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Monday, May 19, 2014

Marine Fire Protection

Marine

Time-tested fire suppression solutions for the marine industry
Ships at sea present a serious challenge for fire protection, with a variety of hazard areas ranging from engine rooms to galleys to cargo spaces that have the potential for a fire to erupt. Ships contain all the elements necessary for a fire...oxygen, fuel and ignition sources. All it takes to spark a fire is an ignition source like an electrical short, a piece of overheated equipment or a hot turbocharger.  The problem is compounded with the potential for a fire to occur when the vessel is far from the nearest port. The challenge is to protect the passengers and crew, prevent an environmental disaster and save a high-value marine asset.

Kidde Fire Systems is a leader in vessel fire protection — we pioneered the Carbon Dioxide Suppression system for the marine industry more than 90 years ago. We provide vessel owners and operators with a range of viable options for effectively suppressing fires that may occur. Kidde Fire Systems’ solutions have been tested and approved by marine regulatory agencies throughout the world.

PROTECTED AREAS
VESSEL TYPES
 - Cargo Spaces
 - Cargo Ships
 - Control Rooms
 - Ferries
 - Engine Rooms
 - Fishing Vessels
 - Galleys
 - Military
 - Lube Oil Rooms
 - Offshore Support Vessels
 - Machinery Spaces
 - Offshore Rigs and Platforms
 - Paint Lockers
 - Workboats
 - Switchgear Spaces
 - Yachts
 - Thruster Rooms


See how Kidde Fire Systems products can protect your application. The links below will take you to detailed product information on our fire protection solutions that are recommended for this industry.


Please contact TTL’s technical support team at http://Support.TTLCompany.com with any questions.  As always, TTL LLC appreciates your business. 

E-mail: Sales@TTLCompany.com | Web: http://TTLCompany.com


Monday, May 12, 2014

Clean Agents FAQ

What is special hazards fire protection?
Special hazards are defined by the critical nature of an operation or how easily the protected items or functions can be replaced. To determine if you need a special hazards fire suppression system, start by asking these questions. Can the items be replaced? Can you afford down time caused by fire damage or clean-up? Are there redundant systems? Can you still operate if this system goes down?"
If you answer no to these questions, then you need to look at fire protection not only for the structure of the building, but for the assets it contains. That is special hazards fire protection.
The special hazards family consists of five types of suppression systems. They include clean agent, foam, dry chemical, carbon dioxide and water mist systems.

What are clean agents?
Clean agents are gaseous fire suppressing agents. Because they suppress fire as gases, there is no damage to protected areas from the discharge and no residue to clean up. Thus, the term "clean" agents.

I heard these agents have been banned or are about to be banned from use. Is this true?
No. Starting in the 1960s, Halon 1301 was the principal agent used in clean agent extinguishing systems. However, Halon was found to have a high ozone depletion potential, so manufacture of Halon was banned in 1994. There is no ban on the use of Halon, however, and many Halon systems are still in service.
There are also no plans to ban Halon use at any time in the future. However, the EPA strongly recommends using one of the recently developed Halon alternatives. There are three commercially available Halon alternatives that are very effective at suppressing fire.

How do I know these new clean agents are safe?
The EPA phased out Halon production as part of the Clean Air Act of 1990. Another part of that Act was the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP). Under SNAP, the EPA evaluated substitute chemicals and alternative technologies to ensure that they wouldn't cause greater damage to human health or the environment that the potential ozone depleters that were being replaced. Each of today's clean agents is SNAP approved.

Can people be exposed to clean agents?
Yes, part of the SNAP approval process includes testing for adverse effects in humans at recommended design concentrations. Each of today's clean agents is safe for humans and safe for the environment as well.
Halon 1301 is also safe for occupied areas at recommended design concentrations. However, some people consider carbon dioxide a clean agent as well because it shares the non-corrosive, no clean-up features. While carbon dioxide is a very effective fire suppressing agent, it is not safe for use in occupied areas.

What are the new clean agents?
At this time, the three commercially-available clean agents for total flooding applications are INERGEN, manufactured by Ansul, FM-200, manufactured by Great Lakes Chemical Company, and FE-13, manufactured by Dupont.

Which of the new clean agents is best?
Each of today's clean agents is SNAP-approved and very effective at suppressing fire. They do, however, have different features. The best way to decide which agent is right for you is to meet with an FSSA-member installer to go over the specific details of the hazard.

