Tyco Fire Protection Products showcased its expertise in water mist suppression solutions 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 mentioned how the extinguishant is nicely suited to the safety of irreplaceable works and artefacts in highly valuable buildings.
Tim’s lecture centered on a fireplace check protocol that was formulated to verify the efficiency and use of Tyco’s own water mist solution, AquaMist, in an historic constructing, house to treasured archive storage. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 750 standard requires that, when employing a water mist suppression system, fire testing is undertaken pertinent to the chance. However, of the published hearth check protocols listed in NFPA 750, none particulars the requirements for archives that contain roller (compact) racking. Many of the racks within the focused building are of the ‘roller’ type, which limit the quantity of space for constructing providers, together with those for extinguishing system pipework.
Together with the challenge stakeholders, Tyco devised the protocol to incorporate check rig and structure, take a look at type, fire load, data acquisition (for instance, sensors and imaging), hardware required (such as pumps, nozzles, pipe, tank, generator), and health and security procedures (for occasion, the hearth brigade). The related performance based fire tests were then designed to copy the range of application parameters associated with archive storage.
While ignition sources on the authentic site were identified to be minimal, and the primary fire source confirmed as arson, the multi-level building poses numerous challenges that had to be thought of when formulating the fireplace take a look at protocol to ensure effective safety. Low ceilings and quite a few obstructions, such as lighting, ducts and pillars, contribute towards the confined environment of the archive storage basement stage. Items are stored in a combination of open racks and compact racks, which offer lower than a 150mm hole between themselves and the ceiling, and there’s limited on-site water storage. Pre-test danger analysis also highlighted restricted entry and exits beneath and above floor, so it is important for storage space to be maximised and protected egress offered in case of the occasion of a hearth. In addition, the extremely useful nature of the storage contents meant that the selected hearth suppression solution had to ensure minimal injury to those historical gadgets.
To achieve validation, the checks had to meet numerous goals. These comprised rapid management of the fireplace within a prescribed area (in this case, defined as within a block of racks); management of temperature; attenuation of radiation; and minimisation of collateral damage through water clean-up. They additionally had to bear in mind varied parameters, together with the required high stress mist system; a 30 minute run time; and an annual measurable achievement goal (AMAO) outlined according to a method based mostly on the quantity of nozzles activating during testing.
The hearth exams, carried out for each open and roller racks with minimal storage gaps, have been undertaken in a personalized check rig, designed, constructed and fitted to replicate the exact specification, racking preparations and storage materials of the positioning. Considered a high load, the fuel materials had been identical to that present in archive storage, including paper, books, micro-film and CD instances.
Success was outlined by pass or fail standards and decided by detailed quantitative measurements on system configuration, hydraulic analysis, discharge pressure, discharge sequence, fire unfold, temperature, fire injury and water consumption. In compound gauge ราคา tests, Tyco’s AquaMist system operated successfully and was noticed to suppress and management the fireplace effectively. The venture team was impressed by the shortage of fireside and smoke damage to the materials and structure and the product has since been put in within the constructing in query.
“The IWMA convention is a incredible alternative to highlight the benefits of water mist as a fireplace suppression solution, as properly as reveal its versatility in a extensive range 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 professional capabilities of our AquaMist system and facilitate safety of a customer’s extremely valuable belongings.”
For more information, go to www.tfppemea.com
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