Water Based Fire Supression Systems
Water based suppression systems utilize the inexpensive and readily available medium of water to discharge onto flames through a normally fixed piping system. There are 4 main types of Water based Protection Systems. The hazard / risk to be protected will determine the most suitable type of system you need.
1. Hydrant and Hose Reel System
Standpipe and hose systems provide a means for manual application of water to fires in buildings. They are usually needed where automatic protection is not provided and in areas to which hose lines from outside hydrants cannot easily reach. There are two types of standpipe systems widely used.
- Automatic wet riser cum down comer system.
- Automatic down comer system.
In most buildings a combined sprinkler standpipe system riser can be effectively deployed. Water supply and pressure requirements has to be designed as per the relevant code of practice ie., NBC/TAC/NFPA.
2. Automatic Sprinkler System / Pre Action Sprinkler System
Sprinkler have become by far the most widely used and most reliable automatic means of fire protection. Sprinkler systems automatically detect fire, transmit an alarm as a result of water flow and suppress or extinguish the fire. They are located in places where people cannot always be present and operate only as needed in the immediate vicinity of the fire. Because of the care given to design, construction and assembly, and because of the rigid approval tests required, the reliability of conventional sprinkler system is unequalled.
Time is a critical factor in firefighting situation. Automatic sprinklers give firefighting efforts a big jump start on the fire. A building fire generally starts small. However, with sufficient fuel to feed it, the amount of heat, flame and smoke can increase to such a degree, that manual firefighting can be severely hindered, if not totally ineffective. Sprinklers on the other hand, can detect and control fire effectively to minimize property loss.
Cherytech is an authority on sprinkler design, installation, commissioning, operation and maintenance of the Automatic Sprinkler systems. The applicable & recommended code is NFPA 13 which states that since a fire originating from an unsprinklered area can overpower the capabilities of an existing sprinkler system, it is stipulated that sprinkler must be installed in most areas of the building.
Cherytech recommends sprinkler systems to be installed as per HYDRACULIC Calculation Method stipulated by NFPA and Factory Mutual (FM) standards.
Preaction Sprinkler System: Where wet pipe system cause water damages to sensitive areas, pre-action sprinkler system are chosen as an effective system. There are single or double interlock pre-action system that can be configured so that alternate protection is resorted to before sprinklers are activated.
3. High Velocity and Medium Velocity Water Spray System
High velocity system uses nozzles which are specifically designed to discharge a jet of water at high speed. The water jet forms a cone of coarse spray of uniform density which is able to penetrate the flame zone and reach the surface of the burning oil. The high velocity spray splits the oil into particle and the emulsion is produced on the surface of oil which will not burn. This “emulsification” is the principal way the fire is extinguished, along with a cooling and smothering effect. The key to the engineering is the selection of the nozzle specification, water pressure and the orientation of the nozzle. The application includes transformer, turbines and combustible liquid hazards.
Medium velocity water spray system: Wherever light hazards are involved and emulsification from high velocity sprayers is not possible, medium velocity spray nozzles are selected to discharge a water spray of finely divided droplets. This fine spray cools the exposed surfaces and protects the adjacent plant and structures from catching fire. The components of the systems are fire detection system, deluge valve system and piping leading to the nozzles.
4. Water Mist System
Water mist system utilized the newest and most unique nozzles developed and approved for fire protection. This is an alternative to gaseous, foam and heavy density sprinkler system. By utilizing a higher pressure than a normal sprinkler systems but it considerably reduce water flow. Water mist system use less water, more effectively reduce pipe sizes, labour cost and minimizes cleanup and water damage.
Application: Computer room, clean room, telecommunication, fuel storage etc.
5. Foam Water System
Fire fighting foam systems suppress flammable liquid by blanketing the liquid fuel surface and cutting of the oxygen supply available in the air. These flammable liquids are cooled by the water present in the foam water mixture.
As a solution company, Cherytech can meet your different needs of foam agents of different types like chemical, mechanical, protein, fluroprotien, film forming fluroprotein, Aqueous film forming foam, alcohol resistant AFFF foams etc.
Application of these systems are usually in Refineries, fuel depots, Aircraft Hanger, offshore, ships and for flammable liquids, petroleum, hydro carbon, different kind of oils and plastics. The fire can’t be fought with water alone and the fire spreads fast and environment pollution happens because of toxic gases. Cherytech’s solutions team would specify the foam systems and shall design, engineer, install, commission, operate and maintain these systems for you.
Firefighting foam is made of three ingredients — a foam concentrate, water and air. The concentrate is mixed with water proportioning, creating a foam solution. This solution is mixed with air (aspirated) to produce foam, which is very fluid, readily flowing over liquid surfaces. The foam by itself is a stable mass of small, air-filled bubbles with a lower density than oil, gasoline, or water. Balanced pressure proportioning is the most common method used for foam system applications. The foam concentrate pressure is balanced with the water pressure at the proportioner inlet allowing the proper amount of foam concentrate to be metered into the water stream. We are undertaking Turn-key projects comprising of Design & Engineering, Supply of equipment to site, Installation at site, Commissioning of the system and after sales service.
