GAS SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS
Posted 07-10-19
A gas suppression system is a specialist active fire protection measure that is used in the event of a fire to suppress and extinguish the ignition. Gas Suppression utilizes inert gases and/or chemical agents to materially affect the fire triangle to allow the incident to be effectively extinguished. This can be done in one of two main ways:
- Reduction of heat - There are a wide range of clean agent extinguishants that on release create a chemical reaction around the fire to reduce and remove the heat, therefore extinguishing the fire.
- Reduction or isolation of oxygen - A range of CO2 and Inert gases such as IG-541 work to suppress the oxygen in the room by "overloading" the room. In these systems, an pressurized vent is fitted in the wall pushing oxygen out as the inert gas/CO2 is released into the room.
Broadly speaking, there are two main methods of apply the extinguishing agent to a target area:
- Total flooding - This method involves full discharge of the extinguishing system into the area of the fire. This is usually used in smaller, enclosed space, where the extinguishing agent can achieve a suitable concentration that is adequate to extinguish the fire. An example of this is a gas suppression system in an IT server room.
- Local application - This method is more targeted and usually to protect specific devices from fire. The main difference is that a local application device must be able to “surround” the fire without the aid of barriers such as walls. Examples of these systems are pneumatically operated chemical cooker suppression systems.
Does your building/business need a fire suppression system? Call Sygma today to speak to our expert design and installation team who can assist you with all things fire suppression!
