The growing data centre market has high demands for security, creating an exciting and booming market for contractors in fire detection as well as site and cybersecurity. Fire security must be especially high because data centre operators stake their reputations and profitability on minimising downtime. However, data centres present a series of complex fire detection challenges.
Although aspirating smoke detection has been at the heart of data centre fire detection for many years, and remains the mainstay for server rooms and HVAC, contractors and consultants wishing to break into this market are well advised to offer a comprehensive, site-wide solution. No single technology can achieve this, but a comprehensive package of the best detection and suppression methods can tackle all the key danger areas and provide something close to peace of mind for operators.
This is why Securiton has adopted a holistic approach to this industry, where all of our most advanced technologies are deployed in tandem, offering a combination of early and reliable fire detection. Moreover, to protect the increasingly critical area of battery rooms, a new off-gas detector has been added to the range.
Multiple fire risks and challenges
At the heart of a data centre are banks of servers and related networking equipment, stacked together in aisles where they give off a significant amount of heat as a side effect of their furious electronic activity. They are, effectively, a giant fire hazard that requires continuous cooling and monitoring. Additionally, they are often situated in remote locations, and even when not, human access is generally kept to a bare minimum. This makes both fire detection, device maintenance, and tackling a blaze more difficult.
Further areas of concern are the backup systems designed to ensure continued operation in a power outage: generators and battery banks. Additionally, the power distribution network, the HVAC system, and cabling in suspended ceilings and raised floors are all hazards posing challenges to early and reliable detection.
Performance-based design for a holistic solution
Fire regulations primarily aim to protect lives. However, businesses, especially those providing a critical service, should be aware that fire protection designed to meet regulations is often not enough to save their premises and equipment. When designing an advanced fire safety system to protect mission-critical facilities in the datacom industry, planners must go beyond prescriptive building and fire codes. This involves applying performance-based design (PBD) methodologies to ensure business continuity through tailored risk and situational assessments.
For example, powerful smoke detection using aspirating smoke detectors (ASD) such as SecuriSmoke ASD can be designed to work with the airflow in the server aisles, detecting the earliest traces of smoke from a smouldering element to activate suppression systems and launch an integrated site incident and emergency response. The ability of ASD to sample the airflow from the cooling system turns a fire detection challenge into a strength: conventional point-type detectors are simply not able to detect smoke that is rapidly diffusing in the forced air flow, while heat detection methods will naturally flounder as the servers will undoubtedly be generating heat.
Aspirating smoke detectors are among the most effective methods for reliable early detection of a fire, and because a single unit can draw air for sampling from a wide area via a tube system, they do not require access to difficult locations for testing and maintenance. In data centres, they are also ideal for monitoring cabling in concealed floor spaces or suspended ceilings, and for return air grilles. However, heat detection is more effective around generators and in power distribution cabinets, where heat can manifest a problem before smoke forms.
Protecting against Li-ion battery fires
Most data centres incorporate a battery room, used to ensure an uninterruptible power supply. Lithium-ion batteries are the favoured technology as they allow for regular discharging and can therefore be used to ensure a stable electricity supply and modulate peaks in energy pricing. However, Li-ion batteries pose a significant fire hazard because, when faulty, they can combust through a process known as thermal runaway and burn with ferocious intensity.
In battery rooms, Securiton now offers a combined smoke, off-gas and heat detection solution, using its advanced linear heat detector, SecuriHeat d-LIST. Detection cables can be placed among the battery racks and need never be accessed for maintenance, while off-gas detectors can utilise the sampling airflow created by the ASD system. Although this may seem like a lot of detection, the critical danger posed by Li-ion batteries and the need to react very early to an incident justifies a cautious approach.
Integrated control and suppression
Data centre designers and operators will also naturally be interested in suppressing any fires that do start. Therefore, a control panel that can not only clearly visualise all of the various detection methods across many rooms in a single, intuitive interface is highly desirable. A supplier that can offer a panel that seamlessly integrates suppression activation will be at a further advantage.
All of the bespoke detection methods discussed above can be interlinked through SecuriFire panels, which also control suppression actuation. This holistic approach using multiple technologies offers the best guarantee against a fire incident getting out of hand and causing a lengthy and very expensive service interruption, with all the consequences that entails.
The data centre boom is showing no signs of easing, with especially high growth expected in parts of Africa where the economy is rapidly modernising and digitising. Fire safety consultants and contractors who can offer a comprehensive fire safety solution to this industry have a valuable opportunity to establish themselves as a major supplier of a key safety features, which helps guarantee the smooth operation of critical infrastructure.
For more information contact Securiton,
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