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Climate change Case study – Palm Springs, California
A FIRE at a site in Palm Springs, California, cost more than $243,000 in damaged equipment and downtime, prompting owner Whitewater Energy Corporation (WEC) to turn to Firetrace and its automatic fire suppression system, comprising unique linear pneumatic detection tubing, routed throughout the equipment. In late 2009, the system was installed in all six turbine converter cabinets and, in a later fire that started in a wind turbine converter cabinet, it activated immediately on detecting the fire. It released its suppression agent directly on the heat source to contain the fire and limit damage to the eruption point. No damage was caused to the cabinet or internal components, other than the failed component. Firetrace was able to quickly deliver a
replacement system, enabling the turbine to be up and running the next day. This was
list of authorities in Germany, and a number of both local and state governments in the US, are acknowledging that fire suppression is a judicious step to safeguard assets in the event of a fire in a wind turbine. A piece of unique regulation in Canada has taken it a step further, enabling local authorities to insist that fire suppression is retrofitted to existing sites. This is a welcome trend. Designing in fixed
fire suppression, which can contain the blaze within the micro environment of the nacelle, is a logical move to help prevent large scale fires. But it is important to note that such fire extinguishing systems require maintenance to ensure they are fully operational and ready in event of a fire.
22 SEPTEMBER 2018
www.frmjournal.com
a considerable improvement on the average downtime following a wind turbine fire of approximately nine months.
Additional safety
Coltraco’s Permalevel Multiplex, a fixed fire suppression monitoring system, is also designed to prevent fire suppression systems at risk of accidental discharge from affecting the effectiveness of the overall fire protection system in the event of a fire. The system is designed for continuous
contents verification and with guaranteed systems operations, adaptability for purpose, 24/7 remote access to the systems status, an uninterruptible power supply and remote real time monitoring, it can offer the efficiency that is needed in a wind turbine
ISO 14520-1: 2015(E) assumes that these
systems accidentally discharge and leak, with section 6.2.4.2 (Contents indication) stating: ‘Means shall be provided to indicate that each container is correctly charged.’ This is followed by: ‘9.2.1.3 The storage container contents shall be checked at least every six months as follows: a) Liquefied gases: for halocarbon agents, if a container shows a loss of agent in quantity of more than 5% or a loss of pressure (adjusted for temperature) of more than 10%, it shall be refilled or replaced.’ Meanwhile, section 10.5.3.2.2. of NFPA 850
states that the maintenance and inspection of total flooding gaseous agent systems and
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