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Fire protection for your unique risks

Risk analysis is the first phase in choosing the best fire prevention solution for your company. Early detection and appropriate suppression in identified risk areas, prevent operational stoppages, delays and damage. By installing, monitoring and controlling detection and suppression technologies, safe working and operational conditions can be ensured, even in harsh environments.

An integrated fire prevention strategy should include critical parameter measurements and preventative maintenance. This should include an early detection system, fire suppression methods and real-time management of the system. This can prevent fires from breaking out and resulting in loss of lives and production.

Early detection

AP Sensing’s Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) reports a change in temperature (or ‘hot spots’) according to pre-set perimeters. An early warning by this system can prevent loss and damage or can be used as a detection method to activate fire suppression systems. The DTS system uses fibre optic cable of up to 10 km long to sense heat on each 1 m section to 1oC accuracy and is easy to install.

Other available detection tools include infrared temperature scanners and conveyor bearing temperature sensors. Plumber block temperature sensors (analogue or digital) and infrared temperature scanners allow for temperatures to be monitored on the surface by any scada system.

Fire suppression

Fire suppression methods include various technologies such as deluge systems, water and foam mist, sprinkler systems and clean gas agents. These are all non-toxic and environmentally friendly methods.

Water and foam mist systems work well in high risk areas where the cooling off and oxygen displacement combination instantly assist in extinguishing fires. The design of the system should address critical parameters such as belt coverage, flow rate nozzle selection, pipe diameter, as well as the duration and capacity requirements of the fire protection system chosen. (For example, the NPFA 15 requires the system to spray for 30 minutes plus an additional 30 minutes for backup.)

Real-time management

The maintenance of any system is crucial and requires 24/7 real-time management and measuring to ensure the health of the system. Sperosens’ Verify System assists with fire system readiness and reporting. This system can report that each component was in working order and armed at the time when an incident occurred.

For more information contact Marihette Hattingh, Sperosens, +27 12 665 0317, marihette.hattingh@spero.co.za, www.spero.co.za

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