Inert gas fire suppression systems reduce the amount of oxygen present in a server room or data centre to between 12-15% to suppress a fire but without reducing amount of oxygen level below life maintaining levels.
In populated areas, people can breathe Inert Gas blends at extinguishing concentrations below 52% for very brief periods of time during egress from the space. There are no toxicological factors associated with the use of Inert gases, as they will not decompose or produce any by-products when exposed to a flame.
Inert gas systems use either IG-55, IG-541 or IG-100 inert agents and can achieve a lower total cost of ownership than traditional fire suppression systems in terms of installation, maintenance and refill costs following a system discharge.
Inert Gas Suppression Agents
- IG-55 – Nitrogen and Argon: is an inert gas comprising 50% Argon & 50% Nitrogen. IG-55 Fire Suppression Systems reduce the oxygen concentration inside the protected hazard area. Each system is designed to decrease oxygen at specific levels when discharged, ensure that the agent is quickly and consistently distributed and reaches concentration in 60 seconds.
- IG-541 – Nitrogen, Argon and CO2: is one of the most popular fire protection agents, comprising of 52% Nitrogen, 40% Argon and 8% CO2. An IG-541 fire suppression system reduces the oxygen concentration inside the protected hazard area. This is minimised by the application of the IG-541 agent until it reaches a level where combustion is no longer supported or sustainable. IG-541 is stored in high-pressure cylinders as a compressed gas and so the space required for cylinder storage depends on the system pressure and discharge capacity required.
- IG-100 – Pure Nitrogen: is a clean fire extinguishing agent consisting of 100% Nitrogen and is used in total flooding systems. IG-100 suppression systems are based on the principle of reducing the oxygen concentration inside the protected hazard area. The oxygen concentration is minimized by the application of IG-100 until it reaches a level where combustion is no longer supported. Each system is designed to decrease oxygen to a specific level. When discharged, IG-100 is quickly and uniformly distributed within the enclosure, achieving design concentration in 60 seconds.
Inert gasses are naturally present in the atmosphere, and so when used as fire suppression agents, they have zero greenhouse effect and ozone layer depletion potential.
Inert Gas Fire Suppression System Features
- Cylinders available in 300 and 200 bar pressure options
- Cylinders available in 80 and 140 litre capacities
- Nozzles available with 360 and 180 degree discharge patterns
- Cylinders suitable for storage at temperatures from -20° to +54°C (-4°to +130°F)
- Selector valve sizes range from 1” to 4” (25 to 100 mm nominal)
- Green agents with zero ozone depletion and zero global warming)
- Non-conductive – suitable for electronic equipment protection
- Clean Agents with no clean-up of agent required after discharge
Applications
- Art Galleries
- Computer Rooms
- Control Rooms
- Data Centres
- Electric Switch Rooms
- Financial Centres and Banks
- Medical Facilities
- Museums
- Petrochemical Installations
- Pharmaceutical Facilities
- Rare Book Libraries
- Record Storage Facilities
- Server Rooms
- Telecommunication Centres
When designing an inert gas fire suppression system, our project managers can offer a choice of four NFPA and ISO approved agents to suit regional re-charge conditions and customer specifications. The characteristics of the inert gasses allow cylinders (up to 60) to be stored some distance from the protected area. Argon gas can be used for application-specific Class D materials including titanium dust and magnesium. Inert gas fire suppression systems are also suitable for low temperature applications and rooms that are hard to seal including open spaces as found in museums and laboratories.
