INTERNATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION 79
CO2 SUPPRESSION
I
t is close to impossible to watch television
anywhere in the world these days without
hearing Carbon Dioxide mentioned, often in the
same breath as terms such as carbon footprint and
global warming. So it is easy to forget that CO2
continues to be a very effective fire suppressant;
one that has been used to fight fires for the better
part of 100 years and that, in all probability, has
been used to safely extinguish more fires in
unoccupied enclosures than any other gaseous
suppressant.
But, in case the media has spawned any linger-
ing confusion surrounding the use of CO2 as a
suppression agent, let us first look at a couple of
facts. Fact One: Carbon Dioxide occurs naturally in
the atmosphere, and the gas used as a firefighting
suppressant is extracted from a number of natural
CO2 producing processes. It is then stored until
it is needed. Fact its use in fire protection is
insignificant compared with the emissions and
environmental damage caused by an uncontrolled
fire, or the huge quantities of CO2 emitted into
the atmosphere as a by-product of many industrial
processes, particularly in some of the fast develop-
ing emerging nations.
Unoccupied space suppression
But, CO2 is not without its practical limitations and
its use � however valuable in fire suppression
terms � must not include total flooding applica-
tions in normally occupied rooms or enclosures.
This is because the discharge of CO2 in fire
extinguishing concentrations is lethal to room
occupants. Because of this, it is also essential to
take steps to ensure that any CO2 flooded areas
are adequately ventilated after discharge to prevent
accidental exposure of personnel to dangerous
levels when investigating the cause of the
By John Allen
EMEA Marketing
Director, Tyco Fire
Suppression & Building
Products
CO2 suppression
� Effective, versatile and
cost-effective
Although numerous fire suppression agents have come onto the market in
recent years, CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) continues to be a popular and effective
choice for many applications. John Allen, EMEA Marketing Director for Tyco Fire
Suppression & Building Products, explains.

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