A fire suppression system is designed to help protect building occupants and business assets, quickly mitigating fires by dispensing a suppression agent. While some are manually operated, they are usually controlled automatically via sensors and use a range of suppression agents from water and foam to gas and chemicals.
One of the most common examples of fire suppression is sprinkler systems, which are typically linked to a fire alarm, providing warning and suppression simultaneously to help give building occupants more time to evacuate.
Detection: The first stage of any fire suppression system is detection. Networks of sensors installed throughout the building will detect early signs of a fire, such as heat or smoke, automatically triggering the suppression system as soon as possible to ensure greater control before it can spread.
Control Panel: The control panel serves as the brain of the system. It receives information from the sensors and decides when to release the suppression agent. The control panel is also the interface between the system and the operator, allowing for specific inputs and maintenance checks.
Alarm: Many fire suppression systems are linked to an alarm. The alarm itself serves no suppression purpose but is designed to help give building occupants the greatest chance of escape. Alarm systems are installed alongside other safety features, including fire extinguishers and emergency lighting.
Piping/Nozzles: Fire suppression systems are designed to discharge a suppression agent. To do this, they include a storage tank where the agent is kept, and a network of pipes and nozzles for distribution in the case of a fire. These will be routed throughout the building to ensure that the agent can be discharged wherever needed.
Suppression Agent: A suppression agent is what fire suppression systems emit in the case of a fire. These are substances that extinguish fire, such as water, foam, chemicals or even gas. The type of agent used will depend on the specific location of the system. For example, a kitchen suppression system will typically use wet chemicals, rather than water, to combat grease fires.
CO2 Systems: CO2 fire suppression systems use carbon dioxide gas to deprive a fire of oxygen, effectively choking it. They leave no residue, require no clean-up and are perfect for areas where electricity is a concern. However, because humans cannot breathe CO2, these systems require complete evacuation of an area before they can be triggered.
FM200 Systems: FM200 systems are commonly found in server rooms or other areas with sensitive equipment. They work by releasing a gas called FM200, which draws heat out of the fire, extinguishing it in under 10 seconds. FM200 is not harmful to humans unless in very high concentrations and does not damage the ozone layer, but it does have high Global Warming Potential (GWP).
Inergen Systems: Inergen fire suppression is a human-safe alternative to CO2. It uses a blend of nitrogen, argon and CO2 to reduce the oxygen content of the air to around 12% to 15%. This is enough to extinguish a fire but is still breathable for humans, meaning Inergen systems don’t require evacuation before triggering. They also leave no residue and are environmentally friendly.
Novec Systems: Novec fire suppression uses a chemical called Novec 1230 to extinguish fires quickly and without harmful residues. This makes it suitable for a wide range of applications, including data centres, server rooms, telecommunications and more. It’s shipped and stored as a liquid and released as a gas, fighting fire by removing heat, much like FM200.
Argonite Systems: Argonite is a mixture of argon and nitrogen. Much like Inergen, it works by reducing the oxygen within an area to around 12%, extinguishing fires quickly and without harming occupants. Argonite fire suppression systems also leave no residue and are effective at fighting a range of fire types, including those involving flammable liquids.
Water-Based Systems: Water-based fire suppression systems are some of the most popular, with sprinklers being a prime example. They work by soaking an area in water to extinguish fires and control their spread. The use of water makes them environmentally friendly, but also means they’re not suitable for certain types of blazes, including electrical or kitchen fires.
Dry Chemical Systems: Offering very rapid fire suppression, dry chemical systems involve the release of powdered substances such as sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate and ammonium phosphate. These chemicals quickly smother the fire but do require extensive clean-up afterwards, and can be hazardous to occupants in the release area.
Gas-Based Systems: Gas-based fire suppression includes systems such as Inergen, Novec, FM200 and CO2. These work by releasing gases which either suffocate or cool fires, leaving no residue. They are ideal for sensitive environments with electrical equipment such as laboratories, data centres and server rooms.
Wet Chemical Systems: In environments such as kitchens, where oil and grease fires are a concern, wet chemical fire suppression systems are common. They dispense a wet chemical suppression agent which reacts with hot oil or grease to form a soapy layer which suffocates and cools the fire. These agents are non-toxic and prevent re-ignition. Wet chemical systems are often installed in extractor fan hoods to provide quick suppression over cooking areas.
Foam-Based Systems: Foam-based fire suppression works by releasing large volumes of water-based foam to cool and smother fires. The foam also helps to trap any flammable vapours, which could help the fire spread. These systems are effective at controlling fires involving flammable liquids and are frequently installed at chemical plants and storage facilities.
