Sprinklers/watermist Yet, although lightweight piping systems
are helping to alleviate the challenge of limited space in modern infrastructure, problems such as corrosion can still exist. Since most pipes are made of iron, corrosion can cause fire suppression systems to leak, reducing the performance of the overall unit or even leading to catastrophic building damage. Some manufacturers are looking to improve sprinkler performance by replacing oxygen with nitrogen, which greatly reduces the risk of pipe corrosion. Systems such as the IntelliGen Controller are designed for dry and pre action fire sprinkler systems, allowing nitrogen to be piped directly from the outlet to the air maintenance device to protect the system from corrosion. By reducing the amount of corrosion in
piping, call outs to maintenance engineers are minimised, the lifecycle of these types of systems is greatly increased, and buildings are left far better protected against costly and potentially disastrous pipe failures. Gaseous fire suppression systems are becoming increasingly popular, as they offer a lightweight solution that can reduce the footprint in areas where space is limited, such as data centres. Space saving innovations include 70 bar suppression systems, such as Sapphire Plus.
By using higher pressures and refreshing
the hydraulic calculation software used for determining pipe sizes, more fire protection fluid can be included in the containers, resulting in
20-25% fewer being required than 25 bar or 42 bar systems. With higher pressure systems such as this, containers can be located away from the protected space if needed – a factor that can prove crucial in providing fire suppression in high risk areas such as data centres, power generation plants or medical facilities.
Incidents at height
In addition to the demand for space-saving measures, fires high up on building exteriors can be difficult for firefighters to reach, particularly on complex structural designs and podium type buildings. Recent high profile events, such as the Grenfell Tower fire in London, have shown how fast a fire can spread in façades with combustible cladding, engulfing the whole building in only few minutes. Such devastating events have demonstrated
the importance of external protection, challenging the whole industry to provide innovative new standards to ensure the safety of properties and, most importantly, people. Manufacturers have therefore looked to innovate complex systems that can effectively suppress fires quickly – even at height. Johnson Controls recently became one
of the first to rise to this challenge when it partnered with third-party consulting firm Thomas Bell-Wright International Consultants and the Research Institute of Sweden (RISE) to successfully test a new technology that could potentially save countless lives by detecting
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www.frmjournal.com MARCH 2019
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