Aerosol fire suppression systems provide the ideal way to safeguard electrical cabinets, vehicle engines and other hazardous environments from fire damage. They work by interrupting the traditional interaction of fuel with oxygen to form fire.
Novec 1230 is one of the safest clean agents available on the market. At its appropriate design concentration, it can be safely inhaled without global warming potential or ozone depletion being an issue.
What is an Aerosol Suppression System?
Fire suppression systems are integrated sets of devices, usually including nozzles, that release an extinguishing agent to fight fires. This agent is usually released through condensed aerosol devices containing aerosol-forming compounds and electric initiators and connected to an active fire detection control panel in order to be activated upon an active fire event.
Condensed aerosols differ significantly from powder-based agents found in dry chemical systems or gaseous fire suppressants used by foam extinguishers by being flooding agents that do not need to be directed in open spaces, unlike their powder counterparts or gaseous counterparts; their distribution network doesn’t even need to be put in place since the aerosol device itself dispenses them directly to their destination site.
These systems’ compact size makes them suitable for installation in tight spaces like power distribution rooms, switchgear rooms, battery boxes, cable trenches, etc. without disrupting ongoing operations – making them the perfect way to protect special hazards that might otherwise hamper production, incur costly damages or harm reputation.
How Does an Aerosol Suppression System Work?
Aerosol fire suppression systems use solid aerosol-forming compounds to produce a cool agent to extinguish fires. When activated by detection systems, this compound is electrically or thermally ignited to create combustion byproducts which break apart into micron-sized dry particles and gaseous matter before being distributed throughout a protected area and cooling combustible materials.
Particles quickly disperse and encase the fire, suffocating it by blocking airways and inhibiting molecular chain reactions that fuel fire progression. This results in an effective fire suppression solution with advantages over gaseous fire extinction such as no distribution piping needs, lower costs and minimal agent particulate damage to agents used as flame retardants.
Fixed aerosol systems provide effective fire suppression in spaces where its integrity cannot be improved to meet gas suppression system specifications, and areas inaccessible by pressurized cylinders (such as underground or very high rooms). They are listed with UL 2775 and designed according to NFPA 2010, while being electrically activated through a panel, mechanically by pulling cable, or automatically by an infrared thermal head.
What Are the Benefits of an Aerosol Suppression System?
An aerosol suppression system provides many advantages. Notably, its application leaves no trace behind and facilitates quick restoration of equipment to its normal use. Furthermore, aerosol particles produced are nontoxic and safe for human habitation – ideal for sensitive environments like data centers and cleanrooms.
Because aerosol generators are self-contained units that act both as storage container and propellant nozzle, no transport pipes are needed, leading to floor space savings and transportation efficiency gains.
Aerosol suppression systems offer faster fire extinguishing capabilities than other forms of special hazard fire protection, significantly decreasing a fire’s potential to reignite and help avoid damage to critical industrial equipment. They’re highly versatile too – easily protecting everything from individual control panels to entire rooms – making them the ideal solution for protecting CNC machines, battery packs and new energy storage rooms.
How Can an Aerosol Suppression System Be Used?
Aerosol fire suppression systems offer an effective and clean solution for protecting electrical cabinets, warehouses and factories containing flammable materials. Since they do not leave behind any residue after use, aerosol systems are ideal for sensitive environments like data centers and cleanrooms.
Fixed aerosol systems offer significant cost and space efficiency advantages over gaseous systems that rely on extensive piping networks, while fixed aerosol systems operate without these restrictions. They contain their own storage container and nozzle, making a more compact footprint with reduced floor space requirements and cost.
Be mindful that when discharging, the storage canister can become extremely hot, which should not be placed near a source of ignition or where its heat could reignite an existing fire. Aerosol suppression should also not be used near residents due to potential hazards from combustion byproducts that include acidic compounds that could irritate respiratory tract, eye and skin tissue.