Advanced’s Regional Sales Manager for South East Asia, Tin Le Than, discusses some of the key considerations to take into account when specifying an effective gas suppression system.
Data centers, control rooms, power generation facilities, and archives may serve very different purposes, but they all pose the same critical challenge for those charged with their fire protection. Guarding against catastrophic loss whether of data, irreplaceable cultural assets, or essential services creates a unique impetus to design solutions that offer the highest levels of control, reliability, and protection. Ensuring one has covered all eventualities on these sites takes meticulous planning from the earliest stages and demands the use of specialist, proven technology.
Gas suppression systems are a valuable asset in protecting critical sites, where the use of water could be almost as damaging to building contents as the fire it would be used to quell. Some suppression systems release gases to reduce the oxygen content, and others use chemical reactions to extinguish the fire.
Compliance
EN 12094 details the compliance requirements for gas suppression systems and their associated components, and EN15004 details the requirements and recommendations for the design of these systems. In order to meet EN12094-1, one needs both the EN12094-1 approved extinguishing control panel, and also EN54 approved peripheral products. The panel, the detectors, the manual call points, as well as the sounders, all require EN54 approval for full compliance and peace of mind that the system will perform as expected in a fire situation. EN54 part 13 specifies the minimum functions required to be performed by the CIE
EN54 part 13 specifies the minimum functions required to be performed by the Control and Indicating Equipment (CIE) and its associated components, and it specifies the requirements for networked systems. This can prove particularly useful in indicating trouble or a fault during normal conditions if the voltage/current at the end of a circuit is not sufficient to operate the device connected to it. Essentially the fire system continuously tests its integrity – continually checking the condition of its components, and wiring, ensuring that they will work as required in an emergency.
Advanced’s ExGo gas extinguishing panel was among the first solutions to achieve EN12094-1, alongside approvals to EN54 parts 2, 4, and 13. With a focus on ease of use for the end-user, ExGo offers the additional functionality of manual activation on the fascia on the panel.