Must Halon fire suppression systems be dismantled?
No. You have no current legal obligation to remove Halon systems from service. Also, there is no federal legal requirement to remove systems from service by any specific date.
In order to minimize Halon emissions, EPA strongly encourages Halon users to explore non-ozone depleting alternatives. However, this has not been mandated in part not to put an undue burden on businesses.

What happens when a Halon system discharges?
First, you can legally recharge your system using recycled Halon or Halon produced before the ban on manufacturing. Recycled Halon is still readily available, although somewhat costly.
Again, EPA strongly encourages switching to a non-ozone-depleting agent. Unfortunately, none of the alternatives are drop-in replacements for Halon, so that is a costly proposition. If you should have a system discharge. This may be the time to weigh the cost of conversion against the cost of recharging the Halon system.

Where can recycled Halon be purchased?
In some cases, you can purchase recycled Halon from a fire protection equipment distributor. You can also purchase Halon directly from other owners who are decommissioning their systems. Remember, of course, that EPA requires appropriate training of those who will be handling the Halon.
You can also use the Halon Recycling Corporation. The HRC is a non-profit information clearinghouse established to assist sellers wishing to dispose of Halon in a responsible manner and to help buyers with critical uses locate supplies of Halon 1301 and 1211 for recharging their existing systems.
The HRC was established by members of the fire protection community and the Halon Alternatives Research Corporation, an industry consortium that promotes the research, development and use of alternatives to Halon for fire protection.

Can Halon be Imported?
It is legal under the Montreal Protocol and the U.S. Clean Air Act to import recycled Halon, that is, Halon that has been recovered from a fire suppression system. Each individual shipment of recycled Halon requires prior EPA approval. Approved imports that enter the U.S. must be reported to the EPA on a quarterly basis.
Newly produced Halon or Halon never installed in a fire suppression system may not be imported into the U.S.
Also, the IRS imposes a tax on certain ozone depleting chemicals.
If you choose to import Halon, know your source. Manufacturing standards in other countries are not always the same as in the U.S. and may affect the purity of the agent. There have been some problems with imported Halon containing water, causing the cylinders to rust from the inside.

What federal laws pertain to Halon?
EPA's final rule on Halon was published in March of 1998. It sought to ensure environmental benefits by requiring a set of practices already widely adhered to, that would minimize unnecessary releases of halons.
First, the rule banned creating blends of halons on the grounds that the infrastructure to recycle and reuse such blends isn't generally available and that growing stocks of non-recyclable Halon blends would pose a significant environmental risk.
Next, the rule prohibited the venting or intentional release of halons during most technician training exercises or during the testing, repair or disposal of Halon containing equipment.
The rule also requires that technicians who work with Halon-containing equipment be trained about Halon emission reductions.
Finally, the rule requires that halons and Halon-containing equipment be properly disposed of. The only permissible means of disposing of these items, aside from destruction, are by recovering the Halon with minimal losses to the atmosphere and by recycling it using facilities that operate in accordance with NFPA 10 and 12A
Sources for this training would include NICET, manufacturers' technical training programs and the Fire Suppression Systems Association. If local licensing requirements exist, that license should be sufficient to constitute appropriate training.

Are there any exemptions?
In recognition of the special needs of certain critical halon applications, the rule provided for some exemptions. For example, the release of halons during the testing of fire extinguishing systems or equipment is exempted if four criteria are met:
First, systems or equipment using suitable alternative agents aren't available.
Next, system or equipment testing requiring the release of the agent is essential to demonstrate system or equipment functionality.
Third, system failure would pose great risk to human safety or the environment.
Finally, a simulant agent can't be used for testing purposes.

How must the system be maintained?
EPA's final rule makes it clear that the owner of Halon-containing equipment is responsible for proper maintenance in accordance with NFPA standards. NFPA 12A, which pertains to Halon 1301 fire extinguishing systems, requires that, at least semi-annually, all systems be thoroughly inspected, tested and documented for proper operation by trained and competent personnel.
The standard goes on to say that agent quantity and pressure of refillable containers must be checked. If a container shows a loss in net weight of more than five percent, or a loss of pressure of more than 10 percent, it must be refilled or replaced. All Halon removed from these containers during service or maintenance must be collected for recycling.
According to D.O.T., Halon 1301 cylinders must be retested every five years if the cylinder has discharged. If the cylinder has never discharged, a visual inspection will suffice.
Maintenance must also include a visual inspection of all system components as well as the enclosure being protected. If the visual inspections turn up anything questionable, testing is required.
Finally, all maintenance and testing must be performed by personnel trained regarding Halon safety issues. Personnel working in a Halon-protected enclosure must also be trained on Halon safety. The owner of the system should keep a documented report of each inspection along with recommendations.

