IFP Issue 14

The Global Voice for Passive & Active Fire Protection Systems

An MDM PUBLICATIONIssue 14 – May 2003

IFP

ON-LIN

E

www.ifpm

ag.co

m

also ins ideF ire & Smoke Detect ion Round Up

School & Un iversi ty F ire Protect ionEconomics Of F ire Protect ion

Water Mist

a lso ins ideF ire & Smoke Detect ion Round Up


Water Mist

Fire ProtectionFor LNG HazardsFire Protection

For LNG Hazards

OFC,IFC IBC,OBC 16/10/06 3:48 pm Page ofc1

Enquiries: www.dupont.com/fire

OFC,IFC IBC,OBC 16/10/06 3:48 pm Page ifc2

INTERNATIONAL FIRE PROTECTIONwww.ifpmag.com

1

Front cover picture: LNG Storage Tank – Courtesy of Angus Fire

PublishersDavid Staddon & Mark Seton

Editorial ContributorsMike Wood, Peter Massingberd-Mundy,Angela Richards, Mark L Robin, Graham Ellicott, David W Clark, Jukka Vaari, Chris Wrenn, Mike Wilson, Viv Jones, Dirk Sprakel, Rudiger Kopp, Jeff Demaine

IFP is published quarterly by:MDM Publishing Ltd 18a, St James Street, South Petherton, Somerset TA13 5BWUnited KingdomTel: +44 (0) 1460 249199Fax: +44 (0) 1460 249292 e-mail: [email protected]: www.ifpmag.com

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DISCLAIMER:The views and opinions expressed in INTERNATIONALFIRE PROTECTION are not necessarily those of MDMPublishing Ltd. The magazine and publishers are in no wayresponsible or legally liable for any errors or anomaliesmade within the editorial by our authors. All articles areprotected by copyright and written permission must besought from the publishers for reprinting or any form ofduplication of any of the magazines content. Any queriesshould be addressed in writing to the publishers.

Reprints of articles are available on request. Prices onapplication to the Publishers.

Page design by Dorchester Typesetting Group LtdPrinted by The Friary Press Ltd


An MDM PUBLICATION

Issue 14 – May 2003

IFP

ON-LI

NE

www.ifpm

ag.co

m

also ins ide

F ire & Smoke Detect ion Round Up

School & Un iversi ty F ire Protect ion

Economics Of F ire Protect ion

Water Mist

a lso ins ide

F ire & Smoke Detect ion Round Up

School & Un iversi ty F ire Protect ion

Economics Of F ire Protect ion

Water Mist

Fire ProtectionFor LNG HazardsFire ProtectionFor LNG Hazards

May 2003 Issue 143-9 Aspirating Smoke Detection

10 An Alternative View to WaterMist

13-19 Fire Protection For LNGHazards

21-23 Voice Sounders & GaseousExtinguishing Systems

25-26 Fire Rated Cladding

29-34 Clean Agents & Clean AgentSystems

37-40 1666 and all that . . .External Glazing

42-43 Company Profile – LPG

45-50 PID Gas Detection

53-54 Cables Testing – LPCB

57-62 Water Mist

63 IWMA News

64-66 Economics of Fire Protection

68-70 School & University FireProtection

73-78 Fire & Smoke DetectionRound Up

80-83 Product Update

84 Advertisers’ Index

IFP P. 1-11 16/10/06 1:16 pm Page 1

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SUMMARY

Most Fire Engineers, Consultantsand Fire Prevention Officersknow what an aspirating smoke

detection (ASD) system is and candescribe a centralised smoke detectorwith a fan or aspirator drawing airsamples from the protected area throughholes in a 25mm pipe running above theprotected area or across the air intakegrille of an Air Handling Unit (AHU).

What many may not appreciate is theincreasing diversity of applications forwhich these detection systems arebeing used and the major benefits theycan offer.

This article highlights the majorbenefits of high sensitivity ASD systemsand then concentrates on its applica-tion in high risk hazardous environ-ments particularly with regard tomeeting the imminent requirements ofthe ATEX Directives.

HIGH SENSITIVITY ASD SYSTEMS

In their simplest form ASD systems areeasy to understand; they continuallydraw samples of air from the equip-ment or area requiring protection andassess these samples for the presence ofsmoke. Many variations exist with

benefits and features that match theprice you pay. Naturally the fan or aspi-rator used to transport the samples intoand along the sampling pipe is sized toreflect the maximum pipe runs (whichcan be up to 200m) but more impor-tantly, the sensitivity of the centraldetector is key to its performancecapability.

ASD systems can have many holes inthe sampling network. In order to haveconfidence that each hole has at leastthe equivalent performance to a pointdetector the scenario of smoke onlyentering one hole must be considered.In this case all other holes will be draw-ing clean samples and the sensitivity ofthe central detector must be sufficientto account for this dilution.

Illustrating this with figures: consider

a 20 hole system with equal quantitiesof air entering each sampling point. Tohave an effective sampling point sensi-tivity of 4%/m – which is widely con-sidered to be normal for a standardpoint detector – the central detectormust have a Fire Alarm threshold of0.2%/m.

This illustration shows how an aspi-rating system with multiple holes musthave a high sensitivity detector tomatch the performance of the genericpoint detectors. However, one of theunique benefits of an aspirating systemis its ability to detect lower concentra-tions of smoke than a normal pointdetector when smoke enters more thanone sampling point. In this case thesmoke concentration at the centraldetector is less diluted. As a result,Aspirating Systems have a naturalability to detect diffused smoke – themore diffused the smoke is the moresampling holes it enters. This is knownas the cumulative effect.

To illustrate with figures: Considerthe 20 hole system. If 2%/m smokeenters 2 holes then the detector withits sensitivity set at 0.2%/m will declarean alarm. If 1%/m smoke enters 4 holesthe 0.2%/m detector will similarlydeclare an alarm. And so on.


3

A petrochemical site. Pic courtesy of Vision Systems (Europe) Ltd

Protection of hazardous

areas

Protection of hazardous

areas using High Sensitivity,

Early Warning AspiratingSmoke Detection

using High Sensitivity,Early Warning Aspirating

Smoke Detection

By Peter Massingberd-Mundy,M.Eng, C.Eng, M.IMechE

Technical Product Manager – Europe

Vision Systems – VESDAVision House, Mark Road

Hemel Hempstead, HP2 7BW England

IFP P. 1-11 16/10/06 1:16 pm Page 3

While this cumulative effect is animportant feature of all ASD systems itdoes not in itself provide the earlydetection capabilities on which thegood reputation of high sensitivity ASDsystems is founded. This reputation isbuilt on the utilisation of very sensitivecentral detectors to give alarm warn-ings that are significantly earlier thanconventional detectors – even whensmoke is only entering one hole. Itshould be noted that the discussionand illustrations thus far relate to theALARM condition. For true early warn-ing what matters is not that the ASDsystem can match and in many casesexceed the performance of a pointdetector – what really matters is that itcan provide a warning as soon as anyabnormal conditions are discernable.

In this context, Early Warning shouldnot be confused with Pre-alarm. Pre-alarm provides an indication that anALARM condition is approaching. EarlyWarning provides an indication thatnormal conditions are no longer present– something unusual is happening.

This is best illustrated by consideringthe multiple alarm outputs available onthe top range ASD detectors.

MULTIPLE ALARM THRESHOLDSFirst level Early Warning alarm Alertskey personnel to a potential problem –perhaps the on site security staff areinformed of the condition and/or thelocal room occupants are alerted to theunusual conditions. The response tothis Alert warning might be that localpersonnel stop an unapproved activity(e.g. soldering) thereby avoiding anunnecessary evacuation of the premises.They might not find the source of the

“thermal event” first time but after anumber of incidences the warningmight be traced, say, to an electricheater. Depending on the particular site the source of the alarm can beremoved or the alert threshold can be permanently adjusted to compen-sate for this regular occurrence.

If the smoke condition continues toescalate then a second stage warning isgenerated – this is the Action Alarm.Generally this is configured to raise apre-alarm warning on the central panel,the CIE (Control and Indicating Equip-ment). Local personnel might beexpected to inform the relevant author-ity if they have identified the sourceand ask for the unit to be isolatedtemporarily until the cause is under

control. Depending on the particularapplication they may be required toprepare for the full alarm condition.For example, procedures in an officemight direct them to close windows,shut down PCs, and warn other person-nel in the area that a fire Alarm isimminent. The underlying message is“take action”. In an IT or industrialapplication the Action alarm may startto initiate back up procedures or shutdown machinery.

After these vital early warnings (thatare only available on top range ASDdetectors) there is the Fire condition.This is generally connected as an Alarminput to the central panel and is oftenconsidered to be equivalent to thestandard point detector response. Onsome ASD systems that have a widesensitivity range a fourth alarm level isalso available that can be interfacedinto automatic suppressions systems.Such detectors can therefore providemultiple alarm outputs that can initiatethe appropriate response.

APPLICATION OF ASD IN HIGH RISK AREASThe reputation of High sensitivity ASDsystems originates in the protection ofthe high risk, high value environmentsof Telecom switches and ElectronicData processing areas. These areas typi-cally have large Air Handling Units forcooling the electronic equipment and,due to the dilution of any smoke by thelarge airflows; effective smoke detectionis only practical using high sensitivitysystems. Over the years, the technologyhas been applied successfully in many


44

Fire Growth Curve.

Hazardous Area Detectors. Pic courtesy of TEPG

IFP P. 1-11 16/10/06 1:16 pm Page 4

VESDA aspirating smoke

detection is recognised

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Timely detection by VESDA

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Flexible air sampling pipe

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other areas where business continuity iscritical and/or where risks and potentiallosses are high. Examples include ware-housing, cold stores, industrial processes,cable tunnels, production machinery,wet benches and prison cells.

One specific example of the growingadoption of ASD systems is in haz-ardous areas. Generally these areas bytheir very nature fall into the categoryof high risk and they are often criticalto the business continuity. PetroChemplants have many hazardous areas;warehouses storing solvents and alco-hol also have classified areas, whichrequire specialist fire detection prod-ucts. Essentially these are areas whereexplosive mixtures of gases or vaporscan accumulate which if ignited wouldcause an explosion.

ASD IN HAZARDOUS AREASWithin Europe there have historicallybeen different approaches to Ex envi-ronments within different memberstates. However, with the imminentmandatory CE marking of Electricalequipment installed in hazardous areasunder the ATEX directive there is someharmonization and renewed emphasison the suitability and application ofelectrical equipment in such areas.There are many web pages devoted tothe full explanation of the ATEXDirectives, of which there are two, assummarized (see tables, right and over).

In summary equipment installed inhazardous areas must be CE markedand have appropriate Ex rating. Thereare a number of alternative approachesto Ex ratings (ref. EN50014).

� Intrinsically safe (Exi) equipmentlimits the electrical energy in thedevices installed in the area so thatno significant spark or overheatingcan occur, which may ignite anexplosive atmosphere.

� Pressurized apparatus (Exp) preventsexplosive mixtures reaching thepotential source of ignition bymeans of a positive pressure withinthe electrical enclosure.


66

ATEX 95, the “equipment” Directive (94/9/EC) specifies the EssentialHealth and Safety Requirements for equipment that may be used in anexplosive atmosphere.

It places requirement on manufacturers of such equipment both in terms ofperformance and product quality, which was not included in the majority ofthe national requirements that preceded it.

The essential safety requirements for equipment covered by the directiveinclude requirements for the selection of materials, marking, user instructionsand design and construction. Typically manufacturers will use the appropriateEuropean and/or international standards to demonstrate their compliancewith many of these essential requirements.

The directive defines a number of categories, which correspond to theclassification of the hazardous areas in which the equipment is to bedeployed. However, it is important to realise that there is no direct relationshipdefined in the directive between the area zoning and the category ofequipment, which must be used.

The full list of ATEX categories are as follows (there is a sub-division whichseparates equipment for use in mines from all other equipment) where thefinal column provides a link to the zoning classification.

Equipment intended for use in the higher risk categories is required to under-go independent certification by a Notified Body (an independent and suitableauthorized certification body). Equipment for lower risk categories may be self-certified by the manufacturer in order to affix a CE mark to the product.

The actual relationship between the category and the certification require-ments is as follows:

VESDA Exd product image. Pic courtesyof Vision Systems (Europe) Ltd

Group Category Locations Comments Zone Classification common in Europe

(Based on IEC 60079-10)

I M1 Mines capable of functioning safely in the presence n/aof an explosive atmosphere

I M2 Mines must be de-energised when an explosive n/aatmosphere is present

II 1 Other protection assured in Explosive atmospherethe event of two Zone 0 will be present independent failures continuously

II 2 Other protection assured Explosive atmospherein the event of

Zone 1will be present some

foreseeable failures of the time (e.g. due tooperational reasons)

II 3 Other protection assured Explosive atmosphereduring normal Zone 2 may be present (e.g. operation in the event of a fault)

Category Requirement

1Product certification and review of quality control system by

2 Notified Body required(electrical)

2Self-certification by manufacturer permitted supported by(non electrical)

Declaration of Conformity and Technical File3

IFP P. 1-11 16/10/06 1:16 pm Page 6


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� Flameproof enclosures (Exd) containignition sources in such as way thatany ignition of the hazard inside theenclosure will not be transmitted to the atmosphere outside theenclosure.

� Increased Safety (Exe) use mechani-cal construction safeguards toensure that the apparatus does notcontain normally arching or sparkingdevices, or hot surfaces that mightcause ignition.

� Oil immersion (Exo), Powder filling(Exq) and encapsulation (Exm) areother approaches that may be used.

Fire detection products generally useeither Exi or Exd protection. Most

common are intrinsically safe smokeand heat detectors. Flame detectorsand linear systems such as pressurizedpipe or temperature cable/fibre are alsoavailable for such environments. How-ever, none of these technologies canprovide the Early Warning smokedetection capability of an ASD system.

When deploying ASD systems for theprotection of hazardous areas someinstallers have previously tried toexploit the “remote sensing” capabilityof such systems by installing the detec-tor in a safe environment and installingthe electrically passive pipework in the

hazardous area (as depicted in SchemeA) with a flame arrestor (see illustra-tion) to protect the hazardous areafrom possible ignition through thepipe. There is clearly a problem withthis arrangement in that the ASD sys-tem is exhausting the hazard into thesafe area. To overcome this, the exhaustcan be piped back to the hazardousarea through another flame arrestor(Scheme B). However, serious consider-ation must be given to the failuremode of this arrangement in the eventof an explosion. In accordance withATEX 137, the behavior of the ASD

ATEX 137, the “user” Directive (1999/92/EC), is specificallyconcerned with worker safety and places requirements on employers whosestaff may work in an explosive atmosphere

It places a number of requirements on employers. The main ones are to:� assess explosion risks and draw up an explosion protection document

(Articles 4 and 8);� prevent and provide protection against explosions (Article 3);� implement measures to ensure work in explosive atmospheres can be

carried out safely (Article 5);� coordinate the implementation of health and safety measures with other

employers (Article 6);� classify, zone and mark areas where explosive atmospheres may occur

(Article 7).

Flame arrester. Pic courtesy of AMAL

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enclosure must be considered in rela-tion to the safety of personnel (andequipment) in the vicinity. Furthermore,the integrity of the pipework must begiven due consideration in the event offlame front travelling from the detectortowards the flame arrestors.

The best solution is to enclose the

ASD detector in a flameproof enclosureand provide flame arrestors directly intothe enclosure (as shown in SchemesC&D). In scheme C the detector ismounted in the safe area, which maybe possible as long as the leak rate ofthe Exd enclosure is sufficiently low toensure that the surrounding atmosphere

does not become a hazard. In SchemeD the ASD is mounted in the hazardousarea and a remote display is provided toprovide information and interfaceswithin the safe area. Clearly Scheme Dis the most appropriate but this doesnot preclude the use of other schemeswhere appropriate risk assessments areundertaken and recorded.

When designing the fire protectionarrangements for hazardous areasthe benefits of installing high sensi-tivity ASD systems are clear. Theability for these systems to provideearly warning ensure the bestpossible protection for these highrisk, high value areas. However,careful consideration of the explo-sion risks is essential and simplyinstalling the ASD system in a safearea with flame arrestors in thepipework to the hazard may beflawed. The preferred approach isto install the ASD system in an Exdenclosure, which can be mountedin the safe area or the hazardousarea depending on the particularsite arrangements.

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IFP P. 1-11 16/10/06 1:16 pm Page 9

A NEW METHODOLOGY to evaluate fire per-formance of total flooding water mist systems1

contains technical inadequacies that are dis-cussed in this contribution. A serious concern israised due to the fact that fire extinguishment isno longer included as a fire test requirement. Itis argued that the methodology may facilitateineffective water mist systems to enter themarket.

The fire performance evaluation of fixed watermist total-flooding fire suppression systems hasto date involved extinguishment of a series oftest fires. Recently, however, it has been arguedthat time to extinguishment is a poor measure ofthe efficacy of water-based fire fighting systems1.This is because it is not a very repeatable quantity,and that under suitable conditions, free-burningfires may self-extinguish faster than when sup-pressed by a water based system. As an alterna-tive, the determination of quantities called’mixing’, ’inerting’ and ’cooling’ is proposed.

The new approach contains severe inadequa-cies. Requiring fire extinguishment in test condi-tions is abandoned. The new concepts of’mixing’, ’inerting’ and ’cooling’ are not foundedon a comprehensive technical analysis, and thecriteria to tell an acceptable water mist systemfrom an unacceptable one have not even beendrafted. The methodology is devised based onpool fire tests only, and the validity of theapproach to spray fires (the most common firesin real machinery spaces) is not known.

The significance of the time to extinguish-ment may be understood from Table I, whichpresents the extinguishment time data from thefire tests used to develop the new methodology2.The data has been arranged to reflect the differ-ence in extinguishment times between the testedhigh pressure (HP), low pressure (LP) and waterspray (WS) systems. It is evident from the tablethat in terms of fire extinguishment capability,HP system performs better than LP or WS sys-tems. Even though the repeatability of the extin-guishment times is not good, the superiority ofthe HP system is, with one exception, consistent-ly seen in the test data. This fact is downplayedby the new evaluation methodology, since extin-guishment is not included as a requirement.

Table I reveals that the free-burn fires weregenerally extinguished faster than fires sup-pressed with water-based systems under similartest conditions. However, this conclusion isentirely particular to the case of closed vents,and it is severely compromised by the existenceof open vents. For horizontal vents, the data ofTable I shows that increasing the vent area sig-nificantly degrades the fire performance of allsystems, and in some cases, fires will not beextinguished. For vertical vents such as doors(entirely neglected in the approach), fire dynam-

ics tells us that a sustained (free-burn) fire isallowed whose size is limited by the ventilationfactor of the opening. Thus for vertical vents, theargument related to the self-extinguishmenttimes of free-burn fires simply falls apart.

The presence of a vent tests the ability of thesuppression system to prevent the air inflowthrough the vent into the fire compartment. If thefire suppression systems are not effective againstsuch scenarios, fires will be controlled rather thanextinguished, which may arguably be enough insome cases. However, if the fire suppression sys-tems have proven their extinguishing effectivenessin ventilated test enclosures, they possess animportant safety factor in terms of fire perfor-mance with regard to the possible ventilationscenarios that may occur in real fires. Testingwater mist systems in sealed enclosures andrequiring control only will degrade the overall levelof fire protection provided by these systems, andplace more requirements for mobile fire fighting.

The proposed new evaluation method com-pletely lacks the acceptance criteria. The need fora new methodology is justified by insisting that itwould better sort out ’acceptable’ systems from’unacceptable’ ones. Without acceptance criteria,this claim cannot be verified. An importantbenchmark test would be to subject existing,approved systems to an analysis according to thenew methodology and see what would happen.

The proposed new quantities are either ill-defined, or not applicable to all water-basedtechnologies. ’Mixing’ is defined through a dif-ference between the CO2 concentrations at topand bottom parts of the test enclosure. In prac-tice, the measurement neglects water vapourconcentration in the gas sample. Any vertical

temperature gradient in an enclosure (especiallywith larger fires) implies a difference in the watervapour concentration between the bottom andthe top, affecting the ’mixing’ parameter. Fur-thermore, it is not generally true that full mixingin terms of gas concentrations would imply fulltemperature mixing. ’Inerting’ is defined througha mass measurement of the fuel pan. This defini-tion neglects the effect of vitiation on the com-bustion efficiency, and is affected by waterimpinging on the pan. More importantly, it isnot applicable to systems using foam additives.’Cooling’ is evaluated through thermocouple treemeasurements. Thermocouples are routinely usedin suppression experiments to measure gas tem-perature; however, water affects the TC readoutwhich therefore may be not the same as gastemperature. This may affect the ’cooling’ para-meter, since not all systems discharge similaramounts of water (e.g. 60, 100 and 500l/min forthe tested HP, LP and WS, respectively).

There are well-known limitations to the fireperformance of total-flooding water mist systemsdue to the physical suppression mechanismsinvolved.3 The limitations have been the root causefor attempts to implement dubious solutions ’tobeat the fire test’ in large test volumes, and it isperfectly agreeable to try and develop testingmethods that would rule out dubious solutionsfrom the market. However, it is highly questionableif systems begin to gain approvals not by improv-ing their performance but by meeting new and lessstringent requirements. Whether the SP proposalwill mean an increase or a decrease in the level offire protection remains to be seen. But a fair possi-bility exists that less effective systems becomeacceptable, especially if fire extinguishment undertest conditions is no longer required.

References1. Arvidson, M. and Hertzberg, T., ’New methodsneeded to evaluate the performance of water sprayand water mist systems during fire testing’, IFP Mag-azine February 2003 issue pp. 52-56.2. Arvidson, M. private communication (2002).3. Vaari, J., ’A Study of Total Flooding Water MistFire Suppression System Performance Using a Tran-sient One-Zone Computer Model’, Fire Technologyvol. 37 no. 4 (2001) pp. 327.342.


1010

An Alternative Viewpoint – Editor’s Note:Following on from the article on Water mist testing printed on pages 52-56 ofIssue 13 of IFP (also available at www.ifpmag.com). We were contacted byJukka Vaari who did not entirely agree with methods used and reasoningmade within the article. Here we give him the chance to challenge that articlein print. We welcome such contribution from you the readers.

New performance evaluationmethodology opens up a door forineffective water mist systemsBy Jukka Vaari, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland

Jukka Vaari has a PhD from Department ofTechnical Physics at Helsinki University ofTechnology. He joined VTT Fire Technology inApril 1998. His main duties include full-scalefire testing and modeling of total-floodingfire suppression systems. He participates inthe preparation of a European performance-based water mist standard, and in the workof the Fire Protection Sub-Committee of theInternational Maritime Organization. He is amember of the Scientific Council of the Inter-national Water Mist Association.

Table I. Fire extinguishment times (min:s) from the VINNOVA tests at 500m3 enclosure.2 Two valuesindicate a repeated test. NO indicates no extinguishment. N/A indicates test was not conducted.

Fuel Type RHR (MW) Vent HP LP WSDiesel exposed 0.5 none 9:40 NO NO

1 none 5:12 NO 17:05obstructed 1 none 8:50 17:10 10:05

Heptane exposed 1 none 8:00 15:50 NO2 none 3:55 4:21/6:08 N/A

obstructed 0.5 none 26:18 33:15/NO 28:071 none 8:47 12:30 10:40

2 x 0.56m2 7:28/13:22 16:30/22:55 14:506m2 NO NO NO

2 none 3:25 3:12 5:55/7:106m2 6:23 11:34 NO

FREE BURN TESTSHeptane obstructed 0.5 none 19:25

1 none 7:55/9:032 none 3:40

IFP P. 1-11 16/10/06 1:16 pm Page 10

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THE HAZARDLNG is 83–99% Methane which ifignited generates vast quantities ofheat radiation very quickly (93,000kcal/m3/hr), typically twice the heat pro-duced by an equivalent quantity ofgasolene/petrol. However, unlike petrolthe volume increase of LNG gas fromits liquid phase is around 600 fold.

Consequently, any accidental leakageof LNG boils instantly, gaining heatfrom its surrounding environment, theground, concrete, pipe work and eventhe air into which it is rapidly evaporat-ing. Initially the gas is heavier than air,but as more heat is absorbed with time,it gets closer to ambient temperaturemaking the gas lighter than air. In this‘lighter-than-air’ state the evaporatinggas is carried away by the air currentsand wind, and will ignite at very lowconcentrations in air (typically 5–15%

by volume). It is therefore the edges ofthe gas cloud that are most likely tofind an ignition source causing a risk ofexplosion and rapid burn back towardsthe evaporating liquid pool. Clearly theplant and its surroundings will be seri-ously damaged by the radiant heat flux,unless proper provision is made to pro-tect against such spill hazards.

Liquified Petroleum Gases (LPG),comprising Propane and Butane, have ahigher boiling point than LNG. Propanehas a boiling point of –42.5°C (at1Atm) whilst Butane is around 0.5°C soit does not boil off to a gas as quicklyas LNG. In their gaseous state LPG’s arealways heavier than air so sink toground level. Once evaporated the gashas a tendency to flow downhill andoccupy hollows, basements, under-ground tunnels etc. They produce simi-lar levels of heat radiation to LNGwhen ignition occurs. The flammable

range of LPG is typically 2–9% by vol-ume, so again it is the edges of the gascloud along the ground, where fire willstart. This could be several hundredmetres from the leak source.

