proved to be extremely effective as a business
critical asset fire suppression agent, environmental
concerns were enough to consign it to the
firefighting history books. It was followed by a
number of other suppressants that ultimately also
failed to win over the environmental lobby.
Environmental agenda
Several factors need to be considered when select-
ing the most appropriate suppression system.
These include the nature of the asset that is being
protected; whether the location is occupied; and
what space is available for suppressant storage.
Increasingly nowadays, the company's policy
regarding environmental issues also has to be
added, as does its attitude to long-term sustain-
ability. The overall picture though is that the
market now demands reliable, genuinely sustain-
able, environmentally acceptable and long-term
fire suppression solutions.
Essentially, and depending upon the applica-
tion, there are three gaseous fire suppression
options that warrant detailed consideration. These
are: inert gas systems; chemical suppression
systems; and CO2.
The scientists' initial response to the need for
alternatives to ozone-depleting agents resulted
in the unveiling of a number of often, as it
transpired, prematurely heralded options. These
Halocarbon alternatives comprised Halon-like
compounds. Some proved effective and were
adopted by the fire industry and building occu-
piers, while others failed due to their inefficiency
or toxicity.
Inert gas option
Against this scenario, inert gas suppression has
grown in popularity, as it answers the global
warming challenge. Inert gas systems have precisely
the environmental credentials that the market is
demanding: zero ozone depletion potential, zero
atmospheric lifetime, and zero global warming
potential. They are also a truly sustainable "clean"
fire suppression technology. Inert gases are
non-toxic, they will not harm sensitive electronic
equipment, art treasures or documents, and are
safe to use in enclosed areas where people may be
working.
While some inert gas systems use a single
naturally occurring gas, most are a non-conductive
and non-corrosive blend of naturally occurring
gases, such as ANSUL� INERGEN�, which is a mix-
ture of Nitrogen, Argon and CO2, and HYGOOD�
i3�, which is a 50:50 mixture of Nitrogen and
Argon. They have a similar density to air, so the
protected space retains its concentration far longer
than was the case with Halon 1301. Inert gases
work by lowering the oxygen content of the
protected area to a point that will not support
combustion, but is sufficient to sustain human life.
Their appeal for use in occupied spaces is further
enhanced, as the gases are invisible and so do not
obscure vision, which might otherwise make panic
more likely among the room occupants.
So, to organisations specifying that a non-
chemical suppressant is of overriding importance,
inert gas systems are an attractive option.
Nevertheless, there is also a strong demand in the
market for an acceptable chemical fire extinguish-
ing agent; one that combines the advantages of
the early Halon-like alternatives with the environ-
mental profile of the inert gas systems.
Chemical system solution
An inevitable consequence of the signing of the
Montreal Protocol was that Halon installations
around the world had to be replaced with alter-
native systems, and the desire for long-term
sustainability became a key driver.
Undoubtedly, the most successful of the early
chemical replacements for Halon 1301 was
FM200�, which has gone on to be used in
thousands of successful telecommunications
centres and computer suite installations around
the world, and remains a very popular extinguis-
hant. It fits the bill in several important respects:
it is fast and causes no damage to sensitive
electronic equipment; it also represents no risk to
the room's occupants; it is free from any toxic side
effects and has zero ozone depletion.
However, the latest way in which the need for
environmental acceptability has been met is with
the introduction of fluid-based systems that use
sustainable, long-term technology, such as the
SAPPHIRE� system that uses 3MTM NovecTM 1230
Fire Protection Fluid. This not only meets today's
62 INTERNATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION
CLEAN AGENTS

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