How Can I Dispose of Halon?
When it's time to dispose of your Halon, you have five options.
You can make it available to critical users through the Halon Recycling Corporation.
You can donate it to the Department of Defense Ozone Depleting Substances Reserve. You can return it to your distributor for resale.

You can send it to a Halon recycler.
If you have a very small amount of Halon 1301, or if you have Halon 1211 or 2402, Friends of the Earth can help you locate a regional organization that will take your Halon as a service.

Remember, Halon must be disposed of in accordance with EPA regulations.

Saturday, May 10, 2014

Novec for Data Processing & Control


Even a small fire in critical facilities such as data processing centers, airport control towers, clean rooms, laboratories and computer-controlled manufacturing operations can result in catastrophic loss by interrupting vital operations and damaging high-value equipment.

In these situations, it's important that fires be knocked down quickly - before they have a chance to spread - and that sensitive electronics and other equipment not be damaged in the process of putting out the fire.

3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid is a highly-efficient extinguishing agent that:
Is electrically non-conductive
Is non-corrosive
Rapidly vaporizes to gas during discharge
Leaves no residue
Does not damage electronics, electronic media and delicate mechanical devices
Can be safely used on energized equipment, helping to ensure continuity of operations during a fire emergency

Safety Advantages:
Another major advantage of 3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid is its wide margin of safety in use - providing more flexibility in system design compared with other halon alternatives and ensures that occupants can safely egress the space since the NOAEL will not be exceeded.

Environmental Profile:
Non ozone-depleting
Five-day atmospheric lifetime
Global Warming Potential of 1
This environmental profile is unmatched by any other halogenated agent, and helps make 3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid today's long-term solution for protecting high value assets. 
World Halon

Novec for Marine
World Halon
  
Gielle with Novec 1230 fluid work hand-in-hand with state-of-the-art controls and detection components to detect and extinguish fires long before substantial fire damage can occur. Gielle safeguard lives, assets, and reputations. Our ability to engineer solutions that meet challenging business and industry applications is evident in the variety of market sectors that we serve worldwide.


Novec 1230 Fire Protection Fluid is an environmentally acceptable, people compatible, clean agent for vital facilities with a wide range of hazards. Novec 1230 Fluid suppresses the fire by removing the heat energy and interrupting the combustion process. With extinguishment capabilities of 10 seconds or less, Novec 1230 Fire Protection Fluid has the capability to extinguish fires fast and effectively – before any damage is done to your valued assets.


The safety of your personnel is our top priority. Every system we design, install, and maintain is supported by our worldwide network of trained personnel and distributors to ensure safe operation to protect your personnel as well as the property. Contact us today to see how we can help you protect what matters most!

3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid offers a number of important advantages over other clean agents and CO2 in marine applications.

Its low acute toxicity, combined with high extinguishing efficiency, give Novec 1230 fluid a significant margin of safety, even at relatively high extinguishing concentrations, making Novec 1230 fluid ideal for occupied spaces including:
Engine and pump rooms
Paint lockers
Communication and control centers
Saves space and weight
Fast extinguishment
Allows flexibility in design
No restriction of shipping 
World Halon

Novec for Industry Oil & Gas
World Halon
  
3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid — Sustainable Technology for Fire Protection:
Zero Ozone Depletion Potential
Global Warming Potential of 1
Not restricted by the Kyoto Protocol
High safety margin vs. other extinguishing agents
Fast extinguishment
Saves space and weight
No restrictions on shipping by air, sea or truck
Local refill possible

Typical Applications:
In addition to a favorable safety and environmental profiles, 3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid is a highly effective fire extinguishant, designed to knock down fires quickly, before they have a chance to disrupt production or spread to Class B hazards. Typical applications include:
Engine room
Generator rooms
Communications centers
Process control rooms
Paint lockers
Pilot houses
Pump rooms
Diving systems rooms

Simplified Storage and Handling:
Because it is a liquid at room temperature, and stored at low vapor pressure, agent handling and charging of systems using 3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid are greatly simplified, and can be accomplished without removing the cylinders offsite. This can be an especially important consideration for servicing offshore facilities - saving time and ensuring uninterrupted protection of assets. The liquid state of Novec 1230 fluid also allows for efficient use of space, requiring about the same number of cylinders as conventional halocarbon agents. The product can be shipped safely by air in bulk quantities, without regulations or restrictions. 
World Halon

Novec for Archives & Museums
World Halon
  
And now Gielle is proud to announce the introduction of the next generation in Clean Agent fire suppression systems utilizing 3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid - an agent that volatizes readily to provide rapid fire suppression for occupied spaces, while achieving an excellent environmental profile:
• Very low Global Warming Potential (GWP) of just one
• Atmospheric lifetime of about 5 days
• Ozone Depleting Potential (ODP) of zero
The addition of Novec 1230 fluid and Argonite inert gas suppression systems enables Gielle to provide you with a full array of sustainable fire suppression systems for all your needs today and into the future.