WHAT IS ADEQUATE PROTECTION?

There are two aspects to controllingsuch an LNG or LPG spillage.

Passive ProtectionFirstly the design of storage tank andits associated bunded or diked area tocontain the spill is an important meansof passive protection. A high bund wallserves to contain the LNG spill and dis-perse the vapour safely to high level.Sub-dividing the bund with low wallsor sloping sides to a deeper trough willalso help to minimise the surface areafor evaporation of the LNG.

When the bund wall is low additionalwater curtain systems may be requiredto reduce the radiant heat flux to sur-rounding tanks and associated plant.


13

LNG bulk storage tanks protected by specialised water-driven turbine high expansion foam generator systems.

LNG FireProtectionBy Mike Willson

of Angus Fire

LNG FireProtection

LIQUIFIED NATURAL GAS (LNG) and LIQUIFIED PETROLEUM GAS(LPG) vapour forms a highly flammable mixture with air, and so anaccidental spillage in the bunded (diked) region around a bulkstorage tank poses a severe cryogenic fire hazard. The most widelyaccepted means of controlling such hazards is by using highexpansion foam.Such cryogenic liquids are in fact gases at normal ambienttemperature and pressure, but are stored at very low temperatures,for LNG around –164°C, to reduce them into their liquid, rather thangaseous state. Clearly this makes processing, storage and transportationfor distribution easier and more cost-effective.

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IFP P. 13-28 17/10/06 8:23 am Page 13

Tanks may be partially buried, oftencalled ‘in-ground tanks’, with low bundwalls to permit the production of highexpansion foam onto the roof to min-imise radiation effects. Water spray sys-tems may also be installed to furtherminimise radiated heat flux to adjacentstructures.

LPG on the other hand is predomi-nantly stored in steel vessels calledspheres or bullets either above groundor increasingly earth mounded.

Similar passive bunding may be usedto contain any spillage but the primary

protection uses water spray systems to actively cool the vessels and retaintheir integrity reducing the risk of aBLEVE (boiling liquid expandingvapour explosion). Literally burying the tanks under mounds of earthreduces this risk further, keeps sunlightoff the tanks and offers cosmeticbenefits.

Active ProtectionAt the outset any active fire protectionsystem for LNG must be designed forone of two scenarios – either vapourdispersion or fire control.

Vapour DispersionA high expansion foam system ischosen for vapour dispersion, toreduce the danger of an unignitedLNG spillage by assisting effectiveupward dispersion of the vapoursthat are boiling off. This reducesvapour concentration levels atground level where there is greatestrisk of potential ignition. One mustaccept that if ignition does subse-quently occur this dispersion systemmay be insufficient to provide firecontrol.

Fire ControlFor fire control, a high expansionfoam system is chosen to control thefire if ignition of the LNG spillageoccurs, preventing catastrophic fail-ure. This is achieved by means of acontrolled burn off through the highexpansion foam blanket that willalso reduce the radiated heat flux tosurrounding plant.

Clearly making the right choice hereis crucial. Overall system cost for eachof these two applications may well be asignificant factor in this decision, sinceeach system will need to have verydifferent application rates, operatingtimes and quantities of protectingequipment.

However, for LPG the vapours cannotbe warmed by foam since they arealways heavier than air, so fire controlin the bunded area is the only situationwhere foam would be used.

The first requirement for any scen-ario is a suitable detection system,which must be capable of immediatelyidentifying any spillage that hasoccurred. This should be linked to asuitably rapid method of warning allsite personnel and emergency servicesof the spillage hazard. This detectionsystem must also establish whether thespillage has ignited.

Time to initiate actuation of the fireprotection system is a critical factor inall scenarios, whether for LNG fire con-trol, LNG vapour dispersion or LPG firecontrol.

STANDARDS

International standards like theAmerican National Fire ProtectionAssociation NFPA 11A:1994 and BritishStandard Institute BS5306 Section6.2:1989 both recommend high expan-sion foam systems for the protection ofLNG hazard areas but draw a caution-ary note on LPG not to extinguish,since extinguishment by foam mayoccur. This would result in the evolu-tion of heavier-than-air vapours drain-ing off from below the foam blanketand danger of a vapour cloud buildingup, or reignition or both. Recognisingthe complexity of this cryogenic haz-ard, neither standard provides anyspecific application rates (a measure ofhow much foam is being applied to the hazard area each minute) or dis-charge times. NFPA 11A:1994 suggeststhat application rates should be estab-lished by tests, so that a positive and


1414

Angus Fire LNG Fixed Turbex units protecting LNG containment kit at PT Badak’shuge Bontang facility in Indonesia.

Sand

GravellySandy Loam

IFP P. 13-28 17/10/06 8:24 am Page 14

progressive reduction in radiation isachieved within the time limitationsestablished in the analysis. This shouldbe increased by the necessary factor toaccount for the initial vaporisation rateand the configuration of the hazard.The determination of the system designshall depend on an analysis specific tothe individual site, since time to initiateactuation is a crucial factor in fire con-trol. The analysis shall consider effectsof heat exposure on adjacent plantequipment.

TEST DATA

Over the years extensive test work hasbeen carried out to prove the effective-ness of high expansion foam for LNGvapour dispersion and LNG fire control,but limited test work on LPG. Themajority of these tests have shown thatfoam of expansion ratio 500:1 (largebubbles produced by adding 500 partsof air to each part of foam solution),appears to be superior to both higherand lower expansion ratios for vapourdispersion as well as fire control pur-poses. Accordingly the vast majority(over 100) of operators for LNGliquefaction facilities, peak shavingplants and LNG import terminalsaround the world are using high expan-sion foam systems of 500:1 expansionratio. Some tests have used foam ofexpansion between 150–300:1 for fire control, which has shown anincreased penetration range into thefire. However, foam solution consump-tion rates can increase adding cost andit may be slower to flow across thespillage. Having said this 300:1 is amore popular expansion ratio for the fire control of LPG, which is not

stored at such low temperatures.The application rates used in these

high expansion foam tests vary dramat-ically and produce widely varyingreductions in fire intensity, varyingspeeds for a reduction in heat flux tooccur, and varying effectiveness of thefoam blanket to maintain control overtime.

Consequently the rates may vary sig-nificantly from one manufacturersfoam concentrate and foam generatingequipment to another, since a widerange of factors will affect the foamsperformance.

Factors affecting the overall effec-tiveness of any high expansion foamsystem are complex and interrelated.They include the:


15

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IFP P. 13-28 17/10/06 8:24 am Page 15

� Size of LNG or LPG spillage� Application rate� Expansion ratio� Foam concentrate (formulations vary

and can produce widely varyingperformances)

� Foam induction rate (accurate pro-portioning is crucial to consistentfoam production)

� Foam generator (different technol-ogies will produce widely varyingfoam quantities)

� Foam bubble stability (size, unifor-mity and ability to retain water)

� Depth of foam blanket� Speed of system operation� Prevailing weather conditions

Factors of safety should also betaken into account by the fire pro-tection system designer or ‘Authorityhaving jurisdiction’ over the specificinstallation. Extreme care should there-fore be taken when choosing the mostsuitable high expansion foam systemfor these complex applications.

HOW DOES THE FOAM WORK?

Fire ControlThe gas produced by vaporising LNGunder accidental release conditions is at

a temperature close to that of the LNGitself (–164°C). Vapours boiling-off areheavier than air and form a cold vapourcloud hanging above the spillage.Unless immediate action is taken, airmovements will begin spreading thiscloud horizontally in all directions fromthe spill until it is sufficiently dilutedwith air to become flammable. Then,somewhere at the edge, where the LNGvapour is well mixed with air, forming a5–14% gas concentration, it will find asource of ignition, ignite and burn backto the liquid pool.

If the LNG vapours do ignite, a majorproblem exists in addition to thevapour cloud – that of severe radiatedheat. The degree of severity depends onhow far away the fire is from surround-ing buildings, plant and personnel onsite, as well as the prevailing environ-mental conditions at this time. How-ever, buildings a considerable distancefrom the fire will be at risk, even duringstill air conditions and any wind willdramatically increase the radiated heatin the downwind direction, so protec-tive action must be taken.

The mechanism for fire control usinghigh expansion foam is quite complex.Essentially a foam blanket is rapidlyproduced to reduce the rate of heat

transfer from the fire to the liquid LNGpool, slowing the initial boil off ratedown to a steady state situation.

Expansion ratios of 500:1 (whenproduced from a high quality foamconcentrate) appear to be optimum forminimising the time required to gaincontrol of an LNG spill fire.

Despite the intense radiant heat fromthe burning LNG pool, the 500:1 foamblanket quickly freezes at the foam-LNG interface, but this ice layer is lightenough to float upon the LNG surfaceand also strong enough to support sev-eral feet of foam build up, withoutbreaking or sinking. Near this interfaceice tubes also begin forming where theescaping cryogenic vapours are boilingthrough the foam blanket. Rapid foamapplication dramatically reduces radia-tion flux levels, until the flames burnback the foam bubbles, when furtherfoam is applied. Ongoing fire control is


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achieved by periods of topping-up aftereach burn back. Repeated applicationsof foam are continued until the LNGpool has completely boiled away,vapour levels return to normal and theincident can be declared over.

High expansion foam has a similareffect on LPG adding heat and increas-ing the rate of vaporisation. 70% heatflux reductions can be achieved bycontrolled burn off. Moisture, air andflammable vapours premix in the foamblanket causing increased combustionefficiency thereby producing a cleanerflame of shorter length. To achieve thisthe foam used should have a quarterdrainage time in excess of 15 minutesfor optimum stability. As with LNG,foam at the interface forms a low den-sity frozen crust on the surface of theliquid. However, it is particularly impor-tant with LPG to avoid total extinction,otherwise the heavier-than-air vapourwill flow outwards under the foamblanket and build up as a vapour cloudin hollows or basements with a risk oftoxicity to personnel, sudden reignitionor explosion.

Water spray systems located aroundthe risk area may assist with the turbu-lent dispersal of the heavier than airvapours by mixing with air and diluting

the gas cloud to below flammable levels.Increasingly LNG operators are also

opting to maintain fire control withfoam rather than completely extinguishthe fire with dry chemical powder. Thisavoids the risk of flammable vapourlevels drifting or accumulating down-wind then reigniting, causing increaseddanger to personnel and plant alike.

When a high degree of exposure pro-tection is required for controlling large

LNG spill fires, these high expansionfoam systems can offer major cost sav-ings over conventional water sprayexposure protection systems. Suchwater curtain systems are far less effi-cient at reducing radiation heat fluxthan results obtained with high expan-sion foam systems, even though con-siderably higher water flow rates andsupply pressures need to be used. Thisis especially significant on a first


17

Sonatrach the world’s largest exporter of LNG with storage tanks protected by Angus Fire LNG Fixed Turbex High Expansion Systems at their Arzew complex inAlgeria. Pic courtesy of MW Kellogg Company

Enquiries: www.angusfire.co.uk

IFP P. 13-28 17/10/06 8:25 am Page 17

installed cost basis, since greatlyreduced water flow rates and pumpingcapacities are required by high expan-sion foam systems. Operating costswould be higher for foam systems, buttheir anticipated usage should beseverely limited and their effectivenesswould be superior if needed!

Vapour DispersionNot all accidental spillages of LNGignite in the early stages of release.Some operators recognise that the con-figuration of their particular plantwould mean a catastrophic failure ifignition took place, with the completedestruction of the facility however

quickly action was taken. In theseinstances high expansion foam systemscan also be highly effective in dispers-ing the LNG vapours upwards and awayfrom the potential ignition sources.

It is to minimise the risk of vapourignition that such systems are required

to take immediate action by coveringthe bunded areas around these LNGstorage tanks with foam bubbles ofuniform 500:1 expansion ratio.

This foam covers the surface of thecryogenic liquid providing sufficientwater content to warm the LNGvapours as they rise through the foamlayer. This buoyancy effect will reducethe downwind travel of flammable con-centrations near ground level and assistdispersion of the LNG vapours to higherand safer levels in the atmosphere.

High expansion foam will not dis-perse vapours of LPG, as they arealways heavier than air. Controlled igni-tion of LPG vapours under a highexpansion foam blanket (300–500:1)represents an effective way to burn offthe LPG under controlled conditions.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

Angus Fire are recognised as worldleaders in LNG/LPG protection. Theirspecialised Fixed Turbex high expansionfoam systems are specifically designedfor these cryogenic applications usingExpandol foam concentrate which arein use at many LNG and LPG facilitiesaround the world including Australia,Indonesia, Algeria, Qatar, UK etc.Amongst the largest has been a £3 mil-lion upgrade contract for the supply ofhigh performance LNG Fixed TurbexSystems to Algeria’s state owned oiland gas company Sonatrach. Probablythe world’s leading exporter of LNG,Sonatrach installed this system as partof the modernisation and expansionprogramme at its liquefaction plants inArzew/Bethioua. The system fully com-plies with both NFPA 11A and thedetailed technical specification issuedby the M W Kellogg Company ofHouston, Texas, who were the chosenengineering contractor appointed bySonatrach to upgrade their facilities.

For a high expansion foam system tobe effective the 500:1 generators mustbe located at the edge of the bund(dike) wall or edge of the contain-ment/pump pit, so that any LNGspillage can be quickly covered withfoam. Such generators cannot be locat-ed remotely from the bund because ofthe potential foam transit time delay.This could reduce the effective lifetimeof the foam on the LNG spillage, andencourage water draining from thefoam to enter the LNG pool and causeincreased boil-off rates. A similar situa-tion arises for LPG although a new300:1 LPG Fixed Turbex has been


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developed specifically to meet this dif-fering requirement.

Even if the LNG spill has not ignited,the risk of ignition is ever present. Thesevere radiant heat rapidly generated ifignition takes place, means that stan-dard industrial high expansion foamgenerators are totally unacceptable forthese specialised cryogenic applications.Standard industrial units usuallyinclude mild steel, aluminium or plasticbased components which deform ormelt with the radiant heat levels experi-enced, preventing effective operationand foam production.

Experience has shown that simpleair-aspirating or ‘spray on net’ genera-tors are easily starved of air by lightwind movements and up draughteffects blowing across the inlet, signifi-cantly changing the amount of airbeing drawn into the unit from oneminute to the next. This variability onairflow when the foam solution flow isconstant can have a major impact onthe expansion ratio of the foam bubbleblanket, producing very variable and farless efficient foam.

To overcome these inherent problemsforced air technology is required usinga water driven turbine and special aero-foil fan to provide a consistent airflowthrough the LNG high expansion foamgenerators to maintain expansion ratio,without resorting to any electricalpower source which could also causeignition of the vapour. This minimisesthe bad effects of wind and updraughts. The revolutionary cocoon-shaped design of the Fixed Turbexensures a stable slow-draining foamblanket and uniform bubble size foroptimal performance, resulting in a farmore reliable, efficient and uniformfoam expansion, a major benefit overthe simpler air aspirating units.

Clearly to withstand the potentialradiation heat flux of an LNG spilligniting, special considerations must bemade in designing and producing asuitable turbex foam generator. Theonerous fire exposure test requirementlaid down in NFPA 11A must be passedby any generator for LNG applications.This requires exposure to direct flameimpingement for 5 minutes over burn-ing n-Heptane and the generator mustthen work satisfactorily. This fire inten-sity is designed to mimic the high radi-ation levels generated by LNG. Duringthe development of the latest LNGFixed Turbex Generators, special atten-tion was given to these factors byAngus Fire. As a result a significantly

upgraded 316 stainless steel and gun-metal high performance 500:1 unitpassed this NFPA 11A fire exposure testby withstanding internal temperaturesof 1000°C before then operating per-fectly. The LPG 300:1 unit has beendesigned to withstand the same oner-ous conditions.

Clearly a fast acting foam propor-tioning system is also needed to mixExpandol foam concentrate into thewater supply which can often mean acomplex system of foam skids andremote induction, also designed andmanufactured by Angus Fire.

WHICH FOAM?

The choice of foam concentrate is alsoan important factor in optimising foamstability and expansion ratio, to gainmaximum effectiveness, whether forLNG/LPG fire control or LNG vapourdispersion systems. Lower quality con-centrates usually exhibit less stability as indicated by their relatively fasterdrainage times (the time taken for 25%of the water contained within a knownweight of foam bubbles to drain out).When the foam is more fluid with lessuniform bubble production, its effec-tiveness at fire control and reducingvapour concentrations above the foamblanket are significantly impaired.Increased frequency of ‘topping up’ willalso be required.

Many companies manufacture highexpansion foams but the high qualityconcentrates like Expandol, exhibitgreater stability, and when producedwith a uniform bubble size maintain asignificantly more stable foam layer.The vapours are therefore warmed and

dispersed more efficiently by this higherquality foam and Fixed Turbex gener-ating system. Such foam stability helpsto reduce the required foam top up rateto a minimum, thereby maintainingeffective control of fire or vapour dis-persion with minimal foam concentrateusage. This can also help reduce therate of ice build up at the LNG/LPGinterface.

CONCLUSIONS

This is a complex and quickly chang-ing hazard to protect, with the ever-present risk of a major explosion.

High expansion foam systems arethe most credible and preferredsolution to reducing the fire intens-ity with LNG/LPG hazards and thevapour dispersion risks associatedwith LNG. Knowledge and testwork in this area is limited, furtherwork is hampered by the extremelyhazardous nature of both LNG andLPG, the obvious reluctance from asafety standpoint in carrying outtest work and the costs involved inmonitoring any test spillages.

In addition to (and partly becauseof) these factors the amount of LPGand LNG expertise around theworld is concentrated within a feworganisations who have made asubstantial commitment to under-standing these problems and inves-tigating ways to overcome themwith effective solutions. Angus Fireand MW Kellogg are leaders whoare pleased to be involved at theforefront of this specialised firefighting technology.


19

Stainless Steel ducting directs Expandol foam into bund where it resists winddisturbance.

IFP P. 13-28 17/10/06 8:25 am Page 19


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New developments in voiceenhanced sounders, mean gassuppression systems no longer

have to rely on two separate soundersto alert occupants of impending gasrelease. There are now multi-messagevoice enhanced sounders available withspecial gas messages to broadcast 1st,2nd and 3rd stage gas alerts with ‘AllClear’. Confusion over signals can havefatal implications in gas systems andvoice sounder messaging is a simplelow cost solution to overcome thisproblem.

Vimpex have developed one of thelargest voice sounder families currentlyavailable and have helped to developthe application of voice enhancedsounders into the mature market oftoday.

Whilst conceived as a simple replace-ment for existing sounders, the currentgeneration of voice sounders canbroadcast up to four separate messageson just two wires, enabling the

retrofitting of Fire-Cryer® onto theexisting conventional sounder circuits.

Vimpex believes that use of voice-enhanced sounders mitigates thepotential confusion of the public onhearing an alarm. The thought –‘what’s that mean?’ – is avoided with

the simple unambiguous message ‘Fire,Fire. Please leave the building’. It leavesno-one in any doubt as to the meaningof the alarm. In general, the voicemessage is preceded by an attention-seeking signal.

Many thousands of voice soundershave been installed mostly in largersystems than originally envisaged. Butcan they reduce unwanted falsealarms? It is surprising how many timesthis question has been asked. Theanswer becomes quickly evident whenit is realised that additional messagescan be added to a voice sounder with-out the need for extra cabling, and thisprovides a tangible contribution in, atleast, mitigating the cost and distur-bance associated with nuisance alarms.

Tempting as it might be to producethe message ‘Please ignore this alarm –it is yet another false one’, a multi-message voice sounder can be switchedquickly (after establishing the status ofthe alarm) to ‘All Clear, All Clear, nofurther action required’ – if that is thecase. Message switching is achieved bya bespoke Voice Message Controller(VMC) or by interfacing the PCB adja-cent to or within the fire panel.

The message ‘This is a ‘Fire Test, noaction required’, used immediately priorto the regular testing of the alarm,


21

Pic courtesy of Vimpex Ltd

VoiceMessaging

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IFP P. 13-28 17/10/06 8:26 am Page 21

followed by ‘All Clear’ provides real communication withoffice staff, warehouse workers, hotel guests, university stu-dents, travellers, clubbers and shoppers and the like. Thesevoice sounders have been installed in many diverse projectsand there seems no limit to the demand for special messagesto suit specific project requirements.

Special messages which may be supplied via the Internet asan attachment in *.WAV file format. CD-ROM or tape formatis also acceptable but common ground rules should be fol-lowed. Principally it is advised that the message should beshort and precise, spoken with clear diction and even voicelevel. Standard library messages, which now run into hun-dreds, were recorded in a professional studio.

In many cases, providing agreement has been reached withthe specifying authorities, it may be desirable to confirm thestatus of an alarm before evacuation. Whether it is a systemplagued by malicious alarms or persistent false alarms, thevoice sounder can first transmit a coded staff signal andsimultaneously start a timing sequence. This ‘time out’ phasecan be selected at installation or later enacted if found to benecessary.

When the fire signal is received from the fire alarm panel,the default fire evacuation message is substituted by a codedstaff message and this will be continuously transmitted for aperiod selectable between 30 seconds and 8 minutes. Thisallows the fire warden or other responsible person to investi-gate the cause of the alarm. If the pre-selected phase ‘timesout’ the system will be immediately over-ridden by a secondalarm call or manually by the fire warden.

Gaseous extinguishing systems applicationThe most recent development for voice sounders is for usewith gaseous extinguishing systems. This follows the develop-ment of the software to enable compatibility with the func-tions of gaseous extinguishing systems.

Historically, the first stage of the ‘double knock’ triggeringapproach used in an extinguishing system was signalled by aparticular sounder or bell. This alert tone would continueuntil either reset or a second, i.e. ‘double knock’, signal was


2222



IFP P. 13-28 17/10/06 8:26 am Page 22

initiated. This would introduce a second sound with a differ-ent tone, either continuous or pulsing, for stages two andthree. This could be very confusing, even though everyonewithin the protected area should be trained and aware of theprocedures.

It is now possible to avoid any potential confusion byintroducing the voice sounder, whether in a new system orretrofitted. The messages explain exactly what is happening,for example:

First stage – ‘Gas release warning, please evacuate’Second stage – ‘Gas release imminent, evacuate now’Third stage – ‘Gas released do not enter’and, finally – ‘All clear, no further action required’

It is possible to offer countdown in real time but over-ridefunctions can be configured and are included as standard.

This is a new and vitally important step as lives may be atrisk especially where CO2 is installed.

It is now possible to include strobes together with voicesounders on the same circuit with the strobes being activatedonly in the evacuation mode. Additionally it is possible toactivate a different coloured strobe in conjunction with analert message. Activation is automatically prevented in the‘All Clear’ or ‘Fire Test’ modes.

Voice Sounders can also have a strobe module, that can beused to flash different coloured strobes at different stages ofthe extinguishing sequence, i.e. the first stage being the alert(amber), the second and third stages danger (red).


23

� Halon gas release imminent.Vacate area immediately.

� Carbon dioxide gas releaseimminent. Vacate areaimmediately.

� Extinguishant gas releaseimminent. Vacate areaimmediately.

� Extinguishant gas releaseimminent. Please evacuate thearea.

� Extinguishant gas systemdischarged.

� Extinguishant gas discharged.Do not enter.

� Toxic gas has been discharged.Evacuate the area immediately.

� Please evacuate the area. Toxicgas released. Toxic gasreleased.

� Excessive carbon monoxidelevels have been detected.Please leave the areaimmediately.

� Attention! Attention! Gasdetected. Please evacuate thearea.

� First stage extinguishant releasewarning.

� Second stage extinguishantrelease warning.

� Extinguishant release imminent.� Extinguishant released.� Please leave the room

immediately; gas releaseimminent.

� Please leave the room and closethe door.

� Gas release in 10 seconds.� Please leave the room and close

the door immediately.

� Gas release in 5 seconds.� Gas released; do not open the

door unless absolutely necessary.� Gas released.� Inergen gas discharge

imminent. Please evacuate thearea.

� Inergen gas system has beendischarged

� Inergen gas discharged. Do notenter.

� FM 200 gas dischargeimminent. Please evacuate thearea.

� FM 200 gas system has beendischarged.

� FM 200 gas discharged. Do notenter.

� Argonite gas dischargeimminent. Please evacuate thearea.

� Argonite gas system has beendischarged

� Argonite gas discharged. Donot enter

� FE-36 gas discharge imminent.Please evacuate the area.

� FE-36 gas system has beendischarged.

� FE-36 gas discharged. Do notenter.

� Pyrogen extinguishant gasrelease imminent. Vacate areaimmediately.

� Pyrogen extinguishant gasrelease imminent. Pleaseevacuate the area.

� Pyrogen extinguishant gassystem discharged.

� Pyrogen extinguishant gasdischarged. Do not enter.

Typical Voice Sounder Messages for GaseousExtinguishing Systems


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IFP P. 13-28 17/10/06 8:26 am Page 23


2424

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IFP P. 13-28 17/10/06 8:28 am Page 24

Personally, my thoughtson fire boards varydepending upon the sit-

uation and/or problem athand. For instance what boardover the last couple of yearshas had a significant influenceover the level of fire safety inthe UK’s buildings? My firstinclination in answer to thisquestion is to say the Fire Safety AdvisoryBoard.

