Clean Agent systems rely on inert gases such as nitrogen and argon to quickly extinguish fire, leaving no harmful decomposition products and no potential ozone-depleting potential.
As the result of density differences between air and inert gas agents, oxygen mass fraction can fluctuate with height in enclosures. Ventilation systems help mitigate any possible over pressure effects released inert gas agents may have on an enclosure and ensure that its desired oxygen level is reached in accordance with design.
Safety
Natura™ inert gas system (sometimes referred to as clean agent fire suppression system) offer effective protection for both valuable assets and people by depriving hazard areas of oxygen levels that fuel combustion, thus ending any further spread of fires. Unlike chemical agents, inert gas fire suppression has no harmful side-effects for people and makes this method safe to use even in occupied spaces such as those suffering from cardiovascular, circulatory or respiratory ailments.
Unlike water and foam, inert gases leave no trace to be cleaned up afterwards and are non-conductive, protecting equipment against damage. They’re also more environmentally-friendly than other fire suppression techniques like halocarbon clean agents which have significant environmental impacts.
Inert gas systems utilize a mixture of noble gases such as nitrogen and argon that displace oxygen from hazardous areas to extinguish fires more cost-effectively than other forms of suppression technology, as maintenance costs don’t incur as frequently.
Installation
Gaseous fire suppression systems consist of a control panel, agent storage containers, dispersion valves and fire detection systems (wiring and fire detectors). They are designed to detect smoke, heat or flammable gases within an enclosure and respond by sending alarms or shutdown signals accordingly.
The system utilizes inert gas mixtures to extinguish fires, discharging them into an area to lower oxygen levels and put out any remaining flames. Since these inert gases are natural components of air that are non-toxic and electrically nonconductive, making them safe to be released near occupied spaces.
Pure inert gases are widely employed for chemical manufacturing processes to control reactions that would otherwise take place, while food packaging uses inert gas blends to remove oxygen and prevent rancidification of edible oils. Furthermore, Inert Gas Blends have no atmospheric lifetime impact as well as no global warming potential and ozone depletion potential – making them ecologically sound options as well. Unlike high-pressure water mist systems which need electricity shutoff for discharge operations to take place successfully; Inert gas systems do not necessitate power shutdowns allowing uninterrupted operations allowing continued operations.
Agents
Inert gas systems utilize agents that are completely harmless to people. They’re colourless, odourless and electrically nonconductive – perfect for protecting high value equipment with residue-free extinguishing needs.
These gases (or combinations thereof) reduce oxygen concentrations to levels that prevent combustion, making it safe for people to exit a space safely. Once discharged, these substances return back into the atmosphere without depleting ozone levels or having any negative environmental repercussions.
Inert gases like argon or nitrogen are suitable for long-distance pipe runs with reduced costs, and can be controlled using electric actuators instead of manual buttons, eliminating accidental activation that might damage sensitive equipment. Furthermore, smaller and more compact cylinders can be used and installation costs reduced thanks to reduced venting hardware requirements; additionally they can protect multiple fire hazards through selector valves while using less cylinders than similar chemical clean agent systems.
Maintenance
Inert gas systems utilize various inert gases such as Nitrogen and Argon or their mixtures to extinguish fire by displace the oxygen within an enclosure to an extent where flames cannot sustain combustion, providing protection from Class A, B and C fire hazards.
Non-conductive and safe for electrical equipment, non-reactive IG-541 noble gases have no adverse impact on electrical devices and leave no residue behind when used as an alternative to chemicals or water. They’re also extremely eco-friendly with zero ozone depleting potential and no global warming impact (IG-541 contains naturally-occurring Nitrogen and Argon noble gases found throughout Earth’s atmosphere).
Their operating pressure is lower than high-pressure halon clean agents, meaning less maintenance work is needed to maintain them. Furthermore, these inert gas systems offer advantages when space is at a premium due to no large storage tanks being necessary; their low global warming potential also makes them cost-effective; together these features contribute to lower total cost of ownership when compared with similar inert gas solutions.
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