Tyco Fire Protection Products showcased its expertise in water mist suppression options at the International Water Mist Association (IWMA) Conference in Istanbul. Dr Tim Nichols, Sales Director Water Mist EMEA, gave a presentation entitled ‘Fire Protection of Compact Archive Storage using Water Mist’, where he discussed how the extinguishant is properly suited to the safety of irreplaceable works and artefacts in extremely valuable buildings.
Tim’s lecture centered on a fire take a look at protocol that was formulated to confirm the efficiency and use of Tyco’s personal water mist answer, AquaMist, in an historical building, house to treasured archive storage. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 750 commonplace requires that, when employing a water mist suppression system, hearth testing is undertaken pertinent to the risk. However, of the printed fireplace check protocols listed in NFPA 750, none particulars the requirements for archives that include roller (compact) racking. Many of the racks in the focused building are of the ‘roller’ kind, which limit the amount of area for constructing companies, including these for extinguishing system pipework.
Together with the venture stakeholders, Tyco devised the protocol to include test rig and layout, check kind, fireplace load, knowledge acquisition (for instance, sensors and imaging), hardware required (such as pumps, nozzles, pipe, tank, generator), and well being and security procedures (for occasion, the fire brigade). The associated performance based hearth exams have been then designed to copy the vary of utility parameters related to archive storage.
While digital pressure gauge at the unique website had been recognized to be minimal, and the principle hearth supply confirmed as arson, the multi-level constructing poses numerous challenges that had to be thought-about when formulating the fireplace check protocol to guarantee efficient protection. Low ceilings and quite a few obstructions, corresponding to lighting, ducts and pillars, contribute towards the confined surroundings of the archive storage basement degree. Items are stored in a mixture of open racks and compact racks, which provide lower than a 150mm gap between themselves and the ceiling, and there could be limited on-site water storage. Pre-test threat evaluation additionally highlighted restricted access and exits below and above floor, so it’s important for storage space to be maximised and safe egress offered in case of the event of a hearth. In addition, the highly priceless nature of the storage contents meant that the selected fire suppression solution had to ensure minimal damage to these historic items.
To obtain validation, the exams needed to meet various goals. These comprised speedy management of the hearth within a prescribed area (in this case, outlined as inside a block of racks); management of temperature; attenuation of radiation; and minimisation of collateral harm through water clean-up. They also had to keep in mind varied parameters, together with the desired excessive stress mist system; a 30 minute run time; and an annual measurable achievement goal (AMAO) defined based on a formula based on the amount of nozzles activating during testing.
The hearth checks, carried out for each open and roller racks with minimal storage gaps, had been undertaken in a customized take a look at rig, designed, built and fitted to duplicate the precise specification, racking arrangements and storage supplies of the site. Considered a excessive load, the gas supplies have been similar to that present in archive storage, including paper, books, micro-film and CD circumstances.
Success was defined by pass or fail standards and determined by detailed quantitative measurements on system configuration, hydraulic analysis, discharge stress, discharge sequence, fireplace spread, temperature, fire harm and water consumption. In each exams, Tyco’s AquaMist system operated successfully and was observed to suppress and control the hearth effectively. The venture group was impressed by the shortage of fireside and smoke harm to the supplies and construction and the product has since been put in in the building in question.
“The IWMA convention is a incredible opportunity to spotlight the benefits of water mist as a hearth suppression answer, in addition to demonstrate its versatility in a variety of applications,” feedback Dr Tim Nichols. “Identifying a spot available in the market and taking the chance to formulate a fireplace take a look at protocol for archive storage enabled us to validate the skilled capabilities of our AquaMist system and facilitate protection of a customer’s extremely valuable belongings.”
For more data, go to www.tfppemea.com
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