During 2000 the UK’s Central FireBrigades Advisory Council (CFBAC) creat-ed the Fire Safety Advisory Board (FSAB)which has since become the nationalforum for the consideration of fire safetymatters. The FSAB provides a meetingplace for bringing together representa-tives from Central and Local Governmentwith those representing professionalassociations and business organisations.The remit of the FSAB is to allow thedevelopment of a truly national strategyfor ensuring the fire safety of society.Under the independent chairmanship ofPamela Castle the FSAB has proved to bean effective and influential body and haslooked at issues such as fire safety legis-lation, community fire safety, fire safetystandards and guidance, and the costs offires.

CFBAC is to be congratulated for itsforward thinking in the creation of theFSAB. However, a cloud hangs over thefuture of the FSAB and that particularcumulus is the ‘Report of the Indepen-dent Review of the Fire Service’ (alsoknown as the Bain Review). The Bain

Review’s proposals for future fire safetypolicy do not seem to allow for anyfuture advisory board to have any inputfrom industry (via trade associations orthe like) and in my opinion this will bedetrimental to the fire safety of the UKpublic and its buildings. It is to be hopedthat the current powers responsible fordetermining the future of the UK’s firesafety policy are as forward looking astheir predecessors and that they willallow the FSAB to continue to carry outits valuable work.

But, I hear you say, enough of the FSA‘Board’. What about the board productsthat are used for the passive fire protec-tion of structures? Well, essentiallyboards are used for two main types offire protection. Firstly, to provideenhanced fire resistance to the buildingstructure and secondly, as part of com-partmentation systems.

All common construction materialshave some natural resistance to fire. Con-crete is prone to spalling if exposed to ahigh degree of thermal shock, due to theresidual trapped water boiling and turn-ing to steam, which can cause crackingand explosive spalling in a fire situation.

Steel will hold the design load up to temperature of550/580°C, but will thensoften. Lower loads than thestipulated maximum will allowhigher failure temperatures,but the periods of timerequired for building stability

require insulation to be applied to holdback the ‘point of plasticity’. Timberburns or chars at a known rate. This isequivalent to 20mm in 30 minutes. It willignite at 350°C and the performance isquite predictable.

It is the function of passive fireprotection to provide insulation to these materials so as to enhance their fire performance. This applies mainly to steel, but concrete and timber can also be treated to enhance their fireperformance.

The original steel frames were fire pro-tected by casting them in concrete. Costwas a major problem and the growth ofthe passive fire protection industrystarted when alternative methods of pro-tecting steel became available. Thesemethods enabled the steel fabricators tocompete with concrete as a framingmedium, thus the share of the framingmarket enjoyed by steel increased. In themid 70’s steel was used for around 30%of buildings, this is now increased to over 70%.

For compartmentation the Englandand Wales Building Regulations state thatit should:


25

Pic courtesy of ASFP

Fire Boards:Influential and

Protective!

Fire Boards:

By Graham Ellicott, Chief Executive, Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF FIRST when you hear thephrase fire board, is it the foil faced stone wool product, agolden flaked vermiculite silicate slab, fire resistantplasterboard (drywall if you’re exercising the gray matterin North America) or the relentless greyness of calciumsilicate? Or do you think outside of the box and see anumber of influential people sitting around a table?

Influential andProtective!

IFP P. 13-28 17/10/06 8:28 am Page 25

� Subdivide buildings into areas ofmanageable risk

� Provide adequate means of escape� Provide fire separation between

adjacent/adjoining buildings.

The space separating elements such asfire board systems are tested for:

� Stability� Integrity� Insulation.

But it is not just sufficient to install afire resistive fire board compartmentationsystem as it will often need to be breachedso that services such as pipes and cabletrays may pass thorough. Such breachesneed to be properly sealed after the serviceshave been installed; otherwise the compart-mentation system will be severely flawed.

The actual words in the Building Reg-ulations, Approved Document B, section11.2 say: “If a fire separating element isto be effective, then every joint, orimperfection of fit, or opening to allowservices to pass through the element,should be adequately protected by seal-ing or fire stopping so that the fire resis-tance of the element is not impaired”.

Under the heading of ‘Fire-stopping’,section 11.12 adds a requirement that:

Joints between fire separating ele-ments should be fire stopped; and allopenings for pipes, ducts, conduits orcables to pass through any part of a fireseparating element should be:

� kept as few in number as possible and� kept as small as practical� fire-stopped (which in the case of a

pipe or duct, should allow for thermalmovement).

A major threat occurs in many build-ings, where concealed cavities betweenfire separating elements are interlinked. Itis therefore essential that all openingsand gaps are fire-stopped to restrict lat-eral and vertical fire spread and achievethe required level of containment.

In practice, penetration seals will beattached to fixed elements of a structuresuch as walls or floors. The effects ofexpansion, contraction and deflection ofthese elements will also need to be con-sidered, in order to fully evaluate the fireperformance of the penetration seal. Themajority of lightweight barrier constructionstend to bow towards the fire, as the sideexposed to the fire expands more than theunexposed face. Adequate provision needsto be made for the relative movement of thebarrier to the penetration seal, in order tomaintain integrity for the required period.

Fire boards for structural or compart-mentation use can be made up ofanything from gypsum-based plasters or

calcium silicate, through fibres andspecialist vermiculite containing materi-als. ‘Soft boards’ are sometimes fixed,with special corkscrew like screws, or byimpaling onto proprietary clips.

In general, these boards protect thestructure in the event of a fire via the‘cooling’ effect of any residual water;once this has all boiled away the boardacts as an insulator.

Services can obviously be fitted behindthe boards and it also follows that wheneverthese services are maintained the fire pro-tection has to be removed to gain access tothem. Afterwards the passive fire protectionwill need to be refitted in line with the offi-cial requirements. The boards are oftenuntreated when not in public view, but canbe decorated for aesthetic reasons.

It is strongly recommended that fireboard systems and indeed any passive fireprotection system be installed by a thirdparty accredited applicator.

Once installed what should the clientlook for to make sure that the job has beencarried out correctly? Firstly, he or sheshould request a copy of the fire protectioninstaller’s working drawings. These showthe type and thickness required of structur-al fire protection and type of compartmen-tation/penetration system. If they are notavailable ask the installer to provide copies;if he is unable to provide them, then theinspector should ask why not? Does thefirm intend to install the same rating ofproduct everywhere? If drawings are avail-able check the type of fire protection andsee if this agrees with the manufacturer’sliterature and does it fulfil the needs ofApproved Document B of the Building Reg-ulations. If there is any doubt, and on anylarge job, call in the manufacturer’s repre-sentatives and get their views on the appro-priateness of the proposed installation.


2626

Pic courtesy of ASFP

It is strongly recommended that fireboard systems and indeed anypassive fire protection system beinstalled by a third party accreditedapplicator.

In particular board systems for struc-tural steel may have different fixingsystems for different ratings and theinspector should make sure that theappropriate one is being used. Itshould be ensured that all fixings areinstalled at the appropriate centres andif noggins are required the inspectorshould determine if they need adhesive,or if friction fitting is sufficient.Board systems for compartmentationshould be inspected to ensure thatappropriate framing system has beencorrectly installed and that any servicepenetrations have been properly sealed.My final thought on fire boards is thatthose containing people should beproperly constituted and led and thatfire board products be correctlyinstalled. If this happens, then the UKshould be a safer place with regard to fire.

IFP P. 13-28 17/10/06 8:29 am Page 26


27

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IFP P. 13-28 17/10/06 8:29 am Page 27

The dynamic new solution

Zero ozone depleting potential

Atmospheric lifetime of less than 5 days

Insignificant global warming potential

Safe for occupied areas

Replaces existing halon systems

Requires minimal storage space

Tests and Listings under way

Contact us for information about Hygood Fire Protection Systems:Macron Safety Products (UK) Ltd. Fireater House, South Denes Road, Gt. Yarmouth, Norfolk NR30 3PJ. Tel: 01493 859822 Fax: 01493 858374 Email: [email protected]

Novec™1230 is a registered trademark of 3M Company

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Enquiries: www.macron-safety.com

IFP P. 13-28 17/10/06 8:30 am Page 28

HALON OUT...CLEAN AGENTS IN

For over 30 years Halon 1301 hasserved as a nearly ideal fire sup-pression agent. However, due to

its implication in the destruction ofstratospheric ozone, the Montreal Pro-tocol of 1987 identified Halon 1301 asone of numerous compounds requiringlimitations of use and production, andan amendment to the original Protocolresulted in the halting of Halon 1301production on January 1, 1994.

Today the installation of Halon 1301suppression systems is a rare occurrence,limited to specifically defined “essential”uses, primarily within the aviation andmilitary sectors. In most cases these sys-tems employ reclaimed and recycledHalon 1301 due to the ban on the pro-duction of new Halon 1301.

In addition to the almost worldwide

production ban on Halon 1301, numer-ous countries have taken steps tomandate the removal of Halon 1301suppression systems. The completeremoval of Halon 1301 systems, withthe exception of a small number ofsystems involving essential use appli-cations, has already been accomplishedin Germany and Australia. Canada has implemented a Halon 1301 phaseout plan, whereby starting in 2010 norefills of fixed Halon systems will beallowed.

The current and future use of Halon1301 within the European Communityis governed by EC Regulation2037/2000. Critical uses for Halon1301 which will be permitted includeaircraft applications (crew compart-ments, engine nacelles, cargo and drybays), military applications (enginecompartments and occupied spaces in

vehicles and vessels), and specializedinerting applications (Channel Tunnel,facilities processing radioactive mater-ials, communication and commandcenters essential for national security).

EC Regulation 2037/2000 also setsthe dates for the decommissioning ofnon-critical Halon 1301 systems. Thesale and servicing of halon systemswith virgin halon within the EC hasbeen banned since 1 October 2000. AllHalon 1301 units not listed as criticalmust be decommissioned by 31 Decem-ber 2003.

With the growing demise of Halon1301, the need for alternative systems


29

Pic courtesy of Hughes & Associates, Inc.

Recent Developments in Clean Agents and Clean AgentSystems By Mark L. Robin and Jason Ouellette,

Hughes Associates, Inc.

Recent Developments in Clean Agents and Clean AgentSystemsSINCE THE TIME OF OUR REVIEW OF LAST YEAR (International FireProtection Magazine, May 2002) a number of new developments haveoccurred which impact the clean agent marketplace. These recentdevelopments include the continuing decommissioning of Halon 1301systems worldwide, the introduction of new clean agents, the withdrawal ofseveral clean agents from the marketplace, the introduction of newsuppression system designs, and a number of proposed changes to thenational and international standards governing the use of clean agent firesuppression systems.

Pic courtesy of Hughes & Associates, Inc.

IFP P. 29-44 16/10/06 1:22 pm Page 29

is growing, and it is expected that alarge portion of this market will be sat-isfied through the use of the cleanagents.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

In response to the ban on Halon 1301manufacture, the fire suppressionindustry has developed a number ofenvironmentally-friendly alternativeclean agents for total flooding applica-tions. In the past year, two new agentshave been introduced to the cleanagent marketplace, NAF S 125® andNovecTM 1230.

NAF S 125® is the trade name for amixture of pentafluoroethane with D-limonene, marketed by Safety Hi-TechServices (SHT), a division of Safety Hi-Tech Srl. Pentafluoroethane is ahydrofluorocarbon (HFC), commonlydesignated as HFC-125. D-limonene isa naturally occurring substance, alsoknown by the chemical name 4-iso-propenyl-1-methylcyclohexene, and isthe main component of citrus peel oil.The presence of D-limonene in theextinguishing mixture serves to reducethe amount of acidic compounds(hydrofluoric acid) formed during fire

suppression from the decomposition ofthe HFC-125 component. NAF S 125TM

systems are currently being marketed inboth low pressure (360 psig superpres-surization with nitrogen) and highpressure (600 psig superpressurizationwith nitrogen) versions. The ozonedepletion potential (ODP) of NAF S125® is a zero, and its global warmingpotential (GWP) is 3400 (for a 100 yeartime horizon).

NovecTM 1230 is the trade name for the fluorinated ketone1,1,1,2,2,4,5,5,5-Nonafluoro-4-(trifluoromethyl)-

3-pentanone, marketed by 3M. Chemi-cally, NovecTM 1230 belongs to theclass of perfluorinated ketones, ortotally fluorinated ketones. As a mem-ber of the ketone family, the NovecTM

1230 molecule contains a carbonyl(C=O) group within its molecular struc-ture. The presence of this particular“functional group” as it is referred toby chemists, imparts two properties tothe Novec 1230TM molecule which areabsent in the hydrofluorocarbon (HFC)type agents: chemical and photolytic(light) reactivity. Due to its photolyticreactivity, NovecTM 1230 is rapidlyremoved from the troposphere viaphotolysis, i.e., NovecTM 1230 is rapidlydecomposed by interaction with theultraviolet radiation from the sun. As aresult, the atmospheric lifetime andGWP of the agent are low: 3M hasreported an atmospheric lifetime ofapproximately five days, and a GWP of1. NovecTM 1230 contains no bromineor chlorine, and hence it has an ODP ofzero.

A total of three clean agents havebeen voluntarily removed from themarketplace by their manufacturerswithin the last year. At the recentmeeting of the ISO TC/21/SC 8 sub-committee in New Orleans in Septem-ber 2002, the subcommittee agreed toeliminate the agents octafluoropropane


3030

Pic courtesy of Ginge-Kerr Danmark A/S

Table 1. Commercially Available Clean Agents

Tradename Manufacturer Chemical Formula Contact Information

FM-200 Great Lakes Chemical CF3CHFCF3 www.fm-200.comFE-227 Du Pont CF3CHFCF3 www.dupont.com/fireFE-125 Du Pont CF3CF2H www.dupont.com/fireFE-13 Du Pont CF3H www.dupont.com/fireFE-36 Du Pont CF3CH2CF3 www.dupont.com/fireTriodide Ajay North America CF3I www.CF3I.comNAF S 125 Safety Hi-Tech, Srl CF3CF2H

0.1% D-limonene www.safetyhitech.comNAF S III Safety Hi-Tech 4.75% CF3CHCl2

82% CF2HCl 9.5% CF3CHFCl 3.75% D-limonene www.safetyhitech.com

Novec 1230 3M CF3CF2C(O)CF(CF3)2 www.3m.comArgotec Minimax GmbH Ar www.minimax.comN100 Koatsu N2 www.koatsu.co.jpArgonite Ginge-Kerr 50% N2

50% Ar www.ginge-kerr.comInergen Ansul 52% N2

40% Ar 8% CO2 www.ansul.com

Recent Developments in Clean Agents and Clean AgentSystems


IFP P. 29-44 16/10/06 1:22 pm Page 30

There are plenty of reasons to use

Novec 1230 fluid from 3M.

He’s just one.

Introducing 3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid—the new standard for halon replacement. Protect what

matters most with Novec 1230 fluid. It’s the long-term, sustainable clean agent that has the greatest margin of safety

of halon replacements. Ideal for use in occupied spaces, it protects high-value assets, has zero ozone depletion

potential, a global warming potential of one and a five-day atmospheric lifetime. Novec 1230 fluid not only meets

today’s regulations but those of the foreseeable future. It is easy to handle and store, and is available for use in

streaming and flooding applications. To view or download product information, visit our Web site at

www.3m.com/novec1230fluid. Or call 800-632-2304 in the U.S. or 32 3 250 7874 in Europe. Created for life.

98-0212-2616-6 3iEnquiries: www.3m.com/novec1230fluid

IFP P. 29-44 16/10/06 1:22 pm Page 31

(CF3CF2CF3, FC-2-1-8, 3M), n-decaflu-orobutane (CF3CF2CF2CF3, FC-3-1-10,3M), and chloro-tetrafluoroethane(CF3CHFCl, HCFC-124, Du Pont) fromthe ISO 14520 standard.

Table 1 lists the clean agent fireextinguishants which are currentlycommercially available. The clean agent

marketplace is currently dominated bytwo agents: FM-200® and Inergen®;FM-200® has an estimated 100,000installations in more than 70 countriesworldwide. Clean agents are employedin a myriad of applications, includingpleasure boats, marine and military ves-sels, flight simulators, medical facilities,cellular sites, internet service provider(ISP) centers, TV and radio controlrooms, microwave relay towers, ane-choic rest chambers, clean rooms, flam-mable liquid storage areas, art galleries,libraries and museums. Worldwide,numerous high value items are protect-ed by clean agent systems. FM-200®suppression systems protect the electri-

cal systems of the Eiffel Tower, the firstdraft of the Declaration of Indepen-dence, and protected the Star SpangledBanner during its recent restoration.FE-125 suppression systems protect theengine nacelles of the U.S. Navy F/A-18E/C and V-22 aircraft. FE-13 systemsare employed in inerting applicationson the North slope, and Inergen® sys-tems protect a copy of the Gettysburgaddress.

NEW CLEAN AGENT SYSTEM DESIGNS

In addition to the introduction of newagents, the past year has also seen the introduction of new suppressionsystem designs into the clean agentmarketplace.

Kidde-Fenwal has recently intro-duced its Advanced Delivery System(ADS), which employs FM-200® as thefire suppression agent. The ADS systemutilizes a “piston-flow” design in whichnitrogen gas is used to “push” liquidFM-200® through a pipe network.Nitrogen and FM-200® are stored inseparate cylinders, connected throughthe appropriate hoses and control hard-ware. Upon activation of the system,nitrogen flows into the headspace ofthe FM-200 cylinder, “pushing” theFM-200® through the cylinder dip tube and through the system pipingnetwork.

The ADS system offers several advan-tages compared to “traditional” FM-200® systems, which employ liquidFM-200® superpressurized with nitrogen


3232

Pic courtesy of Ginge-Kerr Danmark A/S



Enquiries: www.halotron-inc.com

Distributed By:

Amerex Corporation Badger Fire ProtectionTrussville, Alabama, USA Charlottesville, Virginia, USA205-655-3271 • Fax 205-655-3279 800-446-3857 • Fax 434-973-1589Web Site: http://www.amerex-fire.com Web Site: http://www.badgerfire.com

Buckeye Fire Equipment Co. Kidde SafetyKings Mountain, North Carolina, USA Mebane, North Carolina, USA704-739-7415 • Fax 704-739-7418 800-654-9677 • Fax 800-547-2111Web Site: http://www.buckeyef.com Web Site: http://www.kidde.com

65 lb. (29.5 kg) and 150 lb. (68 kg)UL Listed Wheeled Units

are also available

American Pacific Corporation, Halotron DivisionLAS VEGAS, NEVADA /CEDAR CITY, UTAH, USA

702-735-2200 • FAX 702-735-4876WEB: halotron-inc.com • E-MAIL: [email protected]

• U.S. FAAApproved for AirportFire Fighting (Cert Alert 95-03).

• Installed in 200-500 Lb. Systems at more than 43 U.S. International Airports.

• Complete Line of High Performance UL Listed A, B, C ratedportables from four U.S. Manufacturers.

• Available in High Performance UL Listed Wheeled Units 65Lbs. (29.5 kg) - 150 Lbs. (68 kg).

• Available from Distributors outside the U.S. including:Matafuegos Donny (Argentina); PT Chubb Lips (Indonesia);Palmer Asia (Philippines); Lingjack (Singapore) and KoreanPacific Corporation (Korea).

BUCKEYE150 lb. HALOTRON I™

BUCKEYE65 lb. HALOTRON I™

HALOTRON™ I

IFP P. 29-44 16/10/06 1:22 pm Page 32

Halon phase out - EC regulation 2037/2000prohibits use of halons.

Argonite® Fire Extinguishing System

Since the early 90’ties Ginge-Kerr Danmark has developed Argonite systems available as 150 bar and 200 bar. In 2000 we launched the 300 bar Argonite system, based on a new valve concept which comply with the Pressure Equipment Directory(PED) and the Transport Pressure Equipment Directory (TPED).

The Argonite system is an environmentally friendly alternative toHalon, tested and approved by regulatory bodies throughout theworld.

Argonite‚ inert gassystems

� Fast acting and effectiveagainst all fire hazards

� Safe for occupied areas� Environmental neutral -

zero ODP, zero GWP andzero atmospheric life time

� No post-fire residues ordamage to protected equipment

� Available throughout theworld

Ginge-Kerr Danmark A/S · Stamholmen 111, DK-2650 HvidovreTel: +45 36 77 11 31 · Fax: +45 36 77 22 31E-mail: [email protected] · www.argonite.com

Argonite fire extinguishing system is engineered for single roomprotection or central bank system for protection of as many roomas required, hence Argonite may be transported +300 meters.Do not waste time - check your local distributor on www.ginge-kerr.com

Argonite a safe and environmental friendly choice.

Ginge-Kerr Danmark A/S

Enquiries: www.argonite.com

IFP P. 29-44 16/10/06 1:22 pm Page 33

(i.e., nitrogen and FM-200® are in thesame cylinder). The ADS system enablesgreatly improved mass flow rates to beobtained, and also results in highersustained average cylinder pressures.This allows the use of longer and morecomplex pipe distributions, as well asthe use of smaller diameter pipework.According to Kidde-Fenwal, the use ofthe ADS system allows pipe distances ofup to three times the normal pipelength for an FM-200® system to beeasily achieved. The ability to usesmaller diameter piping and longer piperuns is essential when retrofitting exist-ing Halon 1301 systems, and the ADSsystems can be an effective retrofitsolution for existing Halon 1301systems. The ADS systems are both ULlisted and FM approved.

Fike Corporation has recently intro-duced its ECARO-25TM clean agent firesuppression systems in Europe as wellas in the United States. “ECARO”stands for Extinguishing Clean AgentRetrofit Option, and the Fike ECARO-25TM systems employ Du Pont FE-25fire extinguishing agent. The ECARO-25TM systems are also marketed asretrofit solutions for existing Halon1301 systems. ECARO-25TM systems areFM approved.

The inert gas clean agent manufac-turers have also introduced systemchanges within the past year, and both

lower and higher pressure systems haveentered into the clean agent market-place. The use of lower pressuresystems is aimed at the retrofit marketto allow utilization of existing Halon1301 pipework where appropriate. Theuse of higher pressure systems increasescylinder capacity and hence reducescylinder storage requirements.

CLEAN AGENT STANDARDS

ISO 14520, Gaseous Fire ExtinguishingSystems: Physical Properties and Sys-tem Design, specifies requirements andgives recommendations for the design,installation, testing, maintenance andsafety of clean agent systems. Thestandard is comprised of part 1 cover-ing general requirements, and parts 2through 15 covering agent-specificrequirements. The current version ofISO 14520 is the first edition, publishedin August of 2000.

Recent developments related to ISO14520 result from the recent meetingof the ISO TC/21/SC 8 subcommittee inNew Orleans in September 2002, wherea number of proposals were approvedby the subcommittee.

The ISO TC/21/SC 8 subcommitteeagreed to the addition of two newagents to the ISO 14520 standard: NAF S 125TM and NovecTM 1230,discussed above. Three agents wereeliminated from the standard: FC-2-1-8,FC-3-1-10, and HCFC-124.

The subcommittee agreed to allowagent exposure limits for the HFC cleanagents to be based upon the PBPKmodel. The PBPK (physiologically basedpharmacokinetics) model represents animprovement over the cardiac sensitiza-tion NOAEL/LOAEL approach previouslyemployed to set exposure limits. Theend result of the acceptance of thePBPK model is an increase in the maxi-mum design concentrations allowed forHFC clean agents in normally occupiedenclosures. Under the current proposal,design concentrations up to the cardiacLOAEL level would be allowed in nor-mally occupied areas.

The subcommittee also accepted newfire test data for the clean agents.Extinguishing concentrations weredetermined according to the currentprocedures described in ISO 14520-1,first edition, Annex C. The data wereproduced by third party laboratories,and will serve as the basis for agentdesign concentrations in future additions


3434

Table 2. Fire Test Data for Clean Agents: Extinguishing Concentrations, % v/v

Agent Test Heptane Heptane Wood Crib Laboratory Cup Burner Pan Fire Fire

FM-200/FE227 HAI 6.7 6.9 4.9FE-125a HAI 9.3 9.3 6.7FE-13 HAI 12.6 12.3 10.5FE-36 HAI 6.5 7.5 5.0Triodide HAI 3.5 3.5 3.5NAF S 125b VdS/HAE 9.2 8.7 7.5NAF S III HAE 10.0 9.9 6.0Novec 1230 UL NA 4.4 3.4Argotec VdS 39.2 33.7 30.7N100 NMRI 33.6 33.6 30.0Argonite DIFT/FM 37.8 30.2 28.7Inergen UL 31.7 29.6 28.2

a 360 psig system; b 600 psig system; HAI = Hughes Associates, Inc.; HAE = Hughes Associates Europe; UL = Underwriters Laboratories; NMRI = National Maritime Research Institute of Japan; DIFT = Danish Institute of Fire Technology; FM = Factory Mutual

The ability to use smaller diameterpiping and longer pipe runs isessential when retrofitting existingHalon 1301 systems, and the ADS systems can be an effective retrofit solution for existing Halon1301 systems.



IFP P. 29-44 16/10/06 1:22 pm Page 34

of ISO 14520. Table 2 shows the newfire test data.

