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 utilizing Water Mist’, the place he mentioned how the extinguishant is properly suited to the protection of irreplaceable works and artefacts in highly valuable buildings.
Tim’s lecture centered on a fireplace check protocol that was formulated to verify the performance and use of Tyco’s own water mist solution, AquaMist, in an historic constructing, home to treasured archive storage. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 750 commonplace requires that, when using a water mist suppression system, hearth testing is undertaken pertinent to the risk. However, of the revealed fire check protocols listed in NFPA 750, none particulars the necessities for archives that comprise roller (compact) racking. Many of the racks in the focused constructing are of the ‘roller’ type, which restrict the amount of area for building services, including those for extinguishing system pipework.
Together with the venture stakeholders, Tyco devised the protocol to incorporate check rig and layout, check kind, fireplace load, information acquisition (for example, sensors and imaging), hardware required (such as pumps, nozzles, pipe, tank, generator), and well being and safety procedures (for instance, the fireplace brigade). เกจวัดแรงดัน related efficiency based mostly fireplace tests were then designed to copy the range of application parameters related to archive storage.
While ignition sources at the authentic site have been recognized to be minimal, and the primary fire supply confirmed as arson, the multi-level constructing poses quite a few challenges that had to be considered 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 setting of the archive storage basement level. Items are saved in a mix of open racks and compact racks, which offer lower than a 150mm gap between themselves and the ceiling, and there’s restricted on-site water storage. Pre-test threat analysis also highlighted restricted access and exits under and above floor, so it is important for cupboard space to be maximised and safe egress offered in case of the occasion of a fire. In addition, the extremely valuable nature of the storage contents meant that the chosen fire suppression solution had to make sure minimal injury to those historic gadgets.
To achieve validation, the checks had to meet various goals. These comprised fast control of the fire inside a prescribed space (in this case, defined 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 take into account varied parameters, together with the desired high strain mist system; a 30 minute run time; and an annual measurable achievement goal (AMAO) outlined according to a formula primarily based on the amount of nozzles activating during testing.
The fire exams, carried out for each open and roller racks with minimal storage gaps, had been undertaken in a customised take a look at rig, designed, built and fitted to replicate the precise specification, racking preparations and storage supplies of the site. Considered a high load, the gas supplies had been similar to that present in archive storage, including paper, books, micro-film and CD circumstances.
Success was outlined by pass or fail criteria and decided by detailed quantitative measurements on system configuration, hydraulic evaluation, discharge stress, discharge sequence, hearth spread, temperature, fire damage and water consumption. In both checks, Tyco’s AquaMist system operated effectively and was noticed to suppress and management the fireplace effectively. The challenge group was impressed by the shortage of fire and smoke harm to the supplies and structure and the product has since been installed in the constructing in query.
“The IWMA convention is a incredible alternative to highlight the advantages of water mist as a hearth suppression answer, in addition to show its versatility in a extensive range of purposes,” comments Dr Tim Nichols. “Identifying a niche out there and taking the chance to formulate a hearth take a look at protocol for archive storage enabled us to validate the expert capabilities of our AquaMist system and facilitate safety of a customer’s highly valuable property.”
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