Over 50 years ago the United States armed forces began testing a number of fire suppressant agents, primarily to study potential agents that could suppress explosions in occupied spaces of ground and air-born vehicles. As a result of this preliminary testing Halon 1301 (Bromotrifluoromethane - CF₃Br) emerged from the program as the clear choice for total flooding systems.

Halon 1301 is a colorless, odorless, and non-toxic gas that extinguishes a fire by chemically reacting with the combustion process. When a fire is detected the chemical, which is stored as a pressurized liquid, is released from the storage cylinder(s) as a liquid and gas mixture. The liquid fraction is superheated and flashes into the vapor phase. This hastens the "total flooding," with the agent rapidly distributed through-out the protected space. When the concentration of Halon 1301 reaches its effective level (typically between 5% - 7%), the fire is extinguished. As long as the chemical remains in the atmosphere of the protected space at inerting concentrations, the fire will not re-ignite.

With the advent of computer technology as a means to organize and process information in many business and government entities, there came a need to provide fire protection that would protect the equipment, and more importantly protect against downtime or business interruption that can occur in the event of fire. Halon 1301, used for years as a fire suppressant by the military, was a logical choice. Not only did Halon 1301 quickly and effectively extinguish fire without damaging equipment, but it was safe for use in occupied areas. In the late 1960’s the first commercial use Halon 1301 systems were installed in the United States. In 1970 the National Fire Protection Association adopted the first official standard on halon 1301 fire extinguishing systems. For approximately fifteen years following the installation of the first commercial use Halon 1301 fire suppression system thousands of hazards were protected with the agent.

In the mid to late 1980’s evidence was gathered that pointed to Halon 1301 (and other Halogenated chemicals) as contributing significantly to the depletion of the earth’s stratospheric ozone layer, which shields the planet from damaging UV-B radiation. The depletion of the ozone layer presents serious environmental consequences. Eventually, a handful of viable alternative agents were introduced to the commercial marketplace. The new agents (FM-200, INERGEN, and FE-13 among them) will all rapidly extinguish all classes of fire without causing any damage or requiring any extensive clean-up when discharged. They are all approved for use in occupied areas. They are environmentally sound and are all listed as approved replacements for Halon 1301 by the United States Environmental Protection Agency with no scheduled future phase-out. Each of the agents listed above have qualities that lend themselves to particular applications. BFPE International can help in the decision making process, by examining the fire protection need our sales staff can presents options as to the best system for you. (Contact BFPE).

Beside the fact that Halon 1301 is a known ozone depleting chemical, there is absolutely nothing wrong with existing Halon systems if they are properly maintained. As stated previously Halon 1301 is an excellent fire suppression agent. It is versatile (effective on all classes of fire). It is clean (leaving no harmful residue behind to clean up after discharged). It is cost effective (especially when compared with the loss of business continuity or replacement of damaged equipment). But there is one very important thing to remember regarding Halon 1301 – it is no longer being made. That means that the only Halon 1301 that is commercially available was produced prior to January 1^st 1994. There is reclaimed Halon 1301 available if your existing systems discharges, but the supply is indefinite so the price can fluctuate widely depending on availability. BFPE will reclaim your Halon for FREE. Just give us a call. While there are no current mandates regarding the removal of existing Halon 1301 systems there has been some debate in the environmental circles regarding the possible taxation of the agent in coming years. There are some countries that have signed the Montreal Protocol (Germany and Australia among them) that have made the removal of Halon 1301 systems mandatory in their countries. As the future of Halon 1301 fire suppression systems is somewhat uncertain, now may be a good time to consider budgeting for the replacement of the your existing system(s) – Contact BFPE.

Agent Distribution Nozzles: In all cases new nozzles are required. The new nozzles are designed with the proper orifice openings and configurations based on the agent utilized as the replacement.

Detection and Control System: The detection and control system (used to sense heat or smoke and initiate agent release into a protected space) can sometimes be re-used. Some factors that affect the decision to replace the detection and controls are:

• Age of the existing detection and controls system (some clients wish to take advantage of newer detection and control technology

• Concerns regarding 3^rd Party Listings (many of the older detection and control systems are not UL listed or Factory Mutual approved to release the new agents)

• Compatibility of new mechanical equipment (releasing switches, solenoids, etc.) with the existing detection and control system.