GAS EXTINGUISHING system

  

The equipment using halon as an extinguishing agent was a widespread gas extinguisher system in Hungary in 1980s. However, while it had excellent extinguishing capabilities, halon represented a major damage for the environment. Owing to their damaging impacts the utilisation of halons was restricted and later banned by international agreements.
Due to the restrictions, the development of new extinguishing materials has started, which may fill the gap in the field of the gas-extinguishing systems.

The developments have started essentially in three directions:

  • halon substituting, halogen containing gases
  • passive extinguishing gases, which extinguish fires through the reduction of oxygen concentration
  • other solutions, e.g. fire fighting aerosols
 

The Tûzõr Ltd. offers the extinguishing gases NAFS 125, FM 200® (HFC 227 EA), ARGONITE®, and
above all INERGEN®.
 
name of extinguishing gas:
Halon
FM 200
NOVEC
CO2
INERGEN
ARGONITE
chemical compositon:
CBrCIF2
CBrF3
C2Br2F4
CF3CHFCF3
CF3CF2(O)- CF(CF3)
CO2
N2 - 52%
Ar - 40%
CO2 - 8%
Ar
ODP
(ozone decomposition potential)
4-10
0
0
0
0
0
global warming up potential
4.1
2.050
1
1
0
0
life expectancy in atmosphere
15 years
31 years
0.014 years
non-applicable
non-applicable
0
NOAEL
(health hazard limit value)
% by volume
non-hazardous
9%
10%
12%
non-hazardous,
clinically tested
may cause suffocation
emvironmental hazard
destroyes the ozone layer
its decompositon substance is pollution (FH)
its
decompositon substance is polluting (FH)
increases the green house effect
Nil
Nil
applicability
prohibited worldwide
applicable with restrictions in Europe (prohibited in Denmark and Switzerland)
not restricted
material found in nature, toxic as an extinguishing gas
no harmful effect
no harmful effect, howewer, may cause suffocation due to oxygen shortage
 

Among the development results of the Apollo space programme we could find the gas, which has uniformly outstanding features and which has become known as INERGEN®. The gas consists of inert gases found in the air :
Nitrogen N2 - 50 % Argon Ar - 42 % Carbon dioxide CO2 - 8 %

INERGEN® is the mixture of nitrogen, argon and carbon dioxide gases, which produces its extinguishing effect by reducing the oxygen contents of the air from normal 21% to below 15%, where the combustion processes stop, the combustible materials cannot continue burning in this medium of reduced oxygen contents, however, the human organism can withstand the INERGEN® atmosphere for a long time. Hereinafter this material is described in more detail.

 

OPERATION OF THE INERGEN® GAS EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM
 

The INERGEN ® extinguishing gas stored in the tanks at 300 bar pressure in gaseous state is discharged through the nozzles via the control valve opened by the explosive cartridge triggered by the contact signal issued by the fire alarm centre.
The average air of a closed space contains 21% oxygen and less than 1% carbon-dioxide. If the oxygen content decreases below 15%, common materials cannot burn.
The INERGEN® system reduces the oxygen contents to a value about 12.5%, while the carbon-dioxide contents increase to 3%. The elevated carbon-dioxide contents of air compensates the reduced oxygen contents, due to the fact that

 

human organism is induced to take faster breaths unwillingly, triggered by the CO 2 contents, therefore, the necessary volume of oxygen is introduced even from the air of lower oxygen contents (the same process takes place in the human organism e.g. while running, or for the effect of physical load).
If someone cannot leave the room by chance, he or she may stay in the extinguishing area without any damage to health, as his / her organism will obtain the sufficient volume of oxygen by taking quicker breaths.

 

ADVANTAGES OF THE SYSTEM EXTINGUISHING WITH THE INERGEN® GAS
 
 

It is a unique gas extinguishing system, which fully protects human life due to the CO 2 gas contents, contrary to the other gas extinguishing systems.
INERGEN® contains the natural gases of the atmosphere, therefore, no immediate nor subsequent damage appears.
None of the constituent gases contribute to the combustion process, therefore, no toxic gases are generated during extinguishing, contrary to halon and HFC gases.
The specific weight of the extinguishing gas is close to the atmospheric specific gravity, therefore, the fire extinguishing impact remains in the protected area for a long time.

Refilling is considerably cheaper, than in case of other extinguishing gases. INERGEN® is stored in a gaseous form, therefore, no fog is produced upon release, the water vapour in the air space will not be condensate. It has no harmful effect on computer systems, other high and low voltage equipment, even when in operation. The cylinders can also be located outdoors, there is no danger of frost.
With over 5,000 commissioned system and full scale testing INERGEN® has proven its insurmountable efficiency in engine rooms, machine lines, switching areas, archives, power stations, warehouses, server rooms and other premises,

  
 
NOVELTY OF 2008:
TÛZÕR POWDER-TYPE FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT!
 

The built-in Tûzõr Ltd. Powder fire-extinguisher® is an extraordinary fire fighting equipment discovered again that is waited for long ago not only in Hungary but also in Europe as a whole!
It is also suitable to be used at places endangered by frost and in case of high-voltage equipment.
It has an extraordinary wide field of application and can be used nearly everywhere!
The built-in powder type fire fighting equipment can be used for protection of complete buildings and local protection of objects and process equipment.
 

Certain chemicals are susceptible of self-ignition under the effect of water; thus, they are unable to be extinguished by using either fire-water or fire fighting foam. Similarly, gaseous fire fighting agents are also inefficient in large spaces and outdoors.
It is in this way that the built-in powder-type fire fighting equipment already used in foreign countries and in the sea service comes to the foreground.
The fire fighting equipment has the advantage that it can also be used at places endangered by frost and for fire fighting of high-voltage equipment, seeing that the fire fighting powder is a non-conductor.

FUNCTION

The component parts of the equipment are: fire fighting powder tank, power-gas bottle, open pipeline system, nozzles, manually controlled valves as well as hose and gun serving for manual intervention.
The built-in powder type fire fighting equipment can be used for protection of complete buildings or local protection of objects.
The fire fighting powder is driven by the pressure of the nitrogen bottle to the area protected. The equipment includes a fire fighting gun located near the area protected that can be operated independently of any other equipment.

PROPERTIES OF FIRE FIGHTING POWDER

Fire fighting powder is suitable to be used for a wide variety of fire types (A, B. C) for inhibiting chain reaction of combustion, on the one hand and for cooling, on the other hand; i.e. decomposition of powder causes heat loss.
In addition to the basic inhibition mechanism of the fire fighting process, the oxygen expelling effect of inert gases (e.g. C02, NH3 ) generated during the thermal decomposition of fire fighting agent also appears as a secondary fire fighting effect. In fact, most of the fire fighting powders is made of raw materials from which a large amount of inert gases is released during fire fighting.
As a result of these properties of fire fighting powders, they are suitable to be used for fire fighting in electric rooms, production plants, parking places, airplane sheds and other rooms that include hazardous materials.

  
Fire fighting test
 
The INERGEN® extinguishing system with the trademark of the European Union is implemented in Hungary by the Tûzõr Ltd.