Additional changes to the ISO 14520standard accepted by the subcommitteeincluded the acceptance of a plasticssheet fire test. The test procedure is simi-lar to the plastic sheet tests of UL 2166and UL 2127 and will serve as one of thebases for the determination of Class Adesign concentrations under future ISO14520 editions. The cup burner proce-dure described in Annex B of ISO 14520has also been altered to eliminate thetesting of heated fuels and to eliminatethe determination of the cup burnerextinguishing concentration at airflowsother than 40L/minute.

NFPA 2001 Standard for Clean AgentFire Extinguishing Systems, also speci-fies the minimum requirements forclean agent systems; the current ver-sion of NFPA 2001 is the 2000 Edition.Two items have recently been proposedfor inclusion in future editions of theNFPA 2001 Standard.

The NFPA 2001 Technical Committeehas accepted the addition of a newagent, NovecTM 1230, described above.

In addition, the NFPA 2001 Technical

Committee has accepted a proposal toallow increases in the allowable designconcentrations of HFC agents in nor-mally occupied areas. Maximum allow-able design concentrations would bebased upon the results of PBPK calcu-lations. Under the current proposal,design concentrations for HFC agentsin normally occupied areas would beallowed to exceed the cardiac LOAELlevel, as long as the design concentra-tion is deemed safe for a 5 minuteexposure by PBPK calculations.

CONCLUSION

The manufacturers of clean agents andclean agent systems continue to makeavailable to the marketplace innovativesuppression systems which avoid theenvironmental problems associatedwith Halon, through the introductionof both new agents and new systemdesigns. Despite the ban and inevitabledisappearance of Halon 1301, theavailability of these clean agent systemsensures that businesses worldwide willcontinue to have the ability to protectcritical equipment and assets. At thesame time, the national and interna-

tional standards governing the designand use of the clean agents are being constantly updated to ensuretheir inclusion of the latest technol-ogies. As the mandated removal ofHalon in the EC continues, and as thepressure to reduce dependency onozone depleting substances increasesworldwide, the clean agents will take on an increasingly important role in the solution of global environmentalproblems.


35

Mark L. Robin – author


IFP P. 29-44 16/10/06 1:22 pm Page 35

URO ST TI ASI NV D - I N

3 I0 N

0 T2 E

RO

NP

AX TE IOE NRI AF L

Protecting Life and Propertywhile respecting the environment

The Total SolutionThe Total Solution

HALON REPLACEMENT

FE-13™SAFE, FLEXIBLE CLEAN AGENTLPCB, VdS, CNPP & VNIIPO Approved

HFC-227eaA WIDE FIELD OF APPLICATIONLPCB Approved

The Demand to replace is now firmly set into the diary.After December 2002 if discharged, Halon 1301 cannot be refilled.

After December 2003, Halon 1301 will be a banned substance.

The costs for removal and legitimate disposal are increasing as Halon removal increases, don’t wait until its too late! Contact us now.

LPG FRANCE Tel. +33 1 34219388 [email protected]

LPG PORTUGAL Tel. +351 21 9751322/3 [email protected]

HEAD OFFICE Mestre Joan Corrales, 107-109 - 08950 Esplugues de Llobregat (Barcelona) - SPAIN Tel. +34 93 4802933 Fax: +34 93 4737492 [email protected] www.lpg.es

LPG FIRE Ltd. Tel. +44 1670 739966 [email protected]

LPG AMÉRICA LATINA Tel. +598 2 6227840 [email protected]

Products certified by:

LPG ARGOGEN ARGON (IG-01) 200&300 bar®

THE NATURAL EXTINGUISHANT LPCB, VdS & VNIIPO Approved

AQUAFOG WATER MIST®

EXTINGUISHING USING THE STRENGTH OF WATERSuccesfully fire tested and witnessed by VdS

Certified company: ISO9001 ISO9002

TÉCNICAS EN EXTINCIÓNDE INCENDIOS, S.A.

TÉCNICAS EN EXTINCIÓNDE INCENDIOS, S.A.

VdS

CO2

PROVEN TECHNOLOGY VdS & VNIIPO Approved. Weighing Device available

®NAF S 125 / HFC-125EFFICIENT ALTERNATIVE TO HALON 1301LPCB Approved

LPG TÜRKiYE Tel. + 90 216 4821831 [email protected]

19-20 May

NEC Birmingham

Stand F20


IFP P. 29-44 16/10/06 1:22 pm Page 36

Should we still be mindful of thelessons of The Great Fire after allthis time? Or, can we automati-

cally assume that the principles arefully absorbed within modern firesafety building concepts and practice?The cause of the fire was essentiallycarelessness, but accidents do happen.The extent of destruction was basicallydown to the extreme ease with whichfire could jump from building to build-ing, plus the combustibility of buildingmaterials. Houses were crammed nextto each other within the city walls;construction materials – timber, pitchand thatch – were readily set alight andnot easily extinguished by the primitivehand operated pumps of the time. Thesmoke detection and alarm system ofthe time was based only on human and

animal senses. An organised fire fight-ing service didn’t exist; and there wasno concept of community fire safety.

Within an integrated strategy for firecontainment, it’s easy to forget that itisn’t only the measures taken withinthe building that count. As the occur-rence of The Great Fire of London

effectively illustrates, the prevention offire spread from building to building isalso fundamentally important. In thisrespect, building design, building mate-rials, and town planning are importantcontributors to the mix of elementsthat go to make an effective fire pro-tection strategy for built up areas. Ide-ally, we should isolate buildings with agood separation distance betweenneighbours, but that isn’t always pos-sible where street layouts are morefrequently decided by history andexpediency than by judicious planningwith fire safety in mind.


37

Fire-resistant façade glazing withPilkington Pyrostop™ for 90 minutes’insulation and integrity in an officebuilding in Berlin

1666 and allthat …

By Mike Wood

1666 and allthat …

EARLY ON SUNDAY MORNING 2ND SEPTEMBER 1666, THOMASFARYNOR, baker to His Majesty Charles II, had no inkling as he woke up thathe would be responsible for one of the most significant events in the history ofLondon, nor that hundreds of years later he would feature in an article on fireprotection. The Great Fire of London started in Thomas’ bakery in PuddingLane and quickly spread from building to building across the whole City.Within 5 days the city had been substantially reduced to ashes: 13,200houses and 87 churches destroyed, an area one and a half miles by half amile totally levelled.

Within an integrated strategy for fire containment, it’s easy to forgetthat it isn’t only the measures takenwithin the building that count.

IFP P. 29-44 16/10/06 1:22 pm Page 37

The solution to build in brick orstone, cover roofs in slate or tile, andavoid combustible claddings would beeasy. The only problem with opaquebrick construction is that we don’t taketoo well to living and working inenclosed, dark and airless boxes. That’swhere glazing comes in: we need nat-ural lighting, ventilation and all roundvision together with weather protec-tion. Unfortunately, when it comes tofire protection the glazing isn’t alwaysan ally. Once fire has taken hold and isfully developed then the fire’s progressis dictated by the availability of oxygen.In a fire, glazing can become anexternal opening with a potentiallysignificant impact, under certain cir-cumstances, on fire growth and devel-opment. The size, shape, position andnumber of glazings can all be influen-tial in terms of burning intensity, com-partment fire temperatures, externalflame shape and length. Adjacent

buildings and adjoining floors cancome under threat from flame breakout and radiant heat transmittedthrough the opening.

Normal annealed window glass can’tin any respect be called fire resistant. Itbreaks relatively early, generally withinfive minutes. The cause can be eitherthermal shock from heat or flames, orthermal stress if a temperature gradientof something like 100°C exists frompane centre to edge. Double glazingdoesn’t offer significantly better per-formance. Glass also starts to soften attemperatures increasingly above 600°C,which is fully within the range of adeveloped fire. Temperature might notbe the only factor. Pressure increasewithin the fire enclosure caused byexpansion of the hot gases and heatedair may also have an influence in glaz-ing failure, as damage to domestichouses in Australian bush fires recentlytestify.

A community-conscious fire safetystrategy therefore calls for the applica-tion of fire-resistant glazing in facades.Despite the inherently non-fire resis-tance of window glass, very effectivefire-resistant glazing is readily available.How can glass be made fire resistant?Varied solutions have been developedthrough different technologies. First iswired glass, introduced as long ago as1895 and still the most widely usedfire-resistant glass. Wired glass, such asPilkington Pyroshield, contains the wirewithin the body of the glass to holdthe glazing together even when ther-mal shock cracking occurs. It’s still avery effective integrity glass whenproperly framed, holding together tokeep back flames and smoke. Anotherapproach is to use specially strengthened


3838

Fire-resistant façade glazing with Pilkington Pyrodur™ for 30 minutes’ integrity in ahospital in Berlin

In a fire, glazing can become anexternal opening with a potentiallysignificant impact, under certaincircumstances, on fire growth anddevelopment.

Pic courtesy of Pilkington


IFP P. 29-44 16/10/06 1:22 pm Page 38

Burning Questions,

Brilliant Solutions

Pilkington Pyrostop™

Pilkington Pyrodur™

For more than twenty years, fire-resistant glazings from thePilkington Group have been used in buildings. Our projectexperience provides today’s architects with almost limitlessdesign opportunities for all glazed interior structures, facadesand roof constructions that must fulfil fire-safety functions.

A unique selection of glass types and systems, tested and ap-proved with Pilkington Pyrostop™ and Pilkington Pyrodur™,allows individual solutions for constructions with the mostvaried requirements. Make use of this planning confidenceand freedom of design for transparent fire protection!

For further information please contact: Pilkington plc., Processing and MerchantingPrescot Road St. Helens, Merseyside WA10 3TT Phone: 01744-692000 Fax: 01744-613049Internet: www.pilkington.comPlease quote FD1CIR Enquiries: [email protected]

IFP P. 29-44 16/10/06 1:22 pm Page 39

glass, such as special toughened fire-resistant glazing. Special toughened,however, isn’t a fail-safe product. Itneeds special framing and glazing con-ditions. Even though stronger thanannealed window glass, special tough-ened can still fail under sufficientlyintense thermal shock or thermal gradi-ents (typically 300°C). Failure of specialtoughened, should it occur, is cata-strophic, creating a hole where theglass used to be. Special toughenedfire-resistant glazing therefore has tobe specified and used very carefully.More reliable resistance can beobtained from toughened borosilicate,which has a better chance of survivingthermal stress because of the relatively

low thermal expansion of this type ofglass. Glass ceramic with near zerothermal expansion is even more effec-tive in thermal shock situations (butimpact shock is another story). All thesetypes are integrity glazings. Theyremain transparent and therefore allowthrough significant amounts of radiantheat, even if heat-reflecting coatingsare used on the glass.

The only way to achieve integrity andrestriction of transmitted heat is to usea fire-resistant glass that reacts to heatwith the formation of an insulating,heat absorbing layer. If the effectiveelimination of transmitted radiant heatis the goal then use a fire-resistant glasswith such an interlayer. Two approachesexist. One is based on a high water con-tent gel, cast between two toughenedglass panes. The other is based on aspecial dried interlayer laminatedbetween sheets of normal annealedglass, the same glass that on its ownwould break within a few minutes in afire. Such a laminated glass is Pilking-ton Pyrostop and Pilkington Pyrodur. Inthe event of fire, the interlayer expandsand foams to form an opaque insulat-ing barrier. It blocks out the fire,absorbs the heat and bonds the wholelaminated structure together to give aresilient barrier to both heat and flame.Reaction of the interlayer effectivelytransforms a transparent glass into anopaque firewall. Achievable test timesfor Pilkington Pyrostop under standardtest conditions are 30, 60, 90, 120, andeven 180 minutes (in an appropriateframe). For the fire fighter the transfor-mation of the interlayer is a sure indica-tor of the immediate presence of fire onthe other side of the glazing.

Glass has become such a distinctivefeature of modern building designbecause it uniquely offers a tremen-dous combination of performance,

function, aesthetics and environmentalvalue. The evidence is all around us. Inaddition to its wide range of perfor-mance benefits (e.g. thermal insulation,solar control, security, impact protec-tion, colour and decoration) glass infacades in all its possible variants andcombinations adds external visualimpact and style to modern architec-ture. Added to these benefits is reduc-tion in the risk of fire spread to thesurroundings via the façade. Even astrategy that employs just sections ofsuch fire-resistant glazing at criticallocations can be an effective part of anintegrated fire safety strategy. Typicalapplications can be glazing panelseither side of external re-entrant cor-ners, around exits, in roof lights andadjacent glazings looking on to flatroofs, glazings and doors looking outon to external fire escapes, groundfloor glazings adjacent to externalescape ways, and glass walls where theseparation with a facing building givesa risk of fire movement from one build-ing to another. In all cases, the fire-resistant glass has to be used within afire-resistant system, which includesmost importantly the frame and theglazing materials.


4040


Fire-resistant façade glazing withPilkington Pyrodur™ for 30 minutes’integrity in the Finnish Embassy, Berlin

Given the modern adaptability offire-resistant glazing, there is noreason why design flexibility has tobe compromised by concerns aboutfire transfer from building to build-ing through the external glazing.Under modern day pressures it’ssometimes forgotten, but façadefire-resistant glazing has a specificrole to play within a mix of otherelements that go together to form acomprehensive fire protection strat-egy. If nothing else, history servesto remind us.

The only way to achieve integrityand restriction of transmitted heatis to use a fire-resistant glass thatreacts to heat with the formationof an insulating, heat absorbinglayer.

IFP P. 29-44 16/10/06 1:22 pm Page 40

Enquiries:www.vetrotech.com

IFP P. 29-44 16/10/06 1:22 pm Page 41

Research and development LPG is one of the European leaders inengineering development for Halonreplacement extinguishing agents, in-vesting 5% of its annual turnover inresearch and development. Its employeesand collaborators are active members ofthe industries main associations andorganizations; CEN, EUROFEU, ISO,NFPA and IWMA. LPG also participatesin sector professional associations ineach country where it takes an activepart, such as the BFPSA in England.LPG facilities include real fire test fixedrooms of 150 and 30m3 capacity respec-tively, they are adaptable to specificdimensions for special tests These facili-ties together with the technical equip-ment available allow LPG to performdifferent tests and studies, such as:� Discharge at real scale with different

types of nozzles, ducts, cylinders and filling densities. Discharge timecalculations.

� Calculation for extinguishing agentconcentrations used in differentclasses of fires and types of materials.

� Comparative studies of extinguishmenteffectiveness among several agents.

� Water mist specific protection designs.� Development of computer programmes

for hydraulic system calculations.

LPG has its Research and Develop-ment capacity at the service of its cus-tomers and the industry as a whole. As aresult of such collaboration, LPG hasdeveloped, among other products, thefollowing:� ARGON (IG-01). 200 & 300 bar inert

gas extinguishing system. Highly effi-cient and 100% ecological.

� WATER MIST. High-pressure microwater drops fire extinguishing and/orcontrol System. 100% ecological.

� Water Mist Specific Applications forthe protection of KITCHEN HOODSAND MECHANICAL ESCALATORS.

� INTELLIGENT WEIGHING SYSTEM.For continuous control of conditionof cylinder charge in liquidised gassystems.

� VALVES. Valves designed and manu-factured by LPG operate in conjunc-tion with the gas pressure storedwithin the cylinder. The cylinder valveis opened by means of a solenoidallowing the gas to be released. Theyoffer a great flexible adaptability forall actuation and release systemscurrently used in the market, evenallowing combinations of several ofthem. Incorporated in the design is aprotection against accidental actua-tion due to small leakages. They alsoallow checking and maintenance ofall essential elements contained in afixed extinguishing system, at thetime of commissioning and later forsystem preventive maintenance, thuspreventing the risk of accidentaldischarge.

LPG has developed GESPED andFIRENET software for the design andhydraulic calculation of their extinguish-ing agents. It’s possible to select designstandards and desired extinguishingagent according to the application ineach country. These programmes alloweach customer to develop his own offersand negotiate his orders in an easy and


4242

A Solid Experience in the Developmentof Fire Extinguishing Systems

C O M P A N Y

LPG Técnicas en E

LPG Técnicas en Extinción de Incendios, S.A. was founded in 1985 in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat. Currently LPG’s facilities cover 4.400m2 in Esplugues de Llobregat, one of the most dynamic industrial areas near

Barcelona and only 10 minutes drive from Barcelona International Airport.Since it began LPG has been dedicated to research, design, manufacturing of a

large variety of fixed fire extinguishing systems for the protection of property andpeople. Total flooding systems based on gaseous extinguishing agents FE-13TM/HFC-23, HFC-125, FM-200®/HFC-227ea, Inert Gases such as Argon(IG-01) & Nitrogen (IG-100) and CO2 as well as systems based on water misttechnology, are the most prominent within its range of products.

Currently, LPG is proud of its leading position in the Spanish market maintainedby the strategy implemented, by its three founder partners – Angel León asManaging Director, Joaquín Pozo as Production Manager and Joan Gascons asFinancial Manager. From the start, LPG established new ways considering that thefuture of Fire Protection would be found in those companies who possessed theirown technology and the ability to contrast quality and to adapt to market changesand requirements, as well as a knowledge of sector difficulties; elements requiredto find new solutions to Customers’ problems and demands.

IFP P. 29-44 16/10/06 1:22 pm Page 42

convenient way. All product innovationsand improvements that the companyhas introduced possess pertinent inven-tion patents and utility models.

Commitment with productquality and certificationIn 1996 LPG obtained ISO 9001 Certifi-cate of Quality Assurance by TÜVRheinland and in 1998 ISO 9002certification by LPCB, both currently inforce after renewals.

The LPG Quality Assurance Systemcarries out inspections at raw materialreception, at production processes, atfinal tests and lastly on deliveries ofgoods. Quality Assurance Laboratorydesigns its own Control Drawings andProduct Follow-up Technical Records.100% of essential components undergofunctional and pressure tests, especiallyall LPG valve models, thus ensuring per-fect reliability and safety. A code mark-ing system and series number is used tofacilitate a tracking system to ensure thefollow up and tests of all manufacturedproducts.

All LPG systems and components aredesigned and developed in accordancewith most demanding internationalstandards such as ISO 14520, NFPA2001 for clean agents, and NFPA 750for Water Mist. This allows the organisa-tion to keep a privileged position inrespect to fulfilment and application ofinternational regulations.

LPG, in compliance with national andforeign regulations, uses approved cylin-ders in accordance with BS 5045 Part 2and Transportable Pressure EquipmentDirective EC/36/1999.

LPG is the only Spanish manufacturerholding certifications for its systems and

components by the most renownedindependent companies, such as VdS inGermany, LPCB in United Kingdom,CNPP in France and VNIIPO in Russia.

Engineering and customerconsulting services The expert team in Project Engineeringhas executed, among other fire protec-tion projects, Bangkok Cable Railway inThailand which comprises 36 stations,administrative building and several sub-stations; an Oil Refinery in Esmeraldas,Ecuador and the Military Hospital inCairo, Egypt which covers the mainbuilding of 7 floors (125,000m2), theOncology Center (1,000m2) and thepower building with 8 transformers,generator room and medium and lowvoltage rooms.

For the purpose of offering maximumafter sales service to customers, LPG hasavailable cylinder refilling and stampingstations in its assembly plants inBarcelona and Madrid, as well as in itssubsidiaries in France, United Kingdomand Portugal.

Environmental commitment LPG’s commitment to the environmentmeans focusing research and develop-ment on environmental friendly fireextinguishing systems. Currently LPGhas available systems, which use 100%ecological extinguishing agents such asthe Water Mist System, Argon Inert GasSystem and Nitrogen. LPG has alsodeveloped applied engineering forchemical extinguishing agents FE-13TM,HFC-125 and FM-200TM. The Ozonedepletion power of these agents is zeroand they have a low greenhouse effect,therefore, they are an efficient alterna-

tive to Halon.Since 1998 LPG has

administrative authoriza-tion to act as residualadministrator undercode E-584.98. LPG car-ries out the activity ofcollecting and storingHalon 1301 and Halon1211 still kept in the oldfire extinguishing systempark in our country, forlater valuation or elimi-nation in an acceptablesafe and ecological way.LPG has designed anddeveloped equipment forHalon charge and pour-ing from one container

into another for decommissioned opera-tions, thus preventing harmful emissionsto environment.

International expansion andhuman resources LPG has always thought that the bestbase for its product development is tosatisfy customer’s requirements. Most ofour personnel are engineers or holdersof other high qualifications who havethe ability to deal with market changesand demands.

LPG employs 65 people in Spain,distributed between it’s Barcelona andMadrid centres. LPG counts on a tech-nical commercial team who in closecollaboration with the customers, adviseand provide solutions to their problems.LPG encourages its technical team toparticipate in work groups of the maininternational associations and organiza-tions in the sector, collaborating activelyin the development of new standards fordesign and safety as well as pertinentapplication to fire protection systems.


43

P R O F I L E

n Extinción de Incendios, S.A.

LPG has opened branch offices inPortugal, France, United Kingdom,Turkey and South America. Nativepersonnel from each country run theday-to-day business. Apart from these branch offices,LPG operates in more than 40 coun-tries through its network of salesagents and distributors. All this expansion would not havebeen possible without the skill and dedication of the whole LPGorganization, which has learnt tounderstand and satisfy customer’srequirements at all times.

IFP P. 29-44 16/10/06 1:22 pm Page 43

IR FLAME DETECTORRIV-601/F

WATERTIGHTIP 65 ENCLOSURE

For industrial applications indoorsor outdoors where fire can spread out rapidly due to the presence of

highly inflammable materials,and where vast premises need an optical

detector with a great sensitivityand large field of view.

CONTROL LOGICIR FLAME DETECTOR

the fastest and most effective fire alarm devicefor industrial applications

BETTER TO KNOW IT BEFOREEye is faster than nose.

In the event of live fire the IR FLAME DETECTOR

responds immediately

Also forRS485 two-wire serial line

Sparks flyat high speed.

They travel at a hundred kilometresper hour along the ducts of the dustcollection system and reach the silo

in less than three seconds

The CONTROL LOGICSPARK DETECTOR

is faster thanthe sparks themselves.

It detects them with its highlysensitive infrared sensor,

intercepts and extinguishesthem in a flash.

It needs no periodic inspection.

The CONTROL LOGIC system is designed for “total supervision”.

It verifies that sparks have been extinguished, gives prompt warning of

any malfunction and, if needed, cuts off the duct and stops the fan.

CONTROL LOGICSparkdetector

designed fordust collectionsystemsto protectstorage silosfrom the riskof fire.

20137 Milano - Via Ennio, 25 - ItalyTel.: + 39 02 5410 0818 - Fax + 39 02 5410 0764E-mail: [email protected] - Web: www.controllogic.it CONTROL LOGIC s.r.l.

ISO 9001

20137 Milano - Via Ennio, 25 - ItalyTel.: + 39 02 5410 0818 - Fax + 39 02 5410 0764E-mail: [email protected] - Web: www.controllogic.it CONTROL LOGIC s.r.l.

ISO 9001

IR FLAME DETECTORRIV-601/FAEXPLOSIONPROOFENCLOSURE

For industrial applications indoorsor outdoors where is a risk of explosionand where the explosionproof protection is required.One detector can monitor a vast areaand responds immediately to the fire, yet of small size.

Enquiries: www.controllogic.it

IFP P. 29-44 16/10/06 1:22 pm Page 44

Pic courtesy of RAE Systems, Inc.

� Initial Personal Protective Equipmentassessment (how you need to dress outfor an incident)

� Leak detection� Perimeter establishment and mainte-

nance� Spill delineation� Decontamination � Remediation

Recent breakthroughs in PID technol-ogy increase their usefulness by makingPIDs more rugged, more reliable andmore affordable. More HazMat respon-ders may want to consider adding PIDs totheir inventory of gas monitors.

What Are Some Common VOCs?VOCs are the chemical compounds thatkeep industry going and include:

� Fuels � Oils, Degreasers, Heat Transfer Fluids� Solvents, Paints� Plastics, Resins and their precursors

Why Not Use An LEL Monitor?Many VOC’s are flammable and may bedetected by the LEL (Lower ExplosiveLimit) or combustible gas sensors foundin virtually every multigas monitor. How-

ever, LEL sensors are not particularly use-ful in measuring toxicity because they donot have enough sensitivity.

LEL Sensors MeasureExplosivity, Not ToxicityLEL sensors measure percent of LEL. Forexample, Gasoline has an LEL of 1.4%.Therefore, 100% of LEL is 14,000ppm ofgasoline, 10% of LEL is 1,400ppm of gaso-line and 1% of LEL is 140ppm of gasoline.140ppm of gasoline is the lowest amountof vapor that the LEL monitor can detect.Gasoline has a TWA of 300ppm and aSTEL of 500ppm; this does not make LELsensors well suited for measuring gasolinevapors because they simply don’t provideadequate resolution. LEL sensors measure

explosivity, not toxicity. Many VolatileOrganic Compounds (VOCs) are potentiallytoxic at levels that are well below theirexplosive levels and below the sensitivity ofthe LEL sensors.

LEL sensors were designed to measureMethane in coal mines. Effectively, thissensor measures the temperature at whichgas burns.