3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid offers a number of unique advantages for protecting records stored on various electronic media; paper documents; archival film and video; fine arts, antiques and other valuable - and often irreplaceable — items which are vulnerable to conventional water, foam and dry chemical extinguishing agents.

3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid is ideal for the protection of valuable archives and museum articles:
Evaporates cleanly and completely during discharge
Leaves no residue to clean up
Electrically non-conductive
Non-corrosive, since it has no solvency
Non-reactive with paper, canvas or other such materials, nor is it reactive with that which is printed, drawn, painted or written on such materials 
World Halon

Novec for Telecommunications
World Halon
  
The Gielle Systems are automatic suppression systems using 3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid and consisting of four basic components and their associated accessories.

System Components
Completer Kits
Detection and Alarm Devices
Control Panels

Features
The system components consist of agent containers, container supports (racks), and discharge nozzles.

The completer kits consist of warning signs, hoses, connection fittings, pressure gauges or solenoid valves, and the actuator required to operate the cylinder valve.

The detection, alarm devices and accessories provide fire detection, audible and visual pre-alarm warnings and annunciation of the Novec 1230 fluid discharge.

The control panel monitors the detection, actuates the alarms, initiates the agent discharge and controls auxiliary functions such as shut down of vital equipment and ventilation dampers.

The system and its components are agency tested for total flooding applications and should be used in accordance with the guidelines contained in National Fire Protection Association 2001. A total flooding application can be defined as injecting Novec 1230 fluid into an enclosure or volume having the structural integrity to retain the agent during and after discharge. The design of such a system requires that the Novec 1230 fluid be discharged from its container in between a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 10 seconds and be thoroughly mixed throughout the protected volume, reaching a minimum concentration level of 4.2%, but not exceeding 10% in normally occupied spaces.

3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid is a highly efficient fire extinguishant designed especially for "special hazards." These are defined as spaces — such as telecommunication switch rooms, computer and electronic control rooms — where maintaining continuous operation of high-value equipment is critical.
World Halon

Novec 1230 Fire Protection Fluid
World Halon
  
Novec 1230 Fire Protection Fluid is based on a proprietary chemistry from 3M called C6-fluoroketone; it is also known as dodecafluoro 2-methylpentane-3-one; its ASHRAE nomenclature is FK 5-1-12 — the way it is designated in NFPA 2001 and ISO 14520 clean agent standards.

3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid is a high molecular weight material, compared with the first generation halocarbon clean agents. The product has a heat of vaporization of 88.1 kJ/kga and low vapor pressure. Although it is a liquid at room temperature it gasifies immediately after being discharged in a total flooding system.

Handling

There's a distinct advantage in handling a liquid agent-one that isn't pressurized and doesn't have a high vapor pressure at room temperature. 3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid has a boiling point of 49°C (121° F). It can be shipped safely and effectively, without any restrictions, by air at a moment's notice in bulk quantities. In the shop, Novec 1230 fluid is easier to use than pressurized gas. Simply transfer the fluid from the container to the system cylinder, using a simplified closed loop process to avoid contamination. Then, superpressurize the cylinder with nitrogen.

The product is ideal for use in total flooding applications, localized flooding systems, directional spray type applications and may be used in portable extinguishers for specialized applications. But in addition to the conventional methods of super-pressurization using nitrogen, 3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid also lends itself for use in pump applications because it is a liquid.

Materials Compatibility
3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid has been shown to be compatible with typical materials of construction used in fire suppression systems. The material is stable and essentially inert, meaning it does not react with system components. It's also non-corrosive in its neat form. Long-term testing has demonstrated excellent compatibility with various elastomers used in o-rings, gaskets and other types of seals. However, we recommend that the product not be used with fluoroelastomers, because they are similar in composition to Novec 1230 fluid and have an affinity for each other, making them incompatible.

