Water has always been the natural enemy of fire. But in today’s technological world, traditional water sprinklers can also do more harm than good. Explore how modern technology has enhanced the benefits of water-based suppressing solutions, offering more reliable protection for both people and critical assets.
Water Mist v/s Traditional Sprinkler Systems
Special hazard fire protection systems are designed to quickly and automatically detect and suppress incipient fires or high heat conditions. This is in contrast to sprinkler systems, which are designed to “control” the fire not necessarily suppress the fire until fire safety personnel can arrive.
Water mist is classified as a special hazard fire suppression system, along with clean agents, inert gases, and CO2. And similar to these other special hazard solutions, water mist offers many advantages over traditional sprinkler systems:
- Quickly suppress a fire in mere seconds; traditional sprinkler systems often require minutes or may not suppress the fire at all.
- Ultra-fine water droplets offer 3D coverage, permeating obscured flames that may be unreachable by traditional sprinkler systems.
- Safe to use for most applications; traditional sprinkler systems often cause irreparable damage to electronics, archives, artwork, and furnishings.
- Minimal downtime, as water mist systems use as little as 1/10 the water of a traditional sprinkler.
Fike Water Mist Products
DuraQuench
DuraQuench is a centrifugal pump-based, low-pressure water mist solution that is ideal for the widest range of applications and budgets, and is:
- Compatible with the facility’s water main or local reservoir or tank.
- Capable of providing unlimited discharge duration.
- Cost-effective, due to lower operating pressures (175 psi compared to 2,000 psi used by high-pressure systems).
- Compatible with locally sourced pipe, fittings, and other materials allowing for absolute cost efficiency.
Micro Mist
Micro Mist is a self-contained, pre-engineered water mist solution that uses a fraction of the water of a traditional sprinkler system, offers ease of installation, and is:
- Ideal for remote locations lacking a water source.
- Effective at producing water vapor when coming in contact with fire—a key component to suppressing fire with a limited amount of water.
- Offered in two convenient cylinder size configurations.
- Flexible for most applications and budgets.
- Easy to clean after discharge, resulting in limited downtime.
Understanding the limitations of sprinkler systems for the facility is essential to effective fire protection. While sprinklers may meet the local fire codes, water mist systems are likely more effective at protecting the facility’s people and critical assets through faster suppression, minimal water damage, and limited cleanup.