Clean Agent System Design

Clean Agent System Design
Eric Forssell and Scott Hill

Hughes Associates, Inc.
Engr. Salman Ali Syed

SEC-SOA, Abha
(410) 737-8677
KSA.
www.haifire.com
NFPA World Fire Safety Congress & Expo

May 14, 2001
Objective
Discuss specific issues affecting clean agent
system design and system reliability

SEC-SOA, Abha
- Extinguishing Concentrations
KSA.
- Safety/Design Factors
- Concentration/Exposure Limits
- Design Software
- Thermal Decomposition
- Agent Retention
- Enclosure Pressure and Venting
What are clean agents?
Definition: No residue or collateral damage
resulting from discharge of agent.

SEC-SOA, Abha
Historically: Carbon dioxide and Halon 1301 were
KSA.
the agents of choice. Ban on production of Halon
1301 due to contribution to stratospheric ozone
depletion.
Current agents include a variety of halocarbon and
inert gases
Applications
High system cost justified by high value of
protected space or protected equipment being

SEC-SOA, Abha
mission/process critical
KSA.
Typical applications: Telecommunications
Equipment, Computer/Electronics Equipment,
Control Rooms, Process Critical Equipment,
Shipboard and Off-shore Machinery Rooms
How do clean agents work?
Increasing the heat capacity of the fire
environment, resulting in increased amounts of

SEC-SOA, Abha
energy required to raise the temperature of the
KSA.
incoming air to the flame temperature.
Displacing oxygen, resulting in reduced heat
production.
Undergoing endothermic (energy absorbing)
decomposition reactions in the presence of the
flame.
Setting the Design
Concentration
Establish the extinguishing concentration

- By test: Agent and fuel specific
SEC-SOA, Abha
Use appropriate safety factor
KSA.

Include any design factors
DC = (EC * SF) + DF
Extinguishing
Concentration
NFPA 2001, 2000 Edition:

- Class A
SEC-SOA, Abha
• UL 2127 and UL 2166
KSA.
• Wood crib in 100 m3 enclosure
• Plastic fuel array in 100 m3 enclosure
- Class B
• Cup burner
• Confirmed for a few fuels in larger scale tests (UL
and IMO)
Class A Tests
UL 2127 and UL 2166

- 3 types of polymeric materials (PMMA, PP,
SEC-SOA, Abha
and ABS)
KSA.
- Difficult plastics to extinguish
- 4 sheet array
- Heptane or hot surface ignition
UL Class A Test
Arrangement
203mm x 406mm x 9.53mm
(8" x 16" xa")
Plastic Sheet

610 mm (24") 381mm (15")
SEC-SOA, Abha
Channel Iron Frame
254mm (10") 254mm (10") Covered With Steel
Sheet on Top and Two Sides
KSA.
32mm Aluminum
305mm (12")
(1¼") Angle Frame
3.2mm (1/8") Allthread Rod

851 mm (33.5")
533mm (21")
Fuel Support
Ignitor Pan
305mm (12")
951mm Polycarbonate
(37.5") Baffles
12mm
(½")
76mm
(3")
Load Drip Tray
89mm
(3.5")
Cell 127mm Load Cell Cinder
(5") Block
12mm (½")
Cup Burner Apparatus
85 ± 2 mm
Chimney

SEC-SOA, Abha
535 ± 25 mm
KSA.
235 mm
Diffuser
Fuel Inlet Air/Agent Inlet

Extinguishing Concentration
Differences for Heptane
Agent ISO Values Other ISO Burner Difference
Values (%)
IG-01 (Ar) 37.5 40.8 8.8

IG-1 (N2) 33.6 30.2 11.3
SEC-SOA, Abha
IG-541 33.8 31.9, 30.6 10.4
KSA.
IG-55 32.3
FC-3110 5.9 5.3 11.3
HFC-23 12 12.3 2.5
HFC-227ea 6.6 6.6 0

Effect of Radiative
Feedback
.
q rad TF (Bulk)
1 .

q rad
SEC-SOA, Abha
TF (Bulk)
2
KSA.
TF > TF
2 1
Extinguishing
Concentration Summary
Extinguishing concentration determined by test
- Variability in testing

SEC-SOA, Abha
Radiative feedback may affect extinguishing
KSA.
concentration
- Long preburn times
- Metal surfaces
Designer must determine how hazard relates to the
method for determining the extinguishing
concentration
Safety Factors
NFPA 2001, 2000 Edition