Tests have also shown that Novec 1230 fluid does not react with typical metals used in fire protection systems, including stainless steel, carbon steel, aluminum, brass and copper. 
World Halon

3M™ Blue Sky(SM) Warranty
World Halon
  
3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid doesn't just put out fires. With the new 3M™ Blue SkySM Warranty, it also puts your mind at ease. If 3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid is banned from or restricted in use as a fire protection agent due to ODP, or GWP, 3M will refund the purchase price of the Novec 1230 fluid. That's a promise and performance you can take to the bank.

The 3M™ Blue SkySM Warranty for 3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid:
If 3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid is banned from or restricted in use as a fire protection agent due to ODP, or GWP, 3M will refund the purchase price of the Novec 1230 fluid. Warranty good for 20 years. Must register your system with 3M within 30 days of system commissioning and every five years. For complete terms and conditions or to register your system for the 3M™ Blue SkySM Warranty, log onto www.3M.com/novec1230fluid. 
World Halon

Environmental
World Halon
  
3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid is an advanced halon replacement alternative with an excellent environmental profile:
Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 1 - lowest GWP for any halocarbon alternative to halon
Non Ozone-depleting
Atmospheric lifetime of just 5-days - compared to years, decades and even centuries for other halocarbon alternatives
Offers a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions over hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)

A new standard for sustainable clean agent fire protection technology
All organic compounds that are emitted into the atmosphere have the ability to act as a greenhouse gas. Their effect in the atmosphere or potency as a greenhouse gas is determined by the amount of infrared (IR) radiation they absorb and how long they reside in the atmosphere (their atmospheric lifetime). These factors are combined in a calculation and expressed in a single parameter known as the Global Warming Potential (GWP). When released to the atmosphere, 3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid absorbs infrared (IR) energy similarly to other fluorinated compounds.

Atmospheric Lifetime = 5 days
What sets 3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid apart from these other fluorochemicals is its very short atmospheric lifetime. Most fluorochemicals reside in the atmosphere for years - often on the order of decades or centuries. In contrast, Novec 1230 fluid degrades very rapidly in the lower atmosphere by reaction with sunlight (a process known as photolysis). This leads to a very short atmospheric life for Novec 1230 fluid of just 5 days.

GWP = 1
The very short atmospheric lifetime of 3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid leads to a very low Global Warming Potential (GWP). The GWP essentially determines how many kilograms of CO2 - the world's most common greenhouse gas - would be equivalent to the release of one kilogram of this compound. The GWP for Novec 1230 fluid is 1. This means that is essentially the same as releasing the same amount of CO2.
World Halon

Regulatory
World Halon
  
Choosing a long-term solution

In recent years, concerns about environmental issues - especially those relating to climate change - have led to increasing regulatory scrutiny of compounds with high global warming potentials. These so-called "greenhouse gases" include several conventional halon replacements, such as HFCs.

Under the Kyoto Protocol and other international agreements, more and more industrialized nations have committed to reducing the amount of greenhouse gases emitted to the atmosphere. Although the use of HFCs in fire protection is allowed today, there is growing concern about their future viability, as regulators look for industries and applications (such as fire protection) where alternatives exist to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, without harming economic growth.

For example, abatement of HFCs of materials in fire protection applications is one strategy that companies can employ to reduce their overall emissions of materials in the "basket" of six greenhouse gases identified by the Kyoto Protocol. In addition, many forward-thinking companies are beginning to consider the potential costs of monitoring and reporting their use of greenhouse gases; and the cost and disruption to replace an HFC-based system in the near future, should new restrictions on HFCs, now being debated in the EU and other parts of the world, come into force. Ultimately, a growing number of end-users are concluding that long-term economics – as well as good stewardship – favor the use of sustainable technologies, such as 3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid. 
World Halon

Safety
World Halon
  
Today's widest margin of safety

Because its use concentration is much lower than its No Observable Adverse Effects level (NOAEL), 3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid offers the widest margin of safety of any viable halon replacement available on the market today. Note: Industry standards require egress from a protected enclosure prior to system discharge.

1 Halocarbon values based on heptane extinguishing concentration - ISO 14520:2006, CO2 value - NFPA 12:2005
2 NOAEL for cardiac sensitization (halocarbons) and effects specific to CO2

Novec 1230 fluid is very low in toxicity. The product has shown a very low potential for irritation to the eyes, skin, and mucous membranes. The acute and repeat dose toxicity of Novec 1230 fluid are also very low. For more safety information please visit our product documentation center on this website. 

Please contact TTL’s technical support team at http://Support.TTLCompany.com with any questions.  As always, TTL LLC appreciates your business. 

E-mail: Sales@TTLCompany.com | Web: http://TTLCompany.com