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Fike
CO2
Kidde
CO2
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Ansul
Preferred
Low Pressure Carbon Dioxide
Fire Suppression Systems
Hazard Application
Methods
- Total Flood
A total flooding system is
arranged to discharge CO2 into an enclosed space or enclosure to
enable the required concentration to be built up and maintained
for a required period of time.
- Inerting
To prevent explosion, the
oxygen content is decreased to a level at which combustion or
ignition can be prevented or extinguished.
- Local Application
A local application system
discharges directly into the fire.
- Extended Systems
To prevent leakage a
special system that can maintain for an extended period of time.
- Hose Reel Systems
A hose reel system consists
of a hose reel, hose, and discharge nozzle assembly connected by
fixed piping to a supply of CO2.
- Spurt Systems
A fixed pipe system is
manually controlled to provide supplementary protection for a
smaller hazard usually within a protected space.
Data Sheets
Mini-Bulk
Low Pressure Carbon Dioxide Fire Suppression System
Low
Pressure Carbon Dioxide Fire Suppression System
Types of CO2
Systems:
NFPA 12
recognizes two types of CO2 systems.. The most widely installed CO2 systems
are high pressure. The second type of CO2 system is low
pressure. The main difference between the two systems is the way in which the CO2
is stored.
High Pressure CO2 Systems:
These systems utilize spun steel pressure cylinders assemblies to house the CO2
gas. The cylinders are meant to be kept at room temperature with the internal pressure in
the cylinder varying depending on the ambient temperature of the space in which the
cylinders are stored. BFPE International can provide systems with cylinder sizes of 25
lbs., 50 lbs., 75 lbs., and 100 lbs. depending on the size of the hazard to be protected.
( Kidde and Fike product pages)
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Low Pressure CO2 Systems:
These systems utilize a low pressure storage unit that is refrigerated with a typical CO2
storage temperature of 0 degrees F. BFPE International can provide low pressure CO2 storage
units from 350 lbs. to 60 tons. (link to Ansul).
What type of CO2 system
is right for your fire protection application?
When it is determined by a fire protection
specialist (Contact BFPE) that CO2 is the correct
choice to protect a given hazard there are a number of other considerations to be made
concerning whether high pressure CO2 or low pressure CO2
is appropriate.
High Pressure CO2
Systems:
Pro |
Con |
| Ideal for covering small
hazards with individual cylinders throughout a facility. |
Protecting multiple
hazards within a facility with a single cylinder bank can be limited by design
complexities. (ex -. the relationship between the location of the hazards to be protected
and the CO2 cylinder bank.) |
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When using for local
applications up to 40% additional agent is required |
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Simultaneous discharge
into separate hazards requires added controls and/or storage capacity when utilizing high
pressure CO2 systems. |
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When utilizing high
pressure hose-reel systems they must be recharged and serviced if they have been used
(just like a fire extinguishers). |
Low Pressure CO2 Systems:
Pro |
Con |
| Can protect many average
to large size hazards in a facility, as well as include a hose-reel system from a single
storage unit |
Impractical to protect
many small hazards throughout a facility |
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| Can cover hazards at
distances of up to 500’ or more from the storage unit. |
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| Almost all of the CO2
in the storage container can be utilized for local application fire fighting |
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| Multiple agent discharge
into the same or different hazard area is available without any manual manipulation,
switch over, or time loss. |
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| It is possible to design
for simultaneous discharge into several hazards with a low pressure system |
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| Hose-reel systems are
particularly effective with low pressure CO2 . They can be used without
requiring recharge of the storage unit fire protection. |
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