Tyco Fire Protection Products showcased its experience 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 utilizing Water Mist’, the place he mentioned how the extinguishant is nicely suited to the safety of irreplaceable works and artefacts in highly priceless buildings.
Tim’s lecture focused on a fire test protocol that was formulated to verify the performance and use of Tyco’s own water mist answer, AquaMist, in an historical constructing, home to treasured archive storage. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 750 normal requires that, when employing a water mist suppression system, fire testing is undertaken pertinent to the chance. However, of the revealed fire test protocols listed in NFPA 750, none details the requirements for archives that comprise curler (compact) racking. Many of the racks in the focused building are of the ‘roller’ type, which restrict the amount of house for constructing services, including these for extinguishing system pipework.
Together with the venture stakeholders, Tyco devised the protocol to incorporate take a look at rig and layout, test kind, hearth load, knowledge acquisition (for instance, sensors and imaging), hardware required (such as pumps, nozzles, pipe, tank, generator), and health and security procedures (for occasion, the fire brigade). The associated efficiency primarily based fire exams have been then designed to duplicate the vary of utility parameters related to archive storage.
While ignition sources at the unique web site had been identified to be minimal, and the principle fireplace supply confirmed as arson, the multi-level building poses numerous challenges that had to be thought of when formulating the fire test protocol to guarantee efficient protection. Low ceilings and quite a few obstructions, such as lighting, ducts and pillars, contribute in path of the confined environment of the archive storage basement degree. Items are saved in a mix of open racks and compact racks, which provide lower than a 150mm gap between themselves and the ceiling, and there could be restricted on-site water storage. Pre-test threat evaluation additionally highlighted restricted access and exits below and above floor, so it’s important for cupboard space to be maximised and safe egress supplied in case of the occasion of a fireplace. In addition, the highly priceless nature of the storage contents meant that the chosen fire suppression resolution had to make sure minimal damage to those historic objects.
To obtain validation, the exams had to meet various goals. These comprised rapid management of the fireplace within a prescribed space (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 keep in mind varied parameters, together with the specified high strain mist system; a 30 minute run time; and an annual measurable achievement goal (AMAO) defined based on a formulation based mostly on the quantity of nozzles activating throughout testing.
The fireplace tests, carried out for both open and curler racks with minimal storage gaps, had been undertaken in a customised check rig, designed, built and fitted to replicate the exact specification, racking arrangements and storage materials of the location. Considered a excessive load, the fuel materials were identical to that found in archive storage, including paper, books, micro-film and CD cases.
Success was outlined by move or fail standards and determined by detailed quantitative measurements on system configuration, hydraulic evaluation, discharge pressure, discharge sequence, fire spread, temperature, fire injury and water consumption. In both exams, Tyco’s AquaMist system operated effectively and was observed to suppress and control the fireplace effectively. The venture team was impressed by the dearth of fire and smoke damage to the supplies and structure and the product has since been put in within the building in query.
“The IWMA convention is a fantastic alternative to focus on the advantages of water mist as a fire suppression answer, in addition to reveal its versatility in a broad range of applications,” feedback Dr Tim Nichols. เครื่องมือวัดpressure Identifying a niche available within the market and taking the chance to formulate a fire check protocol for archive storage enabled us to validate the professional capabilities of our AquaMist system and facilitate safety of a customer’s extremely valuable assets.”
For more info, go to www.tfppemea.com
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