LEL Sensors LimitationsTwo mechanisms affect the performanceand reduce the effectiveness of LEL

sensors when applied to anaything butmethane: � Gases burn with different heat

Some gases burn hot and some burnrelatively cool. These differing physicalcharacteristics lead to difficulties whenusing LEL sensors. For example, 100% ofLEL Methane (5% methane by volume)burns with twice the heat of 100% ofLEL Propane (2.0 propane by volume).� “Heavier” hydrocarbon vapors have

difficulty diffusing into the LEL sensorand limit LEL outputSome “Heavier” hydrocarbon vapors

have difficulty diffusing through the sin-tered metal flame arrestor on LEL sensors.This flame arrestor is necessary to preventthe sensor itself from starting a fire anddoes not prevent gases like methane,propane and ethane from reaching thesensor. However, hydrocarbons like gaso-line, diesel, solvents, etc, diffuse throughthe flame arrestor slower so that lessvapor reaches the sensor and gives lessoutput.

Measuring in PPM: TheMaturation of Gas MonitorsThe initial role of confined space moni-tors was to stop killing people in con-fined spaces due to the acute (immediate)affects of toxic or explosive gases. LELsensors made sure that workers got homeat night. As gas monitoring has maturedHazMat professionals have becomeincreasingly concerned with the chronic(long-term) affects of many gases andvapors. Measuring at these low levelsrequires gas measurement tools that


45

PIDs as a HazMat Response

ToolBy Chris Wrenn, Director of Portable ProductsRAE Systems

PIDs as a HazMat Response

Tool

PHOTO IONIZATION DETECTORS (PID’s) measure low levels (0-2000ppm) ofVOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) and other toxic gases. Many HazMat(Hazardous Material) incidents involve VOCs and the sensitivity of PID’s toVOC exposure make them an invaluable tool for making HazMat decisionsincluding:

IFP P. 45-62 16/10/06 3:50 pm Page 45

measure in Parts Per Million (PPM). Mea-

suring in PPM lets workers enjoy retire-

ment! We can use the following methodsto measure VOCs (Volatile Organic Com-pounds) at ppm levels:

� Colorimetric Tubes: Lack accuracy andhave other shortcomings.

� Metal Oxide Sensors (MOS): Lackaccuracy and sensitivity.

� Portable Gas Chromatography/MassSpectrometry (GC/MS): Selective andvery accurate, but not continuous andvery expensive.

� FID (Flame Ionization Detector): limit-ed by large size, weight and the needto carry hydrogen.

� PID: Used properly, a PID is the bestchoice to provide responders with con-fidence in many HazMat environments.

Why Not Use Colorimetric TubesColorimetric tubes (often referred to as“Drager” tubes) have been the foundationof HazMat response gas detection foryears. They are an accepted and provenmeans of measuring many toxic gases andvapors at ppm levels. Colorimetric tubesare inexpensive, but have limitations:

� Tubes only provide “Snap-shots,” likea “Polaroid” camera. A tube cannot beput on personnel and be expected toalarm when conditions change orbecome dangerous.

� The “spot check” nature of tubes alsomakes them more prone to sampleerror.

� Tubes are slow to respond. They givereadings in minutes rather thanseconds.

� Bellows type tube pumps provide 25%accuracy at best and piston/syringestyle tubes provide 15% accuracy, so ifthe true concentration of a gas is

100ppm a bellows-type tube can readbetween 75 and 125ppm!

� Tube readings are subject to interpre-tation.

� A large stock of tubes is expensive.� Tubes expire.� There are a limited number of tube

chemistries so tubes are not as specificas many would want to believe.

Portable GC/MSGas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry(GC/MS) can be selective but not continu-ous. It can only take “snapshots” and can-not provide continuous monitoring withalarms. Continuous, pumped, monitors,sampling at 100-500cc/min, are less likelyto be “fooled” by a false high or low read-ings. In addition, no GC/MS is portable orrugged enough to be worn continuouslyby a worker. Therefore, a GC/MS is also areactive rather than a proactive form ofprotection. A GC/MS can tell a story insnapshots rather than continuous, instan-taneous video. Finally, GC/MS tends to beprohibitively expensive.

Flame Ionization Detectors (FIDs)Flame Ionization Detectors (FIDs) respondto a broad-range of organic compoundsbut are non-selective. While their linearityis excellent, their use is limited by theirlarge size and weight, the need to carry ahydrogen cylinder. FIDs are relativelyexpensive and maintenance intensive andthis limits their use in most industries.PIDs and FIDs are often referred to gener-ically as Organic Vapor Analyzers or OVAs.

Photo Ionization Detectors (PIDs)A PID is essentially a Gas Chromatographwithout its separation column and there-fore, a PID can provide excellent accuracy.Some say that while the PID is clearly sen-sitive and accurate to many toxic gasesand vapors at ppm levels, its lack of

selectivity reduces its usefulness. Theadvantage of the PID is that while it is notselective, it is a small, continuous monitorthat can provide instantaneous feedbackto workers. This lets them take control oftheir actions and allows them to performtheir tasks with confidence that they arenot being exposed to hazardous chemicals.Like a VCR, the PID measures continuouslyand its results can be datalogged and“played-back” instantly.

PART 2PIDs As a Powerful HazMatTool!Now PIDs measure 0-10,000ppm (partsper million) with resolution as low as 1ppb (parts per billion) and therefore are avery appropriate means of measuringgasoline (and other toxic gases andvapors) at the low levels leading tochronic toxicity. Breakthroughs in PIDtechnology have addressed PID shortcom-ings and now provide HazMat teams witha powerful yet affordable measurementtechnology. The PIDs ability to provideaccurate measurement in a wide range ofsituations makes it a powerful tool forthe following HazMat uses:

� Initial PPE assessment� Leak detection� Perimeter establishment and mainte-

nance� Spill delineation� Decontamination � Remediation

Initial PPE AssessmentWhen approaching a potential HazMatincident the responder must make a PPE(Personal Protective Equipment) decision.Some potential incidents may not be an“incident” at all. Some incidents may ini-tially appear to have no contaminationyet require significant levels of PPE. No

monitor will provide all the answers to a

responder. But the PID is an excellent aidin this decision making process. For manyincidents the PID lets the responderidentify the presence or absence ofpotentially toxic gases or vapors.

A HazMat contractor was called by arailroad to respond to a leaking tank caron a hot (95°F), humid (95%RH) summerday. According to the manifest, the tankcar was loaded with benzene. Due to thecarcinogenic nature of benzene (PEL of1ppm) the HazMat contractor chose todress-out in Level A.


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Enquiries: www.raesystems.com

IFP P. 45-62 16/10/06 3:50 pm Page 47

But, because it was a hot summer day,this potentially exposed the responders toheat stress injuries. In the assessment ofthe “leaking” tank car it was found thatthe puddle under the car was comingfrom water condensation not drippingbenzene. The car had been loaded at65°F and the high ambient temperaturecombined with relative humidity above95% produced a puddle of water notbenzene.

A PID would have helped the contrac-tor determine if there was an ionizablevapor present. Because the manifest iden-tified the tank car contents as benzene,and benzene is readily ionizable, the con-tractor could have ruled out the presenceof benzene vapors using a PID. Thiswould reduce the cost of the responseand prevent the potential of heat-stressinjuries from dressing out in full Level Aencapsulation.

Leak Detection with a PIDOften a leak is not readily apparent and itmust first be located before it can be effec-tively stopped. Anytime that a gas or vaporis released into air it disperses outwardsfrom the source of the leak. As the gas orvapor disperses it is diluted by ambient airuntil at some point the gas or vapor can-not be detected. This process establishes aconcentration gradient where the concen-tration of the gas or vapor is greatest atthe source of the leak and the concentra-tion is effectively zero when the gas orvapor is fully dispersed. The PID allows usto measure and “see” concentration gradi-ents for many gases and vapors that wewould otherwise be unable to detect. Wecan use the PID like a “Geiger-Counter” to“see” the concentration gradient and fol-low the increasing concentration of gas orvapor to its source.

Perimeter Monitoring with a PID

HazMat technicians assess an incidentand set a perimeter based upon thetoxicity of the gas or vapor, the tempera-ture, wind direction and other factors.However, perimeters are usually manned

by people without a high degree ofexperience.

As conditions change, perimeters oftenare not adjusted because perimeter work-ers do not have the experience to recog-nize that the conditions have changed.The experienced HazMat technicians aretypically focused upon the problem ofdealing with complications of the originalspill. Therefore, perimeter workers areoften unprotected from changing condi-tions that may require movement of aperimeter away from the spill site. Formany HazMat incidents, a PID allowsthose manning a perimeter line to adjustthe line in response to changing condi-tions. PIDs can provide instantaneousalarms that can warn perimeter workerswhen to retreat from the incident foreverything from ammonia to xylene.

Datalogging as a ToolDatalogging PIDs provide supervisorswith documentation of exposure levelsand provide evidence to justify evacua-tions should they be required. Some Haz-Mat teams already datalog their incidentswhere there has been a chemical release.

But most only datalog those incidentswhen the datalog showed positive results.

This misses more than half of the valueof datalogging. Many times a negativeresult on a datalog is more beneficialthan a positive result. Saving a “non-detect” can help to quickly establish thata spill of an ionizable compound waspromptly and properly contained. Thiscan save time and money if the spill everresults in legal action.

PIDs for Spill DelineationIn the course of a HazMat incident manyliquids can be present such as water, fuel,engine fluids and firefighting foam. Withall these liquids present, the PID providesan excellent tool for responders to zero inon spilled fuel rather than wasting time,and absorbent, on pavement that is onlywet with water. A PID will respond posi-tively to contaminated pavement and willnot respond to pavement wet with water.This allows responders to quickly find thespill and reduce the money spent onabsorbent.

Using a PID for DecontaminationHazardous materials often get on respon-ders. For ionizable compounds like fuelsand other VOCs, a PID is a quick andeffective means of determining if aresponder requires decontamination, andif decontamination has been complete.This may make it easier for a HazMatteam to make a decision to reuse anencapsulation suit because it was notcontaminated. The PID is swept overareas of suspected contamination. It willrespond positively to areas that are cont-aminated with ionizable compounds and


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PIDs as a HazMat Response Tool


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it will not respond to clean or properlydecontaminated areas.

Often a first responder to a fuel spillincident gets gasoline on his flame-retardant turnout clothing. Absorbedgasoline will compromise the flame-retardant properties of turnout gear. ThePID will quickly respond to contamina-tion and identify this dangerous conditionso that the turnout gear can be properlylaundered before going into a structuralfirefighting situation. This same sensitiv-ity to hydrocarbons makes PIDs ideallysuited for arson investigation (Please ref-erence RAE Systems publication AP-207:“PIDs as an Arson Investigation Tool”).

Using a PID for RemediationWhile the goal of any HazMat responseteam is to contain and prevent spills,hazardous materials often evade contain-ment; contaminating nearby soil andwater. Many jurisdictions (counties,states, countries) have defined the con-centration at which remediative actionmust take place. If there has been a fuelspill that has been contained to the roadsurface and it has been completelyremoved by absorbent, further remedia-tive action may not be required. However,if fuel product has evaded the bestefforts for containment, the fuel mayhave contaminated the surrounding soilor water. Some jurisdictions have anaction level of 100ppm TPH in a sampleheadspace (Total Petroleum Hydrocar-bons) for further remediation. If soilsamples show only 10ppm of contamina-tion in the headspace of a sample,remediation may not be required. Soilsamples of 200ppm would require furtherremediation.

The PID is one of the best-recognizedtools for making such a determination forenvironmental officials and environmen-tal contractors. HazMat responders nowhave an effective decision making toolthat reduces guesswork as to whether acontractor should be called for furtherremediative action. This can allowresponders to quickly reopen areas thatwere at first thought to be contaminated.

Because of variations in the weatherand soil conditions it is best to do aheadspace sample on suspect soil orwater rather than just waving the PIDprobe over the suspicious area. This isbecause on a cold day, VOCs are lesslikely to evaporate and waving the probeover the area might miss contamination.

Conversely, on a hot day, waving theprobe over a contaminated area couldoverestimate contamination.

How To Do a Headspace Sample

1 Put contaminated soil or water in acontainer or even a plastic bag

2 Cover/seal the container and bring itup to room temperature (~15 min)

3 Put PID probe into container andsample

4 Generally <100ppm is good (Caution:100ppm is a general guideline. Checkyour local regulations for specificrules, reference TN-118).

Where Do PIDs Fit Into a TotalGas Monitoring Program?PIDs are an important part of a gas mon-itoring program. However, a gas monitor-ing program must contain a variety ofoptions that build towards specificity andsensitivity. A gas-monitoring program canbe represented by a pyramid that buildsupon techniques that increase in cost andsophistication until the answer is reachedat the top of the pyramid. At its founda-tion are colorimetric tubes then it buildsto single gas monitors (like CO monitors)and then progresses to multigas ConfinedSpace Monitors. From there, a gas-monitoring pyramid can add broadbandmonitoring of chemicals (via PIDs) andfinally move on to the top of the pyramidwith specific techniques from colorimetrictubes to IMS (Ion Mobility Spectroscopy)and GC/MS (Gas Chromatography/MassSpectroscopy).

However, it is dangerous to jump tothe top of the gas-monitoring pyramid ifone has not established a proper founda-tion. For example, if one’s entire budgetis spent on an expensive GC/MS, thenlittle or none might be left for importantbroadband scanning devices. For thosethat don’t have the budget or thedemand for costly specific monitors likeGC/MS or IMS the same ground can becovered with a continuous monitoringPID and a simple specific detector like acolorimetric (“Draeger”) tube as can beseen in the diagram below.

Broadband scanning devices like PIDsare important, because they are simplerand can be fielded in greater quantitiesto provide more widespread protection. Inaddition, broadband detectors like PIDs

can provide clues that a more specificmeasurement technique like GC/MS oreven colorimetric tubes may be needed.In this case PIDs act as “scouts” or “sur-vey” instruments for the more specificand complicated detectors.

PIDs: An Excellent Detective ToolA PID is a sensitive and accurate detectivetool for HazMat Responders. Like a crimi-nologist’s magnifying lens helps to iden-tify fingerprints; PIDs allows HazMat“detectives” to identify the presence ofgases and vapors and then quantifythem. A magnifying lens does not identi-fy fingerprints. But good detective workquickly can identify them. The sameholds for toxic vapors. While a PID can-not identify toxic gases and vapors, gooddetective work can quickly provide identi-ties and the PID can then provide themost accurate form of field measurementshort of a Gas Chromatograph (GC). Withthe increasing concerns of the affects ofeven low levels of chemical releases, PIDsoffer responders an excellent aid in theirdetective work. Properly used, PIDs canhelp identify and measure the potentialtoxic VOCs that make up the majority ofHazMat incidents.


5050



REFERENCESCarol J. Maslanski, Steven P. Maslansky:Photoionization Detectors in Air Monitor-ing Instrumentation, New York, VanNostrand Reinhold, 1993NIOSH: Pocket Guide to ChemicalHazards, NIOSH Publications, Cincinnati,OH 1994RAE Systems: Correction Factors and Ion-ization Potentials (Technical Note TN-106) RAE Systems: Setting Alarm Limits forMixtures (Technical Note TN-130)RAE Systems: PIDs as a HazMatResponse Tool (Application Note AP-203)RAE Systems: PID Training Outline

IFP P. 45-62 16/10/06 3:51 pm Page 50


51

Enquiries: fireboy-xintex.com

Enquiries: www.thefireshop.com

Enquiries: www.essexind.com

IFP P. 45-62 16/10/06 3:51 pm Page 51

Enquiries: www.yunfengfire.com

IFP P. 45-62 16/10/06 3:51 pm Page 52

The effectiveness of a fire alarm systemdepends on the

ability of the componentsto continue to functionfor a prolonged period oftime after being subjectedto fire, i.e. cabling tosounders, panels and power suppliesneeds to perform for a minimum of 30minutes. Choosing the correct fire per-formance cable is therefore critical.

However this is not so simple. Thereis so much jargon to wade through –fire tested . . . meets the requirementsof . . . tested to . . . complies with. . . .How do you know which cable toselect?

CERTIFICATIONOne method of ensuring that the cablemeets the standard is to chose one thatis certificated by a nationally accreditedcertification body. Certification byLPCB is third party confirmation thatthe product meets and continues tomeet the appropriate standard. A test isbasically a snapshot showing that theproduct passed the test on a given day,

whereas certification, through regularaudits, ensures that the product contin-ues to comply with the standard andmeet the specification. The certificationprocess involves rigorous assessmentand testing of products and services toensure that they meet and continue tomeet quality standards set by a team ofexperts which include manufacturers,installers, designers, clients, regulators,insurers, engineers and scientists.

All LPCB certification cable is fullytested and certificated to the full rangeof applicable specifications and stan-dards. Audits at the manufacturer’s siteare carried out and samples are takenat random from various batches. Thesamples are then returned to our ownstate of the art facility near Londonwhere we undertake a full range oftests, including fire testing.

There are many approvalbodies including manywith their own strongbrands, not all of them,however, have their ownon-site testing facilitiesand expertise. LPCB,together with its predeces-

sor the Fire Offices’ Committee (FOC)has been involved for over 150 years in working with specifiers includingclients, insurers, and regulators to setthe standards necessary to ensure thatthe product is fit for purpose. All LPCBcertificated cable is fully tested andcertificated to the applicable standardwhich can be BS, BS EN or IEC (listedat end of article). Most of the testing iscarried out on site by LPCB’s sistercompany BRE, and LPCB is the onlyUKAS accredited Certification Body tobe able to offer this one-stop shop ser-vice for fire performance cable approvalin the UK.

Cabling used for fire detection andalarm signalling systems must demon-strate its mechanical, electrical andinsulation performance under fire con-ditions. Clause 26 of BS 5839-1 2002 –


53

Cable fire in a roof void.

Cable ApprovalsThe vast majority of today’s commercial, industrial and retail

premises have a fire detection and alarm system installed. Thepurpose of the fire detection and alarm system is to detect a fireand alert the building inhabitants by means of an alarm that the

building needs to be evacuated.

IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING that a fire detection and alarmsystem must be designed, installed, commissioned and main-tained by experts. Fire alarm systems can be complex, oftencomprising a panel, cabling, various detector types (optical,ionisation, beam, heat), manual call points, line units,sounders and so on; this article focuses on the cable element.

By Angela Richards of LPCB

IFP P. 45-62 16/10/06 3:51 pm Page 53

Fire detection and alarm systems forbuildings – Code of practice for systemdesign, installation and servicing, spec-ifies the types of cables which are con-sidered to be acceptable for use in firealarm installations. Reference should bemade to this clause to select therequired standards and classifications.

LPCB has set up a scheme to testand approve cables to the specialrequirements for ‘standard’ and‘enhanced’ fire resisting cables specifiedin BS 5839-1:2002.

COMMUNICATIONS CABLESCables alone are very rarely the sourceof a fire, but some cable can add to thepotential for spread of flame and to thefire load. LPCB has just extended thescope of cable approvals to includecommunication and power cables.Cables contained within concealedspaces such as roof and under floorvoids can cause undetected spread ofsmoke and fire. This extension in scopenow means that LPCB can offerapproval of all fire performance cables.

INSTALLATIONEven the most technologically advancedfire detection and alarm systems willnot work if they are not installed cor-rectly. LPCB also runs installer schemesand the applicable scheme for firedetection and alarm systems is LPS1014 Requirements for certification offire detection and alarm systems firms.

This scheme calls for the issue ofLPCB Certificates of Conformityby the approved company. Thesecertificates cover all aspects ofthe installation and provides thespecifier with a single point ofresponsibility for the contract.

LISTINGOnce we are satisfied that aproduct, service or companymeets the required standard, weissue a certificate and list themin the relevant ‘Red Book’, eitherthe List of Approved Fire andSecurity Products and Services orList of Approved Companies andConstruction Products. Listing inthe Red Book is a very usefulmarketing tool for the approvedcompanies as thousands of spec-ifiers and insurers around the

world use the Red Book to select theirsuppliers. The Red Books are publishedin January each year and on CD ROM inJanuary and June of each year. Thesepublications are mailed out to a data-base throughout the world includinginsurers, clients, architects, surveyors,engineers, etc., and many thousands ofcopies are handed out at exhibitions,seminars and presentations. A “live”copy of the Red Book is continuallyupdated on our website at www.red-booklive.com and we currently receiveapproximately 8,000 hits per month.

So, how do you check whether aproduct, system, service or installer isapproved by LPCB or BRE Certification?Unfortunately, there are many falseclaims of approval in the market placewith claims of “tested by LPCB”, “test-ed to” an LPS or “complies with”. If youare still unsure, give our helpdesk a callon 01923 664100. Each approved man-ufacturer or service provider will alsohold a certificate. If you are looking atan installed product, the specimen,packaging or documentation shouldalso show one of the following marks:

So when it comes to selecting a cable,choose an LPCB approved company –you know it makes sense!


5454

For schemes which are UKAS accredited

LPCB currently offer cable approvalto the following standards:� BS 5839-1: 2002 – Clause (26.2 d &

e ‘standard’ and ‘enhanced’ fireresisting cable) Fire detection andalarm systems for buildings. Code ofpractice for system design, installation,commissioning and maintenance

� BS 60702-1: 2002 – Mineralinsulated cables and theirterminations with a rated voltage notexceeding 750V

� BS 6387: 1994 – Performancerequirements for cables required tomaintain circuit integrity under fireconditions.

� BS 7629: Part 1 or 2:1997 –Thermosetting insulated cables withlimited circuit integrity when affectedby fire.

� BS 7846: 2000 – Specification for600/1000V armoured fire-resistantelectric cables having low emission ofsmoke and corrosive gases whenaffected by fire.

� BS EN 13501-1: 2002 – Fireclassification of construction products& building elements. Classificationusing test data from reaction to firetests

� BS EN 13823: 2002 – Single burningitem.

� BS EN 50267-2-1: 1999 – Commontest method for cables under fireconditions – Tests on gases evolvedduring combustion of materials fromcables – procedures – Determinationof the amount of halogen acid gas

� BS EN ISO 1716: 2002 –Determination of heat of combustion.

� BS EN ISO 11925-2: 2002 – Singleflame source test.

� IEC (60)331: part 21: 1999 – Testsfor electric cables under fireconditions – Circuit integrity –Procedures and requirements –Cables of rated voltage up to andincluding 0,6/1,0kV

� IEC (60)332-3: 2nd Edition – Tests onelectric cables under fire conditionspart 3: tests on bunched wires orcables.

� BS EN 50268-2: 2000 (supersedesBS 7622) – Common test methods forcables under fire conditions.Measurement of smoke density ofcables burning under definedconditions.

� BS EN 50200: 2000 – Method of testfor resistance to fire of unprotected smallcables for use in emergency circuit.

� NFPA 262 (UL 910) – Test for flamepropagation and smoke densityvalues for electric and optical fibrecables used in spaces transportingenvironmental air.

For further information on LPCBapproved products, standards, etc.please visit our website atwww.redbooklive.com.

IFP P. 45-62 16/10/06 3:51 pm Page 54

Enquiries: www.kxfire.com

IFP P. 45-62 16/10/06 3:51 pm Page 55

Enquiries: www.pattersonpumps.com

IFP P. 45-62 16/10/06 3:52 pm Page 56

The possibilities of fire fightingwith clean water in the form ofsmallest droplets have already

been known since the thirties. Bydeveloping state-of-the-art compo-nents, the fire-extinguishing techniquecould be optimized to a level thatmakes it possible to offer highly effec-tive water mist extinguishing systems asan alternative to sprinkler and gasextinguishing systems.

A large part of the conventional fire-extinguishing techniques such asprinkler, gas, powder and foam extin-guishing systems, still continue to haveenormous disadvantages in terms ofresulting water damage, environmentalcompatibility, availability, toxicity, orrefill costs. Frequently, the consequentialdamage caused by extinguishing mediais greater than the loss by the fire. For

many applications, the high-pressurewater mist technology is a true alterna-tive, with none of the disadvantageslisted above. The use of high-pressurewater mist for the protection of officebuildings and similar buildings is justone of the endless applications of high-pressure water mist. For several years thewater mist technology now has beenused for such buildings. The articleexplains why and how high pressurewater mist is used in this application.


57

Pic courtesy of FOGTEC GmbH

Water Mist OOppttiimmaall PPrrootteeccttiioonnffoorr OOffffiiccee BBuuiillddiinnggss

ALREADY FOR QUITE SOME TIME, fire protection experts have pointed at theproblems related with traditional fire extinguishing systems. Sprinkler systemsconsume large amounts of water and thus produce contaminatedextinguishing water in corresponding proportions.Owing to the high physical efficiency of water mist, only 10% of the wateramount of a conventional sprinkler system is required. In most cases no storingof water in sprinkler tanks is required. Soil contamination and other damagesby running off extinguishing water is reduced to a minimum.Impressive fire-fighting results in real fire conditions justify the investment costsin water mist technology, which today may partly be higher in comparison toconventional sprinkler systems.


By Rüdiger Kopp and Dirk K. SprakelFOGTEC Brandschutz

GmbH & Co. KG

IFP P. 45-62 16/10/06 3:52 pm Page 57

PRINCIPLEWater for fire fighting is effective formany reasons; one of the most effec-tive ways is by cooling. To achieve thisin a fire scenario often requires manythousands of liters of water to suppressand extinguish the fire. The primaryreason for this is that the vast majorityof the water used is wasted; this can beseen by the amount of ‘run off’ visibleas pools of water. This is because onlythe surface area of the water drop orstream comes into contact with theenergy from the fire (the heat), the restis wasted.

