NOVEC

Introduction

• NOVEC-1230 gas is one of the representatives of the “clear extinguishing agents” in the Polish market.

Characteristics of the NOVEC extinguishing agent

• Extinguishing agent NOVEC-1230 is one of the most advanced substitutes of halon in the market of gas extinguishing systems.
• It is specified by the increased effectiveness and being safe for people and the environment (it is safe for people in the used concentration).
• It has zero potential of destroying the ozone layer (ODP=0) and the greenhouse effect is one (GWP=1), which means that it does not leave any pollution after discharging. 
• It is not electrically conductive.

Advantages of the NOVEC extinguishing agent

• NOVEC’s great advantage is the minimum time of disintegration in the atmosphere, which is only 5 days, which places him at the forefront of the clear extinguishing agents, environment friendly.
• Lack of any side effects of disintegration of the extinguishing agent is an additional argument for devices’ and people’s safety in the extinguished atmosphere.
• Gas after discharging does not cause any sludges, corrosion and is not electrically conductive.
• It is entirely colourless, so it does not cause any reduced visibility.
• Advanced researches show that NOVEC extinguishing agent is not dangerous to people being in the protected area.

Usage of NOVEC gas:

• protecting the areas equipped with electronical and other energized devices;
• at every place, where a high-value property is kept;
• recommended in case of areas with inflammable liquids and gases;
• it is excellent not only to extinguish fire, but also to neutralize the atmosphere, what should prevent the fire outbreak and the explosion.

Description of NOVEC gas

• NOVEC-1230 is not qualified to greenhouse gases.
• NOVEC-1230 operating is an active recieving the power from the combustion process by physical and chemical influence.
• NOVEC-1230 as opposed to other extinguishing agents is liquefied in the atmospheric pressure, so that it occupies small storage area (even 10 times smaller in comparison with neutral extinguishing gases). There is no need to separate other area for bottles.
• Comparing to other neutral gases systems, NOVEC-1230 has significantly lower assembly, service and maintenance costs, due to small bottles freely placed at each area.
• During extinguishing electrical systems,high threshold of agent’s evaporation, does not cause thermal shock for electronics that can appear by using other extinguishing agents (e.g. carbon dioxide).

System consists of:

• extinguishing agents’ tanks;
• valves;
• extinguishing nozzles;
• control panel of fixed extinguishing systems.

Tanks

• NOVEC-1230 gas tanks are produced at various sizes (from 14 to 345 litres).
• Wide range of tanks allows offering tanks optimally matched to exactly calculated amount of extinguishing agent.
• Operating gas dropping the extinguishing agent from the tanks is, safe for people and environment, nitrogen at the pressure of 34,5 bar.

Valves and nozzles

Each time, valves and nozzles are chosen individually via computer calculating programme for each protected area, including particular requirements of the extinguishing agent, e.g. particular activation time ≤10 sec. was designed for the system

System may be used to fire extinguishing at following objects and areas

• computer rooms;
• switching stations;
• archives;
• monuments;
• valuable works of art;
• control room of technological processess;
• unique medical equipment;
• telecommunication apparatus;
• gas turbines;
• engine test bench;
• inflammable substances’ storage hall (petrol, oil, paint, lacquers) and many others

Fire extinguishing system is activated in 4 various ways: 

1. by activating working in the coincidence smoke detectors placed in the protected area;
2. by switching on the manual button of launching extinguishing;
3. by switching the manual trigger (running the system via the manual trigger causes immediate outflow of extinguishing agent);
4. via START button placed at the extinguishing control panel (it is service button).

Opis procedury gaszenia

• Starting the extinguishing procedure, in case of fire detection, will be preceded by first and second stage alarm
• Then time delay and activation of fire extinguishing appears
• First stage alarm is signalled in the fire alarm panel by the acoustic indicator.
• Then the fire alarm panel activates the second stage alarm
• II stage alarm, caused by activating two detectors at two separate lines connected with the fire alarm panel, is equivalent to II stage alarm caused by pressing button START EXTINGUISHING.
• II stage alarm is indicated by optic-acoustic valves and at the fire alarm panel and at the protected area.
• Delay time is set to 60 seconds.
• The extinguishing agent by the manual trigger is released immediately, without any delay.
  
• From the time of starting releasing extinguishing agent, regardless of the starting procedure, it is impossible to stop extinguishing, the bottle will be entirely emptied.
• Extinguishing agent’s release lasts maximum 10 sec. System releases specific amount of gas through wires and nozzles to the protected area.
• If indicator informing about releasing extinguishing agent, placed outside extinguished areas will inform about releasing extinguishing agent, one should not walk in and call proper services.

Design calculations of the amount of gas

• For NOVEC-1230 gas NOAEL value (the biggest concentration at which no negative toxic or physiological influence was observed) is 10,0%vol., and LOAEL value (the smallest concentration at which negative toxic or physiological influence was observed) is >10,0 % vol.
  

