Automatic fire suppression
Automatic fire suppression systems control and extinguish fires without human intervention. Examples of automatic systems include fire sprinkler system, gaseous fire suppression, and condensed aerosol fire suppression. When fires are extinguished in the early stages loss of life is minimal since 93% of all fire-related deaths occur once the fire has progressed beyond the early stages.
Types of automatic systems
Today there are numerous types of automatic fire suppression systems and standards for each one. Systems are as diverse as the many applications. In general, however, automatic fire suppression systems fall into two categories: engineered and pre-engineered systems.- Engineered fire suppression systems are design specific and most commonly used for larger installations where the system is designed for a particular application. Examples include large marine and land vehicle applications, server rooms, public and private buildings, industrial paint lines, dip tanks and electrical switch rooms. Engineered systems use a number of gaseous or solid agents with many of them being specifically formulated. Some are even stored as a liquid and discharged as a gas.
- Pre-engineered fire suppression systems use pre-designed elements to eliminate the need for engineering work beyond the original product design. Typical industrial solutions use a wet or dry chemical agent, such as potassium carbonate or monoammonium phosphate, to protect relatively smaller spaces such as distribution boards, battery rooms, engine bays, wind turbines, hazardous goods and other storage areas. A number of residential designs have also emerged that typically employ water mist and target retrofit applications.
Components
Extinguishing agents
Water is the most prevalent fire suppression agent in use worldwide. However, the use of water does have some limitations, which can range from inadequate supplies to operations and processes which are highly susceptible to water damage. In some cases, certain contents or processes are truly incompatible with water; water discharge could lead to explosion. In these instances, alternative chemical compounds, inert gases and similar can be utilized for fire suppression as outlined below:| Agent | Primary Ingredient | Applications |
| HFC 227ea | Heptafluoropropane | Electronics, medical equipment, production equipment, libraries, data centers, medical record rooms, server rooms, oil pumping stations, engine compartments, telecommunications rooms, switch rooms, engine and machinery spaces, pump rooms, control rooms |
| FK-5-1-12 | Fluorinated Ketone | Electronics, medical equipment, production equipment, libraries, data centers, medical record rooms, server rooms, oil pumping stations, engine compartments, telecommunications rooms, switch rooms, engine and machinery spaces, pump rooms, control rooms |
| IG-01 | Argon | Same applications as FM-200 and Novec 1230 fluid; less Class B style hazards |
| IG-55 | Argon and Nitrogen | See IG-01 |
| IG-100 | Nitrogen | See IG-01 |
| IG-541 | Argon, Nitrogen and Carbon Dioxide | See IG-01 |
| Carbon Dioxide | Carbon Dioxide | Non-occupied control rooms, coating operations, paint lines, dust collectors, transformer vaults, live electrical equipment, flammable liquids, commercial fryers |
| FE-13 | Fluoroform | Police evidence freezers, inerting natural gas pumping stations or trains/trucks/cranes operating in cold weather, electronics, medical equipment, production equipment, libraries, data centers, medical record rooms, server rooms, oil pumping stations, engine compartments, telecommunications rooms, switch rooms, engine and machinery spaces, pump rooms, control rooms |
| Wet Chemical | Potassium carbonate | Commercial kitchens |
| ABC Dry Chemical | Monoammonium phosphate | Paint booths, dip tanks, coating operations, flammable liquid storage areas, paint mixing areas, exhaust ducts |
| Regular Dry Chemical | Sodium bicarbonate | Gasoline, propane and solvents, live electrical equipment, flammable liquids |
| Foam | Synthetic detergent, polysaccharide, fluoroakyl suffaccant | Flammable liquids |
| Purple K Dry Chemical | Potassium bicarbonate | High hazard commercial and industrial applications, especially with flammable liquids |
| Solid Aerosol Particulate | Potassium nitrate | Used in condensed aerosol fire suppression, high hazard commercial and industrial applications, no ozone depletion or global warming potential |
| Halotron 1 | 2,2-dichloro-1,1,1-trifluoroethane | Live electrical equipment, flammable liquids |
| Water Mist | Water | All Classes of Fire Ordinary flammables, Flammable liquids, Kitchen Fires, Electrical Fires |
| Water | Water | Ordinary flammables |