HIGH PRESSURE WATER MIST NOZZLEIf the water being used is atom-ized into a very fine mist mostof the water is used to absorbthe energy thus extinguishingor controlling the fire. This isbecause the droplet, being sofine, converts to steam at a veryfast rate and it is this conver-sion, which absorbs the energy(heat) and dramatically reducesthe combustion rate. Once thefire has been extinguished thedroplets being discharged con-tinue the effect by removingheat from the fuel source i.e.plastics, fabrics, wood, cable,paper etc and this prevents re-ignition.

Additionally, as the water absorbsthe heat, it converts to steam; thiscreates an inerting effect by oxygendepletion as it starves the combustingfuel of the very vital ingredient oxygen.This only effects the fire at the flamebase and does not reduce oxygen levelselsewhere within the risk area.

Water mist fire-fighting systems useclean water as extinguishing medium.Through specifically developed nozzles,water is atomized into very finedroplets generating water mist. A highsystem pressure allows the formation ofsmallest droplets, thus providing thelargest possible heat exchange surface.At the same time, the droplets attainsufficient momentum in order to get tothe fire source.

SYSTEM TESTINGWater mist is not a gaseous agent andtherefore cannot be approved like agaseous agent. Likewise water mistcannot be directly compared with con-ventional sprinkler systems wheredesign is based on two dimensionalwater calculations.

For each application the requirednozzle type, droplet distribution, flowrate and discharge time have to be indi-vidually determined to provide theoptimum protection of the relevant risk.

The International Maritime Organisa-tion (IMO) has established guidelinesfor the approval and installation ofwater mist systems in accommodationareas on board of ships. Similar tothese test guidelines, protocols for lighthazard applications on land have beenestablished or are presently in prepara-tion, i.e. by FM and CEN.

FIRE TEST ARRANGEMENTThe test set-up for light hazards includesscenarios for smaller and medium sizerooms with a door opening as well asopen spaces without area limitations.

Full-scale fire test results haveproven an outstanding safety level,especially taking into account thesmoke washing ability of water mist.

Fire test have also proven the extra-ordinary heat shielding effect of watermist, reducing the heat radiation ontosurfaces in the protection area to alevel, where no structural damage is tobe expected. This means that structuralmaterials, e.g. steel and glass, on acase-by-case evaluation can be reducedin their fire resistance classification.

SYSTEM LAYOUTIn comparison with conventionalsprinkler systems extensive design sav-

ings can be achieved usingwater mist systems. An officebuilding protected with sprin-klers according to standards forlight hazard, requests for amaximum system operation areaof 150m2. High-pressure watermist systems are designed inanalogy to this. The nozzle areacoverage of water mist systemsis comparable to those of con-ventional sprinklers. The mayordifference is reflected in theflow rates discharged, rangingat only 10 to 30% of conven-tional sprinklers.

Due to these small flow rates,in most cases high-pressure


5858



IFP P. 45-62 16/10/06 3:52 pm Page 58


59

The Ideal Pump for High Pressure Water Mist SystemsNessie® pumps from Danfoss provide the water pressurerequired for high pressure water mist applications due to theircompact design and homogeneous spraying generation.

Pump advantages:• Low-weight and small-sized• High efficiency• Direct PTO/engine

connection• Stainless steel• Homogeneous spray

generation• No maintenance

Beside pumps we offer specialized ready-to-use custom-made Power-Packs as well as Valves and Jets.

For further information please contact:

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For further information contactNiky BakerFireprotect ( Chester ) LtdFactory Rd , Sandycroft , Deeside FlintshireCH5 2QJ

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Areas to be protected by ULTRA FOAreas to be protected by ULTRA FOGG ®®

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IFP P. 45-62 16/10/06 3:52 pm Page 59

water mist systems can directly be sup-plied with fresh water by the town’smain, only necessitating a small breaktank. Large water basins, as requiredwith conventional sprinkler systems, arenot obligatory. This makes water mistsystems an interesting option particu-larly for retrofits.

SYSTEM SET-UPHigh-pressure water mist systems mainlyconsist of a pressure make-up device, ahigh-pressure piping, and special nozzles.

The required operating pressure isgenerated by means of high-pressurepumps or pressure cylinder systems.The selection depends on the surfaceto be protected and on the amount ofwater required. Pumps normally protectlarger areas such as hotels, offices orarchives.

WATER MIST PUMP SYSTEM (FOGTEC)Due to the small flow rates required;pipes can be sized to diameters of only10 to max. 40 millimeters. Pipearrangement is not dependent on thegradient, dry and wet piping is pos-sible. These properties permit installa-tions in confined locations and forretrofits.

The system can be triggered eitherby a separate detection system or bythermally activated glass bulbs. Roomheights of max. Five meters can becovered with one layer of nozzlesinstalled in the ceiling. Higher areas,

e.g. an atrium, can be protected byinstalling additional nozzles in differentlevels, where surfaces have to becooled. Beyond this, it is possible toinstall wall cabinets with water mistextinguishing guns. They offer the pos-sibility of rapidly suppressing initialfires, again with the lowest possibleconsumption of water.

SYSTEM ADVANTAGESPublic areas such as office buildings,shopping centers, movie theatres,restaurants and other comparablespaces including hotels usually accom-modate people and a mixture of mate-rials with relatively high heat releaserates, like paper, plastics etc. People inthe area often are not familiar withescape ways, increasing the risk poten-tial in case of a fire.

Due to the extinguishing propertiesof high-pressure water mist, the heatradiation is effectively shielded, allow-ing people in the area to find escapeways and enabling trained personnel torescue people caught in the area.

Water mist systems have numerousadvantages over conventional sprinklersystems. Particularly the low water con-sumption should be mentioned. Abreak tank is sufficient for most sys-tems, if the water supply source is reli-able. When a system is activated, thebreak tank is being supplied from themunicipal water system. No storing ofwater in sprinkler tanks is required. Soil

contamination by flowing off extin-guishing water is reduced to a mini-mum. Also in buildings, water damagesare comparatively small even afterextended fire fighting and particularlywhen a false alarm releases the system.This may be of crucial importance forhigh-tech areas such as EDP-rooms,laboratories, archives, as well as forheritage buildings.

PROTECTION OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE BUILDINGEspecially when the structure of abuilding consists to a large extent ofsteel and glass, the cooling ability ofwater mist systems are of great benefit.Structural fire protection with itsconnected costs often can be reduceddramatically because the expectedresulting heat of a fire will be reducedmuch more efficient compared toconventional systems.

EASY RETROFITTINGDue to the small pipe sizes required bythese systems, retrofits can be carriedout much easier even in special build-ings such as historic sites. Pipe sizes areso small that the installation of these iseven possible in false floors in the levelabove the protected level, thus makingfalse ceilings unnecessary.

CASE STUDYHigh-pressure water mist extinguishingsystems are already used worldwide.Impressive fire-fighting results in realfires justify the investment costs, whichmay partly be higher in comparison toconventional sprinkler systems.

In hotel applications guest rooms aswell as other accommodation areas, likerestaurants, corridors and lobby areas,have been protected with high-pressurewater mist systems.

PROTECTION OF GLASS AND STEEL STRUCTURE OF AN OFFICE BUILDINGOne example for an office buildingwhere water mist technology hasbrought substantial benefits is theshown office building. The breathtak-ing 44 meters high building of steeland glass with 15 floor levels hascompletely been protected with a high-pressure water mist system of the FOGTEC type. The challenge was to elaborate an innovative fire pro-tection concept, which takes intoaccount the extraordinary design andrequirements of the structure of thebuilding, at the same time supportingthe architectural concept without any


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AthhawBIt’thsyU

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IFP P. 45-62 16/10/06 3:52 pm Page 60

A construction site is no place forthe weak. Big jobs, tough guys, roughhandling are all par for the course. That’swhy we introduced the newBlazeMaster 2000™ Fire Sprinkler Pipe.It’s the new standard in fire protection fromthe company that first brought CPVC systems to market over a decade ago.Using patented technology, Noveon has

engineered a revolutionary new materialwhich is stronger, better, and tougherthan ever before. And it keeps itsstrength even at low temperatures.

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Quality is so high, BlazeMaster fire sprinklersystems have a 50-year life expectancy witha safety factor of 2. And nothing is quicker,cleaner, quieter or easier to install, helpingkeep installation costs much lower. So fightfire with facts. Think CPVC, ThinkBlazeMaster CPVC fire sprinkler pipe andfittings. For further information contact:The BlazeMaster Marketing DepartmentNoveon, Chaussée de Wavre, 1945,1160 Brussels, Belgium.Or call us at Freephone 0800-7311253Tel: +32 2 678 10 20 Fax: +32 2 678 20 01

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IFP P. 45-62 16/10/06 3:53 pm Page 61

structural or optical restrictions.The building incorporates office and

lecture areas, IT floors and consistsalmost completely of glass and steelfacades. Some escape routes areexposed to heat and smoke of a poten-tial fire and necessitate effective meansof smoke washing and cooling.

Due to the flexibility required nofixed fire zones could be defined. Fur-ther, the open glass and steel structuredemands compensation measures. Thisresulted into the requirement for anautomatic extinguishing system by thelocal fire department.

Based on the results of tests inde-pendently carried out according to thelight hazard test protocols and specificstructural cooling tests, the authoritieshaving jurisdiction involved approvedthe high-pressure water mist technol-ogy as the most suitable for the risk,mainly due to the high cooling andsmoke washing abilities.

Additionally, the architect was infavor for the system, since it permittedan installation with small-bore pipework into a false floor, using minimalspace and not affecting the openceiling structure.

PROTECTION OF A HERITAGE BUILDINGAll office and lecture areas were pro-tected with glass bulb activatednozzles, the escape routes in the atriumof the building were protected withand open type nozzle. Spacing betweennozzles is very comparable to the onesof conventional sprinkler systems.

In this particular case large areas inthe atrium are protected with an opentype nozzle, grouped into sections. Allwater supply equipment was accom-modated into a 19m2 area in the base-ment. A conventional sprinkler systemwould at least have required twice thefloor area to fit all necessary watersupply units, not even mentioning thewater storage facilities.

Due to the enormous cooling effectof water mist, the requirements forstructural fire protection could bereduced based on specific fire testscarried out in conjunction with anindependent research institute. Thehigher initial investment into the watermist technology compared to a con-ventional sprinkler system thereforeimmediately paid out with savings onthe structural fire protection. This couldnot have been achieved with conven-tional sprinkler technology.

CONCLUSIONHigh-pressure water mist extinguishingsystems have been proven to be aninteresting alternative to conventionalsprinkler systems, even if the initialinvestment costs may partly be higher.

The advantages of water mist sys-tems have brought up for both the enduser and for architects many opportu-nities for office projects, where thisnew technology is the most suitableand efficient for the fire risk.

At present large project still can onlybe designed by water mist system man-ufacturers according to full scale firetest results, but in future these designswill be available to engineering officesand architects, enabling them tospecify such beneficial technology fornumerous prestigious projects.


6262

FOGTEC Brandschutz GmbH & Co. KG

Schanzenstrasse 19 A51063 KölnGermany

Tel.: +49 221 96223 – 0Fax: +49 221 96223 – 30

E-Mail: [email protected]


The advantages of water mist systemshave brought up for both the end userand for architects many opportunitiesfor office projects, where this newtechnology is the most suitable andefficient for the fire risk.

IFP P. 45-62 16/10/06 3:53 pm Page 62

3rd International Water MistConferenceDue to the current situation in theworld, it was decided to postpone theInternational Water Mist Conference toSeptember 22–24, 2003. Interestedparties should browse our web pagewww.iwma.net in order to get informa-tion about venue and accommodation,call for papers and registration material.

Although a number of abstracts forpresentation at this conference werealready submitted, it is still possible tosend in interesting abstracts.

General topics are:

System ApplicationsSolutions for mass transportation sys-tems, traffic tunnels, office buildings,hotels, archives and galleries, storageand sales areas, health care facilities,industrial processes and other newapplications where water mist has beenfound to be a cost effective replace-ment for Halon and sprinkler systems.

Regulations, Standards and CodesAssessment of currently available regu-lations, planned standards and changesto standards, including gaps in regula-tions and further needs.

Research & TestingSmall and large scale testing, suppres-sion technologies, spray characteristics,advantages/disadvantages of water mistsystems, comparison to other fire-fighting methods, CFD Modeling andresearch needs in the future.

Environmental and Health/SafetyIssuesOverview of water mist from the stand-point of health authorities. Discussionson the importance of the use of watermist as a tool in reducing the ozonelayer problems posed by Halons.

Educational Seminar for NorthAmerica – May 16, Dallas, USAThe International Water Mist Associa-tion and the National Fire Protection

Association (NFPA) will conduct a one-day Joint Technical Symposium onWater Mist Fire Protection Systems onMay 16, 2003, in Dallas, USA. It will beheld in conjunction with the NFPAWorld Congress and Exhibition.

Members of the IWMA and otherexperts in this field will, in a number ofpresentations, explain the basic theo-retical and functional characteristics ofwater mist and the wide range ofpossible applications as well as the cur-rent situation concerning codes andstandards.

The seminar is designed forarchitects, consultants, fire protectionengineers, end users and others whoare not so familiar with water misttechnology yet.

The IWMA web page provides furtherinformation regarding this seminar.Please browse the “News & Acts” section.

Work Shop from February24–27, 2003, in Mobile, USA –A brief ReviewThe Naval Research Laboratory, in con-junction with the Colorado School ofMines, the International Water MistAssociation, and Hughes Associates,Inc., held a Workshop on Fire Sup-pression Technologies from February24–27, 2003, in Mobile, Alabama, USA.140 participants from 7 countries

attended this symposium. The partici-pation underlined the high interest inwater mist technology for fire suppres-sion in North America. Particularly realfire test demonstrations on an ex USwar ship (USS SHADWELL) were foundto be very interesting by the attendeesof the workshop.

IMO FP 47 Meeting 2003The FP 47 meeting took place duringthe second week in February inLondon, USA. The results of the lastmeeting have implications for watermist technology also. A comprehensivereport, written by Robert Wickham,member of the IWMA Board of Direc-tors, can be downloaded from theIWMA web page. Interested partiesshould browse the “Download” sectionof our home page.


63

ContactInternational Water Mist

Association

Biederitzer Str. 539175 Heyrothsberge

Phone: +49 (0) 392 92 – 690 25Fax: +49 (0) 392 92 – 690 26

www.iwma.net, [email protected]

The 3rd

International Water Mist Conference will provide answers.

22–24 September, 2003, Madrid, Spain

Detailed information, such as venue, Call for Papers and registration material can be found on

www.iwma.net

“You are responsible for selecting fire protection in government, industrial or commercial facilities?”

“You want to look at alternative effective and innovative fire suppression technologies due to the Halon phase-out?”

“You do research and testing in the field of water mist technology and would like to share your findings?”

“You are a manufacturer or contractor and would like to introduce newest applications for water mist technology?”

“You are a consultant, engineer or other and you are simply interested in water mist technology in general?”

IFP P. 63-84 16/10/06 3:53 pm Page 63

There are many reasons to providebuildings and processes with fireprotection and life safety systems.

Compliance with codes and regulationsis an obvious one since it is often aprerequisite to operating a business oroccupying a building. The need toobtain insurance will often require thefacility and operations to conform tofire protection standards as well. Whilethe tendency is to drill down into theline item costs for these systems, it isimportant to keep the big picture inmind. What is the value of what youare protecting . . . be it facilities, equip-ment, operations, human life, or acommodity such as cans of soup?Where might you spend money todayto save money tomorrow? It’s notenough to know what the cost is, youalso have to know what the cost of‘not’ is.

A CODE COMPLIANT DESIGN

An established goal of many designprojects is to achieve compliance withcodes and standards. Other design pro-jects don’t establish this as a goal, butarrive at a code compliant design

anyway. In either scenario, a compliantdesign may not be enough. Questionsthat must be asked early in the pro-gramming and concept phase include:

1 What is the minimum designcriterion for the project?

2 Does the minimum design criterionprovide the level of protectiondesired?

Answering the first question seemsto be necessary for any project at itsinception. How else could a project bedesigned? Project planning shouldidentify the applicable codes adoptedby building and fire officials as pub-lished by organizations such as theInternational Codes Council Inc., i.e.the International Building Code (IBC),International Mechanical Code (IMC),International Fire Code (IFC), etc., andthe National Fire Protection Association(NFPA), i.e. NFPA 101, The Life Safety Code (LSC), NFPA 70, TheNational Electric Code (NEC), etc. Thisresearch should also identify any crite-ria from government organizationswhere agency specific design guidanceis applicable, as well as any insurance

carrier criteria. This project diligenceshould document the appropriate edi-tions of, and any modifications oramendments to, the criteria. Althoughcompiling the codes and standardsapplicable to a project seems like anobvious task, it is not a task that isalways completed. And it doesn’t endthere.

Knowing the applicable codes mustbe translated into an appreciation ofwhat requirements will be imposed, andthus the resulting level of fire protec-tion and life safety to be established.Whereas the requirements for small orsimple projects may be summarizedverbally, large or complex projectsmight require a documented basis ofdesign or code summary. Knowing therequirements of the minimum designcriteria is necessary to answer the sec-ond question above. Whereas the ‘yesor no’ question might easily beanswered, it might also require a dis-cussion regarding the need for protec-tion beyond the criteria mandate. Thediscussion needs to include the owneror owner’s agent and design teammembers that can communicate theprotection that would be afforded via adesign that is per the minimum coderequirements. This intermediate stepshould consider risk factors thatencompass life safety aspects, equip-ment replacement costs, and businessinterruption costs.

For example, there are many facilitiesclassified as Business Occupancies perbuilding and fire codes including airtraffic control towers and barbershops,research laboratories and car washes.An air traffic control tower serves avital public safety function and war-rants a level of protection greater thana barbershop. A research laboratorycould have ‘one-of-a-kind equipment’whose value isn’t adequately protectedvia the code minimum requirementsapplicable for a car wash. The air trafficcontrol tower might not be able to tol-erate any business interruption and theresulting revenue loss by commercialairline carriers; similarly a businessinterruption at the research laboratorymight endanger a critical experiment.


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Economics of Fire PBy Mr David W. Clark, Rolf Jensen & Associates, Inc.

IT IS EASY TO SHOP FOR A CAN OF SOUP. It’s a tangible, knowncommodity. The price differences among cans of soup is small and thefinal result is, well, canned soup. Shopping for fire protection and lifesafety services and systems it not as easy. How to spend your project oroperating budget may not be so obvious. Be it design, installation ormaintenance, the economics of fire protection takes on a whole newflavor!

Where might you spend moneytoday to save money tomorrow?It’s not enough to know what thecost is, you also have to knowwhat the cost of ‘not’ is.

IFP P. 63-84 16/10/06 3:54 pm Page 64

In these instances, the additionalexpense of fire protection and life safe-ty features and systems is an acceptableand incremental cost. The potentialcost of not providing fire protectionand life safety beyond the mandatedminimum could be too great.

And what if the exercise determinesthat the code minimum requirementsafford an appropriate level of protec-tion? What if you are looking to designand build a barbershop or car wash?What benefit does the exercisedescribed above provide if there are nolife safety, equipment or operation con-siderations that influence a greaterlevel of protection than prescribed?Knowing design expectations will assistin the preparation of documents thatmeet the needs of reviewers. Gettingthe design permitted without com-ments avoids the expense of reworkand resubmission. Rework sometimesincludes revising the design per theminimum design criteria, which mayonly impact a single drawing and disci-pline. Other times, the design commit-ted to on paper cannot be easilypushed to a prescriptively code compli-ant solution. The 11th-hour fix oftenrequires additional design features toaccomplish the intent of the criteria.The 11th-hour fix might even includean engineering study to establish thatan equivalency or performance baseddesign is achieved. Unscheduled meet-ings will often accompany the reworkand resubmittal process. Someone hasto pay for the cost of hourly wages andschedule slippage. Although harder tocalculate, the hidden burden of a tar-

nished reputation can be even morecostly in the long run.

How else might the effort of provid-ing a basis of design or code summarybe advantageous to a project? Moneyspent early can help assure that onlyequipment that is required and appro-priate for the level of protection will bespecified. For example, the mere pres-ence of a computer room with a raisedfloor might be enough for some own-ers, designers or authorities havingjurisdiction to invoke special computerroom criteria as found in NFPA 75,Electronic Computer/Data ProcessingEquipment. NFPA 75 includes require-ments for separation by fire resistancerated construction and fire detectionand suppression, i.e. sprinklers or agaseous total flooding extinguishingsystem. But NFPA 75 is written to bean elective standard whose applicationis based on risk considerations asdescribed above. Given a ‘nothing spe-cial’ computer room, the expense ofunnecessary fire protection featuresand system can be avoided.

As designs progress, the code sum-mary can be used to help ensure thatfire protection and life safety featuresaren’t over-designed. For instance,when asked why all of the janitor’sclosets were separated by fire resistancerated construction on a fully sprinkleredchurch facility, the designer stated‘because we always rate them’. Thebuilding code held no such require-ment. When asked why all the duct-work penetrations of fire rated barrierswere provided with fire or fire andsmoke dampers, the designer stated‘because you have to put a damper in afire barrier’. The mechanical code andair-conditioning and ventilating systemstandard only required fire dampers in2-hour barriers. In a large manufactur-ing facility, the authority having juris-diction was requiring the owner toprovide duct smoke detectors atthrough-roof heating and ventilationunits based on their respective capac-ities. Presenting the code requirementsand commentary from a code hand-book convinced the fire marshal thatthe duct smoke detectors were notrequired, resulting in an immediate sav-ings of over $100,000. Having know-ledge of the applicable codes and theirrequirements can keep the focus onproviding what is needed – where it isneeded.

AT THE CONSTRUCTION SITEThe construction process is where theowner’s desires and designers’ intentsare turned into reality. From bare earth,structure grows and systems areinstalled until finally the buildingbecomes habitable. The fire protectionand life safety features and systemsmay be perceived as only a small com-ponent of the project. They may berecognized as integral element of thecompleted facility. In any event, knowthat the economics of fire protectiondoesn’t end at design.


65

e ProtectionSomeone has to pay for the costof hourly wages and scheduleslippage. Although harder tocalculate, the hidden burden of atarnished reputation can be evenmore costly in the long run.

The construction process is wherethe owner’s desires and designers’intents are turned into reality. Frombare earth, structure grows andsystems are installed until finally thebuilding becomes habitable.

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It is common in the constructionprocess for the fire protection contrac-tor to submit equipment and materialsthat are deemed adequate for theinstallation, although not meeting thespecification requirements. The con-tractor may or may not be aware thatthe submitted equipment does notmeet the details of the specification,rather that the equipment submittedmeets code requirements. In someinstances, it might be appropriate forthe engineer of record to review thesubmittal and approve the equipmentand materials as a change to thedesign. New technology often offers alevel of performance that meets thedesign intent if not the specificationdetails. The change to the requirementsof the design must be documented. Ifnot already provided, it is also appropri-ate to request pricing information in adetailed enough format to identifycredits to the project. This can result inan installation that provides the advan-tages of new technology at a lowercost.

On the other hand, it might not beappropriate to accept a fire protectionsubmittal that offers equipment andtechnology that differs from the speci-fications. Even where the offering isnew technology at a lower cost, selec-tion based on this value could jeopar-dize the larger goals established for theproject. Recall that designs exceedingcode might be deemed appropriate perthe risk based decisions regarding lifesafety, property or equipment protec-tion, or business interruption concerns.The decision process and resulting pro-ject goals are probably not being com-municated to the contractor. Thereforethe need for equipment that exceedsthe code minimum performance

requirements might to be known to thecontractor.

Once again, the economics of fireprotection could warrant an expendi-ture that is not typically incurred.Specifically, the fire protection and lifesafety engineer could be present at thepre-bid and pre-construction meetingsto discuss the fire protection and lifesafety features. The fire protection andlife safety engineer should be reviewingequipment and material submittals, andalso be involved in related change orderand credits discussions.

MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONSThe maintenance of fire protection andlife safety systems will be required bycodes and standards. NFPA 25, Stan-dard for Inspection, Testing, and Main-tenance of Water-Based fire ProtectionSystems, will establish various tasks forfire sprinkler, fire pump, standpipes,and other fire protection systems. Simi-larly, NFPA 72, National Fire AlarmCode, identifies inspection, testing andmaintenance tasks for fire alarm sys-tems. Other NFPA publications will alsoidentify maintenance activities, as wellas manufacturer specific and insurancerequirements. The inspection, testingand maintenance tasks will be calledout for frequencies that range fromdaily to annual and greater.