Basic components of fixed extinguishing system
NOVEC-1230 (FK-5-1-12)

Fixed extinguishing system for NOVEC-1230 gas is built from following components:

• marking the extinguishing system, manuals.
• wiring;
• informing indicators: internal and external;
• acoustic indicator;
• START button (starting the extinguishing), STOP (pausing the extinguishing);
• universal optic smoke sensor and outlet;
• fire alarm panel steering fixed extinguishing systems;
• hydraulic fittings with 70 bar resistance;
• pipelines;
• pressure switch of extinguishing agent’s triggering;
• manometer with pressure switches of tanks and extinguishing agent;
• set of electromagnetic and manual trigger;
• extinguishing nozzles 360°;
• extinguishing agent NOVEC-1230;
• tanks: bottles;

• Tanks
  •  NOVEC-1230 (FK-5-1-12) extinguishing agent is kept at the tanks equipped with fast activating valve.
  • Tanks and wires are together a hydraulic system.
•  Extinguishing agent
  
  • It is one of the most popular substitutes of the halon included in clear extinguishing agents. 
  • During extinguishing period, particles absorb heat generated at the combustion process (they recieve power), so that the temperature of the flame falls below the temperature of ignition and the fire is extinguished.
  • Fire extinguishing effect is achieved due to regularly distributed agent at the area for 5-10 seconds.
  • NOVEC-1230 agent is not dangerous to people if used at the proper concentration.
  • Low concentration of the agent decreases the reduction of oxygen content so it does not cause difficulties in breathing.
•  Extinguishing nozzles
  
  • Nozzles are the last element of gas flow.
  • The are always installed in the pendant position.
  • They cannot be painted.
•  Tank valve
  • Tank with the extinguishing agent is equipped with vent valve.
  • There is a manometer in the valve that indicates current pressure in the tank.
  • Tank is equipped with several couplings to which the main elements of the system are installed
• Manometer with pressure switch of tanks and foaming agents 
  • It is the manometer having contact switch additionally.
  • It is installed directly in the bottle valve (it passes the signal about decreasing the pressure to the fire alarm panel).
    
•  Set of electromagnetic and manual trigger 
  • Electromagnetic trigger is the part of system responsible for triggering the extinguishing agent from the tank.
  • It is equipped with electrovalve that, after receiving signal from the panel, causes opening the valve and activating the extinguishing
  • Manual trigger allows mechanic activation without time delay
•  Pressure switch of extinguishing agent
  • It is the part of the system signalling trigering extinguishing agent from the bottle.
  • Pressure switch not only sends signal to the fire alarm panel, but also indicates discharging  with the indicator placed outside the detector.
• Pipelines
  • Gas flows through the pipeline from the pressure tank to the nozzles
• Hydraulic fittings
  
  • One should pay attention if fitting are made of malleable cast iron or from steel.
  • Test operating pressure minimum 55bar
• Fire alarm panel steering fixed extinguishing systems
  • Panel of automatic extinguishing is designed to detect the fire and steer entire extinguishing equipment, consisting of extinguishing agent, liquid or spray, and supervising the process of automatic extinguishing.
  • Panel cooperates with conventional fire sensors and specialized buttons, allowing for manual activating and pausing extinguishing process, and also with acoustic and optic indicators.
  • Panel is adapted for service of one fire zone.
  • Panel after fire detecting realizes:
    
    •  steering alarming indication with programmed evacuation time;
    • steering extinguishing devices
• The process of automatic extinguishing has two stages:
  • stage WARNING – designed for evacuating people from extinguished zone;
  • stage FIREFIGHTING – designed for fire extinguishing as a result of passing the steering signals from the controlling panel to the set of electromagnetic and manual trigger opening the bottle with the extinguishing agent
• Universal optic smoke detector
  • Optic smoke detector is designed to detect visible smoke arising in the flameless fire stadium, when the material starts to smoulder, that means generally before appearance of the opened flames and noticeable temperature increase
• START button (starting the extinguishing) and STOP button (pausing extinguishing)
  •  They are responsible for following functions:
    • manual extinguishing activation;
    • manual pause of extinguishing
• Acoustic indicator
  
  • Indicator generates sound with intensity at distance of 1m >100dB and alarming light signals
• Internal and external informing indicators
  • Indicators are designed to optic and acoustic informing people being in the area about starting the extinguishing procedure and to warn against getting into the area in which the extinguishing agent was released.
• Wiring
• Marking the extinguishing system, manuals
  • Area designed to gas protection should be equipped with set of marks designed to inform people about basic system’s functions and the way of working in the emergencies.

Service and maintenance

• General data
  
  • Installator should train user in the scope of service requirements and personnel trainings in the scope of safety.
  • User should control the inspection programme, arrange revisions in accordance with demanded frequency and keep the note from inspection and service at the service book.
  • Warning:
    • Constant ability of effective extinguishing system’s work consisting of entire and proper performing tests.
• Inspection programme done by the user 
  • User’s inspection programme leads to detect damages at the early stage, before the need of starting the system appears.
• The proper programme consists of:
  •  weekly actions;
  •  monthly operations.
• Service’s schedule
  
  • Schedule of services should consist of requireing periodic inspection and the entire system’s inspection, including pressure tanks.
• Procedure of system’s verification:
  • half-yearly operations;
  • annual operations;
  • according to the date of next tank’s analysis.