exits in theevent of a fire.

Among the causes of fire in vehicular tunnels are: accumulation ofcombustible debris along the roadway and within vent shafts, fuelspills and oils on the road surface; flammable materials carried ascargo; short circuits or electrical malfunctions in control or powercables; ventilation and air handling equipment; and human causedhazards such as motor vehicle accidents.

Of all the potential causes of tunnel fires, incidents involvingmotor vehicles are of the greatest concern. Motor vehicle fires represent about 17% of all reported fires. Death and injury inmotor vehicle fires result from direct exposure to heat and frominhalation of toxic combustion products. When this fire scenariooccurs within the confines of a tunnel, extinguishment andresponse efforts are hampered due to limited access points for firepersonnel, availability and adequacy of the water supply, and venti-lation capabilities necessary to exhaust toxic smoke and gases.

A Protectowire FireSystem provides an effective solution for thisunique special hazard. The FireSystem utilizes Protectowire LinearHeat Detector which is typically installed on the ceiling directlyover the roadway. Protectowire is available in a wide range of mod-els and operating temperatures designed to resist hostile environmental factors such as exhaust fumes and washdownswhich are common occurrences in tunnels.

DS 9105B-0112 (1C)

The systems design may be further enhanced by installingProtectowire in the cable racks and equipment rooms which housecontrol and power cables for the tunnels ventilation, communica-tion, and signaling equipment. In cable runs, Protectowire may beinstalled at each rack level in direct contact with the cables. Becausethe Detector is a cable, it will easily follow tray runs, change levels,and cover vertical cable risers.

Protectowire FireSystem Control Panels may be configured to monitor and activate extinguishing systems, sound audible and visu-al warning signals, control air handling and ventilation equipment,and identify in feet or meters, the exact location of an overheat orfire source by means of a proprietary digital alarm point locationmeter.

These versatile control panels are available in several different mod-els to accommodate a wide range of environmental and operationalrequirements. No competitive system is more flexible and cost-effec-tive. Smoke and spot heat detectors, manual stations, and othertypes of initiating devices can be used in combination withProtectowire for a total protection system. In addition, allFireSystem Control Panels may be easily interfaced with centralizedmonitoring and control systems, further reducing installation costs.

Protectowire Linear Heat Detector is a component of a completefamily of fire detection systems manufactured by The ProtectowireCompany.

The Protectowire Company, Inc. n 60 Washington Street, Pembroke, MA 02359 U.S.A. n p:781-826-3878 n f:781-826-2045

web: www.protectowire.com n email: pwire@protectowire.com

SPECIAL HAZARD FIRE DETECTION SYSTEMS