Many of the maintenance activitiesrequire expertise and specialized equip-ment that will be best provided from acontractor. Other tasks might well beworth doing with in-house personnel.NFPA 72 for example provides guidancebeyond what the inspection task is buthow to perform the task. Obtainingcomplete documentation of theinstalled system at project completion

to include operation and maintenancemanuals and accurate as-built drawingswill facilitate these efforts. Having theforesight to include delivery of thecodes and standards that were used forthe design and that contain the inspec-tion, testing and maintenance activitiesat project completion may be an incre-mental project cost that pays for itselfin short order. Ensuring that systemtraining at equipment acceptance goesbeyond operation and into maintenanceactivities could prove equally valuable.Involving the design engineer in the set-up and organization of a preventative–maintenance card system could be anexpense that pays for itself when con-tractor services can be reduced. Even ifthere is no intent or desire to performfire protection and life safety mainte-nance tasks in-house, knowledge of therequirements will assist in the oversightof hired vendors. Making sure that you’repaying for what is needed and that theservice provided is what was paid formakes good economic sense.

In the end, the economics of fire pro-tection takes on many shapes andforms. It is sometimes wise to pay forservices beyond the role of systemdesigner. Spending project resources inup-front diligence can provide benefitslater in the process, even when defend-ing the decision may be complicatedbecause of difficulties in quantifyingthe unknown. Oh yeah, back to thesoup. Just as a simple broth can benefitfrom a pinch of salt, a fire protectionproject can benefit from a small dose ofattention. In cases where the fire pro-tection and life safety concerns moreresemble a main course than an appe-tizer, it is certainly wise to make surethat someone is keeping an eye on it toprevent boil-over. It is not only wise; itis good fire protection economics!


6666

Mr David Clark is a consultingengineer with Rolf Jensen &Associates, Inc. (RJA), fire pro-tection engineering consultants.Located in the RJA Atlanta office,Mr. Clark holds a degree in FireProtection Engineering from theUniversity of Maryland. To learnmore about RJA, visit their websiteat www.rjagroup.com.

Many of the maintenance activitiesrequire expertise and specializedequipment that will be bestprovided from a contractor. Othertasks might well be worth doingwith in-house personnel.

Economics of Fire Protection

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67



IFP P. 63-84 16/10/06 2:51 pm Page 67

The major driving force for requiringthese systems is typically the build-ing and fire codes. Due to the

plethora of codes and standards in usejust in the United States, the followingdialogue will focus on the National FireProtection Association’s (NFPA) BuildingCode (NFPA 5000) and Fire PreventionCode (NFPA 1).

Occupancy diversityAs with any large institution, the interest ofthe student population varies from athleticsto academics to social. To satisfy the existingstudents and attract new students, collegesand universities must provide a far rangingbreath of facilities. Some examples of theoccupancies at a large university include:

There are many buildings that are notsingle occupancy buildings. Many func-tions of student life and academics areintermingled such that classroom buildingsinclude teachers’ offices and gymnasiumscontain the athletic department’s offices.Each occupancy brings with it specificrequirements that must be followed.

Building Systems andcompatibility University buildings are no different thanother commercial buildings when dealingwith fire protection systems. Fire pro-tection systems are considered emergencysystems, where the majority of the build-ings systems are used day-in day-out.Therefore, general objectives of the build-ing’s systems may conflict with theobjectives of the fire protection systems.There are several examples such as:

Conflict: The Heating, Ventilation, andAir Conditioning system isdesigned to maintain acomfortable environmentthroughout the building in anefficient manor, while the fireprotection systems, namely thefire barriers, are required toprevent fire and smoke spreadduring an emergency.

Reasoning: The efficiency will have todrop if dampers areintroduced to the ductworksystem or multiple fans wouldbe required on every floor toincrease efficiency.


6868

University Campus. Pic courtesy of RJA Group

Fire Protection conceand Universities

By Jeff DeMaine, P.E., of Rolf Jensen & Associates, Inc.

Fire Protection conceand Universities

UNIVERSITIES AND LARGE INSTITUTIONS offer various and far reachingopportunities to their students and occupants. This ranges from multiplecourses of study to sporting events to political involvement. However, inproviding this array of opportunities, there are many fire protection concernsrelated to this diversity. These concerns include fire alarm compatibility,sprinkler controls, needs for special suppression, maintenance of fire barriers,fire alarm and sprinkler systems, and the integration with other systems.

Use Occupancy per NFPA

Classrooms Assembly, Business

Laboratories Business, Hazardous Materials

Campus Centers Assembly, Business

Gymnasiums, Fitness Center Assembly, Business, Storage

Arenas Assembly, Business

Libraries Assembly, Business, Storage

Dormitories Residential, Storage

Physical Plant / Maintenance Storage, Business

University Teaching Hospitals Healthcare, Business, Storage, Assembly

IFP P. 63-84 16/10/06 3:54 pm Page 68

Conflict: The need for security duringthe normal working day tokeep unwanted people out ofspaces in the building versusthe need to egress occupantsquickly during a fireemergency.

Reasoning: Some areas of the buildingmay not be as secure as thebuilding owner would like toprovide a safe efficient path oftravel to the exterior of thebuilding.

Conflict: The building owners do notwant to evacuate the buildingif the fire alarm is reporting afalse alarm.

Reasoning: The owners are attempting toprevent unsatisfied occupants.

The design of the building createsmajor issues based on the requirementsof the systems involved. All these issueswould ideally be solved by the designteam, possibly consisting of architect,mechanical/electrical/plumbing engineer,fire protection consultant, and securityconsultant.

Integration as campus systemSince most colleges and universities werenot built in a day, the age and design ofeach building varies. As with most con-struction, each building may also be dif-ferent than the neighboring building.This variance between buildings mayinclude construction type, as well as theoperational and safety systems within.

The facilities department of the Uni-versity is typically the oversight for thebuildings after construction. To maintainconstant supervision of the buildings,they are monitored from a central loca-tion. Can you see where this is going?Multiple buildings, each with a slightlydifferent fire alarm system, having toreport back to a central monitoring point.Even with a single fire alarm manufactur-er, each company has several models tochoose from and not all systems can benetworked together. Not coordinating thefire alarm as a campus may cause issueswith maintenance and upkeep which willbe discussed later.

There are several other systems locatedin typical college buildings. These includeautomatic fire sprinkler systems, specialtysystems (smoke control and special fire suppression systems), and passive fire protection systems (egress systems

and fire barrier/compartmentation). Eachsystem requires forethought to preventfuture problems related to systemcompatibility.

As you can see from the general exam-ples above, there is no universal approachto integration of systems as a campus.Each campus is different and must belooked at as unique.

Integration with securitySecurity has become a major concern atcolleges and university lately. Even thesmallest of colleges must ensure the safe-ty and security of people using the build-ings. In addition, security is not onlyprovided to keep the “unwanteds” out,but several times, it is provided to keeppossessions in, such as research labora-tories and museums.

The protection of its occupants fromthe unwanted intruders is typically pro-vided with devices on the outside of thebuilding to prevent entry. This does notusually pose a conflict with emergencyegress, since the doors are locked fromthe exterior not the interior. Dormitoriesare the prime example of this type ofsecurity. Security for dormitories is con-figured to only allow occupants with therequired “key” to enter the building.

Protection of possessions poses aseparate problem. This approach aims toprevent any valuable items from leavingthe building. The locking of doors willprevent occupants from egressing the

building during a fire emergency. In addi-tion, the locked door will also preventoccupants from escaping a non-fireemergency, such as a physical assaultwithin the building. The balance betweensecurity and access/egress poses problemsthat need to be dealt with during boththe design process and during the life ofthe building.

Responsibility for upkeep/maintenanceBuilding and design of a campus buildingonly accounts for a small portion of theoverall lifespan of the building. Upkeepand maintenance of the building andbuilding’s systems is where the bulk ofthe effort lies. Maintenance of the firealarm system, sprinkler system, and firebarriers is a full time activity. In addition,the building is required to be maintainedin accordance with the building and firecode under which it is was designed.Therefore, not only does the buildingmanager need to be knowledgeable withthe systems that are installed, but alsothe codes under which it was installed.And with typical campuses, every buildingmay have been constructed in a differentyear.

The most labor-intensive upkeep andmaintenance is on the fire resistance bar-riers. These barriers are continuouslybeing penetrated year after year. Newtelephone and data wires are brought in


69

Pic courtesy of RJA Group

cerns at Schools cerns at Schools

Security has become a majorconcern at colleges and universitylately. Even the smallest of collegesmust ensure the safety and securityof people using the buildings.

IFP P. 63-84 16/10/06 3:54 pm Page 69

every year to older buildings. These pene-trations must be addressed, but usuallyare the last on the punch list and are typ-ically ignored of forgotten.

There are other potential problems thatare inherent with maintenance of olderbuildings, such as getting parts for oldersystems. The fire alarm system is typicallyone of the systems that present theseproblems. Fire alarm manufacturers arecontinually changing and upgrading theirsystems. Every year manufacturers dis-continue models and stop storing parts.Each year this fire alarm becomes moreand more expensive to maintain. Withthis said, usually the average lifespan of afire alarm system is much less than thelifespan of the building it is installed in.

One system that does not have muchmaintenance and upkeep associated with it would be the sprinkler system.Normal systems are basically maintenancefree. The system is required to be inspect-ed quarterly and yearly, but not much

maintenance is involved.With all the maintenance required, the

facilities department must be providedwith the necessary tools to provide thismaintenance. The tools include regulareducation for the intricacies of the code,training for the proper use of penetrationprotection systems, and enough man-power to implement the maintenance.Because of the intensive labor, much ofthe maintenance is deferred or farmedout to contractors. However, it should notbe overlooked.

Renovations/additionsOne of the last concerns for universitybuildings are renovations/additions. Withmost campuses located in a city, openspace to building new buildings is notreadily available or affordable. Renova-tion/addition is therefore an option. Withthe renovation/addition, come severalissues that range from code complianceof non-renovated portions to maintainingthe existing building during the project.

Code compliance of non-renovatedportions is one of the biggest issues thatdesign teams are required to face. Reno-vating a building that has no chance ofcomplying with the current code, how-ever, being required to make the newconstruction comply causes several codecompliance issues. Issues include: con-struction type deficiencies in changes ofthe building use, egress insufficienciesdue to using open stairs, or a change inuse, and fire alarm upgrades that don’tincorporate the entire building.

One of the consistent fire alarm system

issues to address is accessibility compli-ance. Older editions of the Fire AlarmCode (NFPA 72) permitted non-accessiblecompliance devices such as chimes, flash-ing lights and manual pull stations thatare mounted above the new requiredheight. In a large renovation, the entirebuilding is usually required to be evaluat-ed for code compliance issues. The firstsystem to get looked at is usually the firealarm system, which in turn make thedesigner extend his project area toinclude non-renovated spaces.

Another system that is highly scrutinizedis the sprinkler system. Additions and reno-vations may create a deficiency in thesprinkler system. The deficiency is usuallybased on the pressure and amount of wateravailable. If a building was originally builtwithout a fire pump and a new high hazardspace is being designed into a building,such as a laboratory, the water supply maynot be sufficient for the building.

ConclusionsAs can be seen with university buildings,there are several concerns that must beaddressed during the lifespan of thebuilding. In the design stage, issues withcompatibility of the existing campus sys-tem must be addressed along with thesecurity aspects of the building. In themidyears of the use of the building,maintenance of the fire alarm systemsand fire barriers become the concern todeal with. Then, in the later years of its existence, renovation and additionproblems will be focus. As with all of the problems and concerns, the team of individuals used will make the differ-ence. Having the right focus andexpertise on the fire, life safety, and secu-rity issues will allow more innovativebuildings that can grow with time andmeet the needs of the university for yearsto come.

Mr. Jeffrey DeMaine, P.E. is a consult-ing engineer with the Boston office ofRolf Jensen & Associates, Inc. (RJA).RJA provides fire protection, life safe-ty, code consulting and accessibilityengineering services. RJA has 18offices around the United States andstrategic business alliances aroundthe world. To learn more about RJA,visit www.rjagroup.com.


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With most campuses located in acity, open space to building newbuildings is not readily available oraffordable. Renovation/addition istherefore an option.

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71

Enquiries: www.morley-ias.co.uk

It’s what’s in thebox that counts

Have you got your ticket?

Don’t forget to come and

see ‘what’s in the box.’

For more information contact:Morley-IAS Fire Systems,Charles Avenue, Burgess Hill, West Sussex RH15 9UF, United KingdomT: +44 (0)1444 235556 F: +44 (0)1444 254410E: [email protected] www.morley-ias.co.uk

Enquiries: www.wpi.edu/+ADLN/Fire

IFP P. 63-84 16/10/06 3:55 pm Page 71

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IFP P. 63-84 16/10/06 3:57 pm Page 72

AMPAC

Ampac designs, manufactures and dis-tributes a range of technologicallyadvanced Fire Detection and Emer-gency Warning Systems for commercial,industrial, and multi-residential com-plexes. Our aim is to provide ‘CONSIS-TENTLY EXCELLENT SERVICE’ in theeyes of our customers. This statementnot only drives our design process toensure we are providing products thatare highly regarded for their modularsimplicity, ease of use and reducedinstallation and maintenance costs, italso drives us to provide a level of salesand technical support that is tailored tothe individual customer’s requirements.To find out more contact your nearestCustomer Service Office:

AUSTRALIAAmpac Technologies Pty Ltd97 Walters DriveOsborne Park 6017Western AustraliaTel: 61 8 9242 3333Fax: 61 8 9242 3334E-mail: [email protected]

EUROPEAmpac Europe LtdUnit 1, Norden CourtAlan Ramsbottom WayGreat Harwood, BlackburnEngland BB6 7UR

Tel: 44 (0) 1254 880 201Fax: 44 (0) 1254 880 202E-mail: [email protected]

NEW ZEALANDAmpac Industries LtdUnit D/33 Porana RoadGlenfieldAucklandNew ZealandTel: 64 9 443 8072Fax: 64 9 443 8073E-mail: [email protected]: www.ampac.net

EST

Edwards Systems Technology (EST) is aworld leader in innovative life safetysolutions for commercial and industrialapplications. Our extensive productrange includes small, stand-alone firealarm panels, conventional detectors,multi-sensor detection, signalling solu-tions, nursecall communications andlarge integrated, fire, access controland security systems. EST Internationalexports life safety systems to more than180 distributors in 65 countries aroundthe world. For additional information,and to find the office nearest you,please visit www.estinternational.com.EST will be exhibiting at InternationalFire Expo in Birmingham and NFPA inDallas.

For more information please contact: EST International201 City Centre DriveSuite 500MississaugaOntarioCanada L5B 2T4Tel: +1 905-270-1711Fax: +1 905-270-9553E-mail: [email protected]: www.estinternational.com

FIRE FIGHTING ENTERPRISES LIMITED

Show launch for “easy reach” beamdetector Fire Fighting Enterprises will unveil anew version of Fireray Reflective, itsinfrared beam smoke detector for largeinterior spaces, which will simplify


73

FIRE & SMOKE DETECTIONEQUIPMENT ROUND UP

Here set out in an easy alphabetical format is the latest in our fire protection equipment roundups. This timewe have given the leading manufacturers of fire and smoke detection and associated equipment a chance topresent their latest product releases. This round up will make a good reference guide for the future. So keep itsafe. You will find full contact details below every editorial, so go on dive in and get in touch !!!

IFP P. 63-84 16/10/06 3:57 pm Page 73

routine function testing. To avoid the lengthy process of accessing detec-tors installed at height, an optional low-level controller allows alarm func-tions to be checked from a convenientlocation via a simple key switch. Aserial port on the controller allows thedetector’s output signal to be checkedusing a laptop computer, and long-term diagnostic checking is possible if adatalogger is used.

Fireray Reflective is an innovative“all-in-one” unit combining an infraredtransmitter and receiver in a singlehousing. Designed to reduce cablingcosts in premises containing primarilynon-reflective surfaces, it will be joinedat the show by Fireray 2000, FFE’s“two-head” beam detector for build-ings of all types.

For more information please contact: Fire Fighting Enterprises Limited5 Wedgwood CourtWedgwood WayStevenageHertfordshire SG1 4QREnglandTel: +44 (0) 1438 317216Fax: +44 (0) 1438 722136Website: www.ffeuk.com

HOCHIKI EUROPE (U.K.) LIMITED

Hochiki Premieres New GenerationDetector Range at FireExpo

At International Fire Expo 2003 onStand B50 (19–22 May), at Birming-ham’s NEC, Hochiki launches a NewGeneration cost-effective ConventionalDetector Range. This innovative prod-uct range utilises Hochiki’s well-proven‘flat-response’ technology for the newphoto-electric smoke detector whichhas already been extensively used in thefield through the ASX and CDX ranges,removing the need for ionisation smokedetectors thus reducing environmental

impact. The new range is tested toEN54 2000 which is the new Europeanstandard, and key features include:

- Suitable for use on both fire andsecurity systems

- Environmentally friendly photo-electric smoke detector

- Backward compatibility – new headscan be fitted to existing CDX bases

- Integral Remote Indicator Drive onall base variants

- Unified product range featuringsame flexibility as previous CDXrange

- Simplified range of bases includingHead Removal and Relay bases

Stand B50 will be the essentialsource for professional fire alarm sys-tem specifiers and installers wanting tosee the latest fire safety developments.Hochiki’s ESP range of productsincludes a full range of smoke and heat sensors with unwanted-alarmreduction capabilities and fully featuredInput/Output modules. Also on displaywill be Hochiki’s conventional rangewhich includes solutions for specialapplications.

Hochiki designs and manufactures toISO9001, and products are approved toBritish and European standards byLPCB and others.

For more information please contact: Hochiki Europe (U.K.) LimitedGrosvenor RoadGillingham Business ParkGillinghamKent ME8 0SAEngland Telephone: +44 (0) 1634 260133 Fax: +44 (0) 1634 260132E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.hochikieurope.com

KIDDE FIRE PROTECTION

Kidde Fire Protection is at the fore-front of fire detection technology. Two key products which will be onshow at International Fire Expo will be the Hart XL High Sensitivity Smoke Detection system and the

VegaNET Display System.Hart XL incorporates laser-based

particle counting technology, with on-site sensitivity adjustment from0.0025%/metre to 1%/metre. Simple toinstall, commission and maintain, HartXL comprises four basic sub-units,which provide complete flexibility insystem configuration.

The VegaNET Display System hasbeen developed to meet the require-ments for fire detection systems forlarge buildings and complex sites. It isa PC WindowsTM based applicationwhich enables the user to view anentire site enabling rapid identificationof the source and extent of each event,particularly during multiple alarmconditions.

For more information please contact: Kidde Fire ProtectionThame Park RoadThameOxfordshireOX9 3RTTel: +44 (0)1844 265003Fax +44(0)1844 265156Website: www.kfp.co.uk

MORLEY-IASThe UK’s leading multi-protocol firecontrol panel manufacturerMorley-IAS is a leading manufacturerof high performance conventional andanalogue addressable fire alarm controlequipment and systems. Conventionalpanels range in size from one to eight


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IFP P. 63-84 16/10/06 3:57 pm Page 75

zones; intelligent panels are availableas one loop stand-alone units or twoor five loop networkable panels. Alladdressable models are compatible withthe protocols of the major detectormanufacturers such as Apollo, Hochiki,Nittan and System Sensor, enablingexisting systems to be upgraded andnew systems to be specified withwhichever detector is preferred. In addi-tion to the control panels themselves, afull system solution including multi-panel networks, graphical front-endsolutions and a range of peripheralproducts can be engineered to suitspecific applications.

For more information please contact: David SpencerMarketing Communications ManagerMorley-IAS Fire SystemsCharles AvenueBurgess HillRH15 9UFTel: + 44 (0)1444 235556Fax: + 44 (0)1444 254410E-mail: [email protected]: www.morley-ias.co.uk

NOTIFIER FIRE SYSTEMS

ID2net provides robust distributed fireprotection system

Notifier Fire Systems’ ID2net Intelli-gent Digital Delivery Network sets newstandards for response speed, reliability,robustness and flexibility. It is designedfor medium to very large buildings ormultiple building campuses such ashospitals, military establishments andshopping centres where thousands ofdetectors and I/O modules controlledby multiple fire panels are required.ID2net uses ARCnet-based multipletoken-passing collision-free software toprovide a robust peer to peer systemwith capacity of 100 nodes managing32 networked ID3000 eight-loop fire

alarm panels giving 50,688 addressablepoints and 8160 network zones. Intern-odal distances are up to 1700m overStandard or Enhanced copper cables as defined in BS5839-1 2002 or typi-cally up to 5000m over fibre opticmedia.

For more information please contact: David SpencerMarketing Communications ManagerNotifier Fire SystemsCharles AvenueBurgess HillRH15 9UFTel: + 44 (0)1444 230300Fax: + 44 (0)1444 230888E-mail: [email protected]: www.notifier.ltd.uk

RAFIKI PROTECTION LTD

800 Devices on a Single Loop

The Sita 200 plus Addressable FireDetection System, from Rafiki Protec-tion Ltd, can accommodate up to 200‘Multipoint’ multi-mode fire detectorswith built-in sounder, isolator and I/Oto provide an unparalleled 800 devicesper loop. This unique approach,unmatched in the marketplace, pro-vides significant cost savings for everyapplication. The intelligent ‘Multipoint’detector has 15 modes of operation,selectable from the panel, coveringsmoke, heat and combined sensing.This enables just one device to cater forall fire detection situations, a greatadvantage for design, stock holdingand maintenance. With its built in iso-lator and I/O and optional full specifi-cation 92dbA sounder, the ‘Multipoint’detector provides the system designerwith unparalleled flexibility.

For more information please contact: Rafiki Protection Ltd55 Springvale Industrial EstateCwmbranSouth WalesNP44 5BD UKTel: 01633 865558 Fax: 01633 866656E-mail: [email protected]: www.rafiki.biz

SECURITON AG

Fire Detection Technology fromSecuriton SwitzerlandSecuriton, based in Switzerland, devel-ops and manufactures a large range ofdifferent fire detection systems to fulfillbroad customers’ needs.

For the detection of smoke, heat orflames, a variety of detection technol-ogies have been developed to ensureefficient alarm release in dangerous sit-uations. Combined with the mostadvanced fire alarm system software,the functionality of Securiton fire alarmsystems know no limits when chal-lenged by customer requirements.

Securiton offers fire alarm systemsbased on line-type heat detection, aspi-ration smoke detection systems andvideo picture based fire- and smokedetection. Combined with Securitonfire alarm control panels, very complexfunctionalities are programmable, toprovide unique customer benefits.

For more information please contact: Securiton AGAlarm and Security SystemsInternational OperationsAlpenstrasse 20CH-3052 Zollikofen/BerneSwitzerlandTel: +41 31 910 11 22Fax: +41 31 911 25 32Website: www.securiton.ch

SILENT KNIGHT DEBUTS 50 POINT ADDRESSABLE FACP

Silent Knight introduces the Intel-liKnight Model 5700, a 50 point classleading single loop addressable firealarm control/communicator system


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GE Interlogix Kilsen is expanding its series of fire alarm control panels.The analogue addressable series benefits from the introduction of thenew KSA701 one and two loop control panels, whilst the NK700 seriesconventional fire panels enhance the conventional control panel range.These additions place Kilsen amongst the leading manufacturers in theEuropean fire detection industry.

The new KSA701 bridges the gap between conventional and analogueaddressable systems. Additional features such as 125 addresses perloop, standard RS232 and an optional RS485 communication portsstand out. These panels are aimed at small to medium sized installationswhere advanced technology in fire detection is a definite requirement.

The new NK700 series conventional control panels are designed andmanufactured to comply with European standards and currently haveapprovals pending. Two of the models in this series are designed forthe control of 1 or 2 extinguishing zones.

The new panels are packed with features that fulfil every possiblerequirement for the complete protection of any premises. With the newproduct series, Kilsen is offering its customers a series of solutions forevery requirement in fire detection.

For more information about our company and products, contact us at :KILSEN S.A. a division of GE InterlogixVerge de Guadalupe, 308950 Esplugues de Llobregat (Barcelona)Tel : +34 93 480 90 70 - Fax : +34 93 480 90 67www.kilsen.es

We’re full of fire

GE

Enquiries: www.kilsen.es

IFP P. 63-84 16/10/06 3:58 pm Page 77

that provides you with the revolution-ary value and performance of address-able sensing technology combined withexclusive, built-in digital communica-tion, distributed intelligent power, andeasy to use interface. Powerful featuressuch as drift compensation and main-tenance alert are delivered to thispowerful FACP from Silent Knight.

For more information please contact: Silent Knight7550 Meridian CircleMaple GroveMN55369-4927USATel: +1 612 493 6400Fax: +1 612 493 6475Website: www.silentknight.com

SPECTREX INC.

Spectrex has just added two newSharpEye Flame Detectors, both basedon their innovative triple infrared (IR3)technology and ATEX approvals.

SharpEye 20/20XI includes heatedwindow, to eliminate ice and snow;rugged stainless steel, EExde(ia) enclo-sure; integral, segregated EExe terminalsection to avoid exposure of the inter-nals during installation. A data portallows field configuration and statusinterrogation.

SharpEye 20/20MI, a new low-powermodel, has a very compact, lightweight,stainless steel design for general use orEExia approved with an optional plasticenclosure for semiconductor wet benchapplications.

Both carry a 3-year warranty anddetect flames over distances up to 40(MI) or 60 (XI) meters.

For more information please contact: Spectrex Inc.218 Little Falls RoadCedar GroveNJ 07009 USA1-800-452-2107 (toll-free in the USA)1-973-239-8398 (tel.)1-973-239-7614 (fax)E-mail: [email protected]: www.spectrex-inc.com

SYSTEM SENSOR EUROPE

Modules for addressable fire systemsfrom System Sensor

Modules are critical components withinany addressable fire system, enablingthe panel to monitor and control awide variety of ancillary componentsand functions. System Sensor Europehas introduced the new M200 Series.All individual modules can be mountedin a stand-alone enclosure or on astandard 35mm DIN rail; also availableare multiple input and output modulesproviding either six or ten individualmodules on a single PCB, designed foruse in more complex installationswhere numerous single modules arerequired. In addition to low voltage24V units, the M200-240 modules can

control mains-powered devices rated atup to 5A @ 240VAC.

For more information please contact: Stuart DaviesEuropean Marketing ManagerSystem Sensor Europe3 Horsham GatesNorth StreetHorshamRH13 5PJTel: + 44 (0)1403 276500Fax: + 44 (0)1403 276501E-mail: [email protected]: www.systemsensoreurope.com

VISION FIRE & SECURITY

VESDA has become synonymous withhigh-performance aspirating smokedetection, while Vision Fire & Security– manufacturer of VESDA – is estab-lished as a market leader for its exper-tise in very early smoke detection.

There are now numerous productswithin the VESDA portfolio, all of whichare designed to provide active detectionin a wide range of environments. Newestto the range is VESDA Exd, specificallydesigned for hazardous areas.

Vision Fire & Security is a member ofthe Vision Systems Group, which waslaunched in Australia in 1984 and nowhas annual growth rates exceeding 35per cent.

For more information please contact: Zsuzsanna Csuthi/Samantha VerrallVision Fire & SecurityVision HouseFocus 31Mark RoadHemel HempsteadHertfordshire HP2 3BWTel: +44(0)1442 242 330 Fax: +44(0)1442 249 327Website: www.vesda.com


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Fulleon Limited, Llantarnam Park, Cwmbran NP44 3AW, UK.

T: +44 (0)1633 628 500 F: +44 (0)1633 866 346www.fulleon.co.uk

M A K I N G T H E D I F F E R E N C E

We’ve got some new products!

Fulleon is doing it again! The company that amazed the fire systems worldwith innovative sounder and beacon products like the famous Squashni, theworld-beating Roshini and the Symphoni is ready to astound you once more!

Come to Stand A20 at Fire Expo 2003 and be amongst the first to see three of thelatest new developments in signalling. Specifically developed by Fulleon to meetthe requirements of a wider range of applications than ever before - including theevermore stringent demands of the safe evacuation of persons with disabilities.

You could be at the start of three more of the world’s mostexciting industry-standard products. And you wouldn’t want tomiss that, would you?

STAND A20 Hall 9


IFP P. 63-84 16/10/06 3:58 pm Page 79


8080

3M™ NOVEC™ 1230 FIRE PROTECTION FLUIDRECEIVES U.S. EPA SNAP APPROVAL FOR TOTALFLOODING AND STREAMING APPLICATIONS

U.S. EPA Reports that Novec1230 Fluid SignificantlyReduces Overall Risk to theEnvironment3M Performance Materials todayannounced 3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire

Protection Fluid, a C6-fluoroketone halon alternative, receivedSignificant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) approval from theUnited States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA). TheSNAP approval lists the agent as an acceptable halon 1301replacement in flooding applications and as an acceptable halon1211 replacement for nonresidential streaming applications.

The U.S. EPA cites that Novec 1230 fluid provides animprovement over use of halon 1301, hydrochlorofluorocarbons(HCFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in fire protection andby comparison “significantly reduces overall risk to the environ-ment”. The fluid has an atmospheric lifetime of five days com-pared to 33 years, the next lowest atmospheric lifetime ofhalogenated alternatives. This technologically advanced agenthas a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of one, which is equiva-lent to the GWP of naturally occurring carbon dioxide – a rev-olutionary reduction for halogenated alternatives to halon.

“Receiving SNAP approval from the EPA is a milestone for3M,” said Kurt Werner, Diplomat American Board of Toxicologyand environmental, health, safety and regulatory manager at3M. “HFCs are identified in the Kyoto Protocol as greenhousegases targeted for emission reduction because of their highglobal warming potential. As alternative fire protection tech-nologies with low climate impact become available, such asNovec 1230 fluid, it’s likely that regulatory pressures willincrease making it more difficult to build or grow a sustainablefire protection business using HFCs.”

“EASY-FIT” DUCT SMOKE DETECTOR UNVEILEDAT FIREX

Designed for simple installation andmaintenance, a new smoke detectorfor HVAC ducts will join the firedetectors and accessories from AirProducts and Controls at Interna-tional Fire Expo. Shaped to fit ontosquare or round ductwork, the SL-

2000 Series detector draws air through front-loaded samplingtubes, removing the need for time-consuming connection ofrear fittings. A simple installation kit requires no additionalgaskets, screws or filters to install or lose, and the unit canremain in place on the duct for cleaning.

Compatible with the low air speeds of modern air handlingsystems, the detector is UL-listed for flows down to 100 ft/min.Should smoke be detected, high-current relays can shut down acomplete HVAC system if necessary. The detector can also trig-ger accessories such as horns, strobes, remote status indicatorsand remote test/reset switches. Up to 30 detector units can beinterconnected for common alarm functions.

BALDWIN BOXALL AT INTERNATIONAL FIRE EXPO 2003

19th–22nd MayStand B30, Hall 9BALDWIN BOXALL COMMUNICATIONSLIMITED will be displaying their newrange of Fire Telephones – VIGIL Fire-Care – for the first time at Internation-al Fire Expo. VIGIL FireCare is asophisticated emergency fire telephonesystem developed in accordance with

BS5588 part 11 and BS5839. The system enables fireofficers/building management to report the status of any emer-gency within a building quickly and efficiently to a central con-trol room. The simple to operate system will aid safe evacuationof a building and is designed to work totally independently.

As well as the Fire Telephones Baldwin Boxall will be show-ing their recently introduced VIGIL 2 Voice Alarm Class Damplifiers. The amplifiers are greater than 80% efficient (com-pared to typical ‘AB Class’ amplifiers of 60%), drawing less cur-rent and, therefore, reducing unwanted heat. There are threeamplifiers in this new range from Baldwin Boxall. One of theadditional benefits of the new Class D amplifiers is that smallerbatteries are required for standby power. Also included in thisrange is a new Switch Mode Power improving efficiency andreducing unwanted heat dissipation.

Also on display will be the touch screen and download soft-ware for the popular VIGIL BVR20 Microdrive twenty-zone VoiceAlarm routeing matrix. The software enables engineers to re-program the BVR20 on site from their laptop computer – savingtime and money. The touch screen provides an easy-to-use frontend for the system operator. The BVR20 Microdrive meetsBS5839 Part 8 and EN60849 standards and has been successfullyinstalled in many public buildings. The BVR20 will be shown inoperation with the BVR16M 16-zone microphone controller.

Baldwin Boxall staff look forward to welcoming visitors totheir stand number B30, Hall 9, serving well kept Harvey’s realale from The Plug & Socket – Baldwin Boxall’s Freehouse.

MULTI CABLE TRANSITS – FIRE-RESISTANT, GAS- AND WATERTIGHT!

bst Quick Fix TCM reduces 50different cable modules toonly 5 module sets!bst-Brandschutztechnik introduces anentirely new modular system for fire-resistant cable and pipe sealings. Thecore of this development are so-calledadaptable modules made from fire-resistant rubber which can be adjusted

during assembly to every cable or pipe diameter, an innovationwhich will facilitate the installation of cable sealings in future.Taking for example module size 30: two adapters and one basicmodule of the new TCM Technology (Tolerance Cable Module),supplied as one complete set, replace 12 standard modules. Nomore measuring of cable diameters on site, no more searchingfor the suitable module during assembly, simply Quick-Fix!

Basically, a modular-design system consists of frame elementswhich fit exactly into the penetration aperture and provide thebasis for the modules. As soon as cables or pipes were installed

Product Update � Product Update � Product Update

For more information please contact:Baldwin Boxall

Tel: +44 (0)1892 664422E-mail: [email protected]

For more information please contact:3M Corporate Communications, 3M Center,

Building 225-1S-15, St. Paul, MN 55144-1000www.3M.com

For more information please contact: Air Products and Controls Inc.

Tel: +1 (1)248 332-3900www.ap-c.com

IFP P. 63-84 16/10/06 3:58 pm Page 80


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the exact diameter of these ducts had to be measured to findthe suitable module from a multitude of different system parts.Thus, quite a lot of time was devoted to the planning and theassembly of a fire-resistant or gas- and watertight sealing.

The TCM Modular System “Quick Fix” facilitates substantiallythe planning in detail and work on site. In the past the suitablemodule had to be determined from a number of more than 50system parts. Now only 5 module sets serve the same purpose.One basic module and two adapter modules each increase toler-ances of ducts to be sealed to such a degree, that with a mini-mum of sealing elements a maximum reduction of planning andassembly time is achieved. At the same time storage, packing and delivery are simplified. bst – “Quick Fix” has already beensubjected to various tests and is approved according to BS 476/20(4 hours), DIN 4102/9 (S90) and IMO 754/18 (SOLAS A60).

INTRINSICALLY SAFE, EXPLOSION PROOF ANDHEAVY DUTY SOUNDERS AND BEACONS

European Safety Systems design andmanufacture high output soundersand strobes. For use in HazardousAreas, the L101L-IS Intrinsically Safeflashing beacon uses an array ofultra bright LEDs to give a far moreeffective visual warning than Xenontube alternatives. The A105N-IS105dB(A) Intrinsically Safe soundercan be used in combination with theL101-IS, powered through the sameZener barrier or galvanic isolator andmounted together or separately.

The BEx Explosion Proof familyconsists of EEx d and EEx de 121dB(A) sounders, 25 Wattloudspeakers, 15 Joule beacons and combined units. For use inmarine applications, the MA variant is manufactured fromflame-retardant ABS rather than aluminium.

AC – THE ALTERNATIVE TO RUBBERThermaflex AC is the new, innova-tive pipe insulation material fromFlexalen UK.

Thermaflex AC has the followingfeatures:

� Class ”O” fire rating� Low smoke/toxicity – far lower

than rubber!� Excellent UV stability, no more

painting! � Superior tear resistance – not

easily damaged!� Remains fully functional even if surface is damaged!� Unrivalled flexibility even at <0°C!

Thermaflex AC is available in a wide range of thicknessesand diameters.

With its built in functional flexibility, Thermaflex AC is easyto push round corners and edges.

For marine, refrigeration, cooling, heating, hot water or airconditioning, Thermaflex AC is the professional choice.

GINGE-KERR IN INERTSGinge-Kerr, founded as a fire extin-guishing company in 1917, has basedtheir experience in gas extinguishingsystems, on many years’ development,design, and supply of CO2- andHalon systems for the marine andindustrial sector. The discovery of the

shrinking Ozone layer in the late eighties and the followingrestrictions and ban on use of CFC’s gave us opportunities.Ginge-Kerr was dependent on our CO2 and Halon products andwe had to choose our path to the future and decide whichalternative to Halon we should bring to the market.

Inerts was our choice. Besides the environmental issues, ourmain point of view was that legislation forced industry todemolish well functioning Halon systems and replace withsomething more environmental friendly. This could happenagain with HFC’s. As a Danish company we were also influ-enced by the fact that Denmark has had a ban on the use ofHFC’s for fire extinguishing systems since the eighties.

Ginge-Kerr developed the Argonite system, based on Nitro-gen and Argon, and we started to sell 150 Bar systems in 1992and in 1995 we changed to 200 Bar which meant increasedcompatibility with regards to price and occupied space for thecylinder battery. Following this, we continued to develop the300 Bar system. As the EU worked with new directives for Pres-sure Equipment (PED) and Transport Pressure Equipment(TPED), and these directives included more severe test require-ments, we decided to redesign our cylinder valve concept tocomply with these new directives. In 2000 we launched ournew 300 Bar system, that has been tested according all newstandards and approved by regulatory bodies throughout theworld. Ginge-Kerr is supplying the most sophisticated Inert GasExtinguishing Systems and our Argonite Systems are used toprotect satellite control stations, F16 test chambers, under-ground control facilities for the biggest submersiblehighway/railway tunnels worldwide, airports and have morethan 25.000 installations all over the world.

Ginge-Kerr develops for a more environmentally friendlyfuture.

The KAC UL Approved PullStation, designed for the NorthAmerican market, affirms thecompany’s position as theworld’s leading supplier ofmanual activation devices forfire alarm systems. Rangingfrom simple single actiondevices to high-end waterproof


For more information please contact:Ginge-Kerr Danmark A/S

Tel: +45 36 771131www.ginge-kerr.com

For more information please contact:Flexalen H&CP LimitedTel: +44 1592 264050 www.flexalen.co.uk

For more information please contact:European Safety Systems Limited

Tel: + 44 (0)20 8743 8880www.e-2-s.com

For more information please contact: bst Brandschutztechnik

Tel: +43 1 970970www.bst-firestop.com

IFP P. 63-84 16/10/06 3:59 pm Page 81


8282

addressable products, the initial family includes 18 variations.The units can be mounted directly to a single gang electricalbox or to an optional surface mount box. Actuation is either bya single pull or by a dual push then pull action. Once activated,the unit remains in the activated position until it is manuallyreset by authorised personnel using the supplied tool.

GE INTERLOGIX KILSEN – NEW PANELS TO MEETANY REQUIREMENT

GE Interlogix Kilsen is expanding itsrange of fire alarm control panels.The analogue addressable seriesbenefits from the introduction ofthe new KSA701/1 and KSA701/2,one and two loop analogue address-able control panels, whilst theNK700 series 2 to 16 zone conven-tional fire panels with a new 3 and6 zone gas extinguishing panels

enhances the conventional control panel series. These additionsplaces Kilsen amongst the leading manufacturers in the Euro-pean fire detection business.

The new KSA701 completes the KSA700 series (see chart),bridging the gap between larger conventional and standardanalogue addressable systems. Amongst other features, it has acapacity of 125 detectors + 125 I/O modules per loop, a stan-dard RS232 and an optional RS485 communication port. Andall this on only one compact motherboard! These panels areaimed at small to medium sized installations where advancedtechnology in fire detection is an essential requirement.

The KSA702 and KSA705 remains the standard product forlarger installation projects that require greater flexibility withoptions like built-in printer, GPS communication or networkingin a peer-to-peer configuration.

The new NK700 series conventional control panels havebeen designed and manufactured to comply with Europeanstandards and has approvals pending. It offers yet another stepforward in conventional panel design and operation. Two ofthe models in this series are designed for the control of 1 or 2extinguishing zones, providing all the necessary inputs andoutputs for monitoring and control of such areas.

The flexibility of all the new panels is further enhanced withmore than 10 different operational modules that fulfil everypossible requirement for the complete protection of anypremises.

With these new products in the range, Kilsen is offering itscustomers a solutions for every requirement in fire detection.

NEXT TWO PRICE PROMISEMEDC Ltd, themanufacturer ofthe Next Tworange of loud-speakers for back-ground music,voice alarm &background musicapplications, haslaunched a pricepromise campaign

to celebrate the relaunch of the Next Two range.Since purchasing the Next Two product range in 1999, the

company has invested in redesigning and reengineering therange to offer high quality yet affordable commercial loud-speakers with an extensive stock of products available for sameday despatch.

The price promise is “To match or beat any price quoted ona like-for-like basis” and is applicable to its range of commer-cial, explosion-proof, industrial and marine loudspeakers.

To take advantage of the price promise, customers are sim-ply asked to provide details of which loudspeakers they buy incertain quantities.

The Next Two range of VA loudspeakers and the MEDcrange of manual, visual and audible alarms will be on show atInternational Fire Expo, Stand B40.

NEW BOOK AIMS TO IMPROVE FIREFIGHTERSAFETY

TULSA (Okla.) – FireEngineering Books &Videos, a division ofPennWell Corp., an-nounces the upcomingpublication of FirefighterRescue & Survival, atechnical rescue manualby veteran firefightersRichard Kolomay andRobert Hoff that will be available in April2003.

Firefighter Rescue &Survival was written toreduce the number ofline-of-duty firefightinginjuries and deaths forboth public fire depart-ments and privateindustrial agencies. This

book provides information and recommended operational pro-cedures for Rapid Intervention Teams, firefighter fatality histo-ries, and case studies for lessons learned. Firefighter Rescue &Survival includes training information, illustrations, and pic-tures concerning firefighter self-survival skills and firefighterrescue techniques.Key features and benefits:� Provides an awareness of firefighter safety and proactive fire

service training


For more information please contact: Next Two

Tel: +44 (0) 1773 864100www.medc.com

For more information please contact:KAC

Tel: + 44 1527 406655www.kac.co.uk

For more information please contact:GE Interlogix KilsenTel: +34 934809070

Model/loops Addresses RS-232 RS-485 Built-in PrinterKSA701/1 125 Included Optional -KSA701/2 250 Included Optional -KSA702/1 250 Optional Optional OptionalKSA702/2 500 Optional Optional OptionalKSA705/3 750 Optional Optional OptionalKSA705/4 1000 Optional Optional OptionalKSA705/5 1250 Optional Optional Optional

IFP P. 63-84 16/10/06 3:59 pm Page 82


83

� Describes various types of serious firefighter injuries andfatality incidents during emergency incident operations

� Details recommended Rapid Intervention Team operatingmethods and procedures, as well as how to activate a RapidIntervention Team.

Firefighter Rescue & Survival is available from Fire Engineer-ing Books & Videos for $54.95 US.

FIRE RATED GLASS IN SCHOOLSThe familiar grid of wire mesh embedded in glass is a familiarsite in many schools and universities across North America. Forover 100 years, wired glass was the only option available. Whilewired glass can withstand fire testing, it cannot withstand HighImpact Safety Testing and is such a hazard to human injurythat its use is being restricted.

Innovations in technology have created glazing materialsthat are clear (no wires), provide protection against radiant heattransfer and provide a High Impact Safety Rating as well.

In North America, these clear products are somewhat new,but their popularity is quickly increasing due to expandedvision area, higher fire performance and because of liabilityissues associated with impact safety.

With the number of new products introduced to the NorthAmerican market, from specially tempered products to clearglass-ceramics, to multi-layer intumescent laminates, and theadvancement of new production technologies, the possibilitiesfor safety while meeting design requirements continues togrow.

The recent code changes reflect the importance placed onhuman safety as well as building safety in the case of fire ratedglazing. Certainly schools and athletic facilities will be saferand one would expect this ruling to soon apply to other occu-pancies as well.

Products now exist to accommodate virtually every condi-tion. With a little research architects and designers can nowfind products that balance cost and performance againstdesign and code requirements.

NEW ESFR PENDENT SPRINKLER WITH 25.2 K-FACTORThe Viking Corporation, glob-al manufacturer of fire pro-tection systems, has added a25.2K ESFR pendent sprinklerto its current ESFR line. Anextension of prior ESFR tech-nology, this product providesmore options and flexibilityfor the most challenging stor-age applications.

This roof-mounted K25.2sprinkler meets FM guidelinesfor protecting buildings to45ft (13,7m) in height that

have storage up to 40ft (12.2m) high. It can protect mostcommon storage materials, including severe-challenge fires ofpalletized and solid pile storage, from Class I commodities torubber tires.

With its higher K-factor, the K25.2 provides ESFRperformance with lower end head pressures than 14K ESFRsprinklers. As a result, smaller – and less expensive – pipe,fittings and hangers can be used, and costly system fire pumps can be downsized or eliminated. The guidelines forinstalling K25.2 sprinklers allows maximum deflector-to-ceilingdistance of 18in. (456mm), and as the overall length of theViking sprinkler is about 1⁄3 smaller than comparable sprinklers,this adds up to an easier, more flexible, cost-effectiveinstallation.

With its sturdy link design and protective shipping caps, theK25.2 is less susceptible to damage during transport andinstallation. And once installed, these sprinklers are far less vul-nerable to damage than rack-mounted sprinkler, furtherenhancing their long-term dependability.

Viking is a leader in the manufacture and distribution ofinnovative fire protection equipment. Their products are sold inover 70 countries worldwide through an integrated distributionnetwork.

VIKING’S NEW RESIDENTIAL PENDENT SPRINKLEROUT PERFORMS THE REST

The Viking Corporation,global manufacturer of fireprotection systems, hasexpanded their residentialline to include a new 5.2KPendent Sprinkler. This joinsour full line of residentialsprinklers that’s alreadyknown for its quality,integrity and dependability.

The K-5.2 ResidentialPendent Sprinkler offersminimum flows and the bestperformance currently avail-able in 18ft x 18ft (5.5m x5.5m) and 20ft x 20ft (6.1mx 6.1m) coverage areas, whileoffering competitive flows incoverage areas as low as 12ftx 12ft (3.7m x 3.7m).

With a 5.2 K-factor, this sprinkler (VK436) is UL Listed forresidential occupancies below smooth, flat, horizontal ceilings.It is approved for 155°F and 175°F temperatures, is available invariety of decorative finishes and can be installed surface-mounted or recessed.

Viking is a leader in the manufacture and distribution ofinnovative fire protection equipment. Their products are sold inover 70 countries worldwide through an integrated distributionnetwork.


For more information please contact:The Viking CorporationTel : +1 877 384 5464www.vikingcorp.com

For more information, please contact: Vetrotech Saint-Gobain North America, Inc.

Tel: +1 (253)333-0660 www.vetrotech.com

For more information please contact:Fire Engineering Books & Videos

Tel: +1.918.832.9240.www.pennwell-store.com

For more information please contact:The Viking CorporationTel: +1 877-384-5464www.vikingcorp.com

IFP P. 63-84 16/10/06 3:59 pm Page 83


8484

3M PERFORMANCE MATERIALS DIVISION . . . . . . . . .31AMERICAN PACIFIC CORPORATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32ANGUS FIRE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17BST BRANDSCHUTZTECHNIK DOPFL . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27CAFCO INTERNATIONAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24CHEMETRON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12CONTROL LOGIC SRL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44CRANFORD CONTROLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20DANFOSS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59DR. STHAMER HAMBURG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15DUPONT EXTINGUISHANTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .IFCEDWARDS INTERNATIONAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75EDWARDS MANUFACTURING INC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18ESSEX FLUID CONTROLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51FIRE FIGHTING ENTERPRISES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49FIREPASS CORPORATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 07FIREPROTECT (CHESTER) LTD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59FIREBOY XINTEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51FLAMRO BRANDSCHUTZ Gmbh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27FOGTEC GMBH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59FULLEON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79FURNACE CONSTRUCTION LTD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20GE INTERLOGIX KILSEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77GIELLE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35GINGE-KERR DANMARK A/S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33GREAT LAKES CHEMICAL CORPORATION . . . . . . . . .OBCHOME SAFEGUARD INDUSTRIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72KLAXON SIGNALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22LPG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36MACRON SAFETY SYSTEMS (UK) LTD. . . . . . . . . . . . . 28MARIOFF CORPORATION OY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11MATRE MASKIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16MORLEY-IAS FIRE SYSTEMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .71NINGBO KAIXUAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55NINGBO YUNFENG FIRE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52NOTIFIER FIRE SYSTEMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .08 & 09NOVEON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61OCV CONTROL VALVES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67PATTERSON PUMP INC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56PILKINGTON DEUTSCHLAND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39RAE SYSTEMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47RECTORSEAL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24RIGAMONTI GHISA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67SECURITON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .07SENSITRON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49THE FIRE SHOP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51TORNATECH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20TSS ANSUL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .02ULTRA FOG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59VESTA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .IBCVETROTECH SAINT-GOBAIN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41VIMPEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23VISION FIRE & SECURITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .05WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE . . . . . . . . . . . .71

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An MDM PUBLICATIONIssue 14 – May 2003

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IFP P. 63-84 16/10/06 3:59 pm Page 84

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OFC,IFC IBC,OBC 16/10/06 3:48 pm Page ibc3

The World’s Most Trusted Choice In Clean Agent Fire Suppression.

www.FM-200.comFM-200 is a registered trademark.FM-200 use is covered by U.S. patent 5,124,053.

©2002 Great Lakes Chemical Corporation

Now is the time to decide which system

you are going to install and when you are

going to install it.

Why Now?

• Allow enough time for a thorough evaluation

• Take control and make the conversion

on your time line, not someone else’s

• Eliminate the last minute rush when demand

for technical resources will be overloaded

and conversion costs at a premium

Why FM-200®?

• Fastest fire suppression system on the market

• Safe for people and sensitive equipment

• Environmentally safe

• Simple to install and occupies up to 7

times less space than an inert gas system

• More than 100 thousand customer

applications in over 70 countries makes

FM-200® the most widely accepted clean

agent in the world

To find out more about why an FM-200

system is ideal for Halon replacement, call

+44 (0) 161 875 3058 or visit www.FM-200.com.

Regulation EC No 2037/2000 on substances that deplete the ozonelayer. Article 4. Paragraph 4 (v) Fire protection systems containinghalon shall be decommissionedbefore 31 December 2003.

(a small number of exceptions are listed in Annex VII in the regulations).

Start thinking about replacingyour Halon systemnow, while you still have time.

www.fm-200.com

OFC,IFC IBC,OBC 16/10/06 3:49 pm Page obc4

Documents

IFP Issue 14