- 30% – Class B, Manually activated
SEC-SOA, Abha
- 20% – Class A
KSA.
- 10% – Inerting
- Design Factors
ISO 14520, First Edition (August 2000):
- 30% – Class A and B
- 10% – Inerting
Safety Factors
Design deficiencies

Installation deficiencies
SEC-SOA, Abha
KSA.
Uncertainty in extinguishing concentration
Special conditions
Design Factors
Additional quantity of agent

Intent is to increase system reliability
SEC-SOA, Abha
KSA.
Account for specific condition
- Number of tees
- Enclosure pressure
- Unclosable openings
- Enclosure and fuel geometry
- Obstructions
Prediction Accuracy
Halocarbons (UL 2166) Inert Gases (UL 2127)
- Mass ±10% with - Volume of agent ±10%

SEC-SOA, Abha
standard deviation less with standard deviation
KSA.
than 5 less than 5
- Discharge time ±1 - Discharge time ±10
second seconds
- Nozzle pressure ±10% - Nozzle pressure ±10%
Tee Design Factor
For systems protecting multiple hazards

For each hazard
SEC-SOA, Abha
- Start at point where pipe system enters the
KSA.
hazard and count the number of tees in the flow
path back to the agent supply
- also include any tee in the hazard that supplies
agent to another hazard
- do not include manifold tees
Tee Design Factor (cont.)
Use the hazard with the highest tee count

Not necessary if system passes a discharge
SEC-SOA, Abha
test
KSA.
Probability Distribution for
Agent Mass for 2 to 20 Tees
22
Experiment St andard Deviation = 0.0304
20
18

16
2 Tees
Relative Probability
SEC-SOA, Abha
14
KSA.
4 Tees
12
10
2
20 Tees
0
0.60 0.65 0.70 0.75 0.80 0.85 0.90 0.95 1.00 1.05 1.10 1.15 1.20 1.25 1.30 1.35 1.40 1.45
Normalized Mass
Calculated Agent Quantity
Probability Distribution:
16
A System with 8 Tees (Std. Dev. = 0.0608)
14
12

SEC-SOA, Abha
Relative Probability
10
KSA.
8
6 Without With
Additional Agent Additional Agent
4
99%
2
1%
0
0.70 0.75 0.80 0.85 0.90 0.95 1.00 1.05 1.10 1.15 1.20 1.25 1.30
Measured Agent Quantity (normalized by the predicted agent quantity)
Design Factor for Tees
DESIGN FACTOR HALOCARBON INERT GAS DESIGN
TEE COUNT DESIGN FACTOR FACTOR
0-4 0.00 0.00
5 0.01 0.00

SEC-SOA, Abha
6 0.02 0.00
KSA.
7 0.03 0.00
8 0.04 0.00
9 0.05 0.01
10 0.06 0.01
11 0.07 0.02
12 0.07 0.02
13 0.08 0.03
Example
Hazard 1

Tee count of 8 tees
SEC-SOA, Abha
for Hazard 2 – 4% Hazard 2
additional agent
required
KSA.
Hazard 1
Alternate layout to
reduce tee count to 4
tees – no additional Hazard 2
agent required.
Enclosure Pressure Design
Factor
Agent quantity must be adjusted if ambient
enclosure pressure varies by more than 11

SEC-SOA, Abha
percent from standard sea level pressures
KSA.
Pressure may be affected by factors other
than elevation
- Hyperbaric chambers, mines, facilities where
ventilation fans are used to create artificially
higher or lower pressures
Additional Design Factors
Unclosable openings
- Compensate by adding agent and extending discharge

SEC-SOA, Abha
time
KSA.
Enclosure and fuel geometry
- Unusual geometries are typically addressed through
nozzle placement and additional agent
- Full-scale machinery space tests showed that for a large
enclosure with a complex obstructed geometry, agent
concentrations varied ±20% in the enclosure
Additional Design Factors
Obstructions

- Obstructions such as ducts, cables, light
SEC-SOA, Abha
fixtures, etc. can block or impede agent
KSA.
discharge which can affect mixing
- Address with nozzle placement and/or
additional agent
Concentration/Exposure
Limits
All efforts are made to avoid any
unnecessary exposure

SEC-SOA, Abha
- Time delays allow for egress from area
KSA.
- Warning signals inside and outside of enclosure
indicate system activation
Limits
For halocarbons, maximum safe exposure
limit determined by cardiac sensitization

SEC-SOA, Abha
- Determined by testing with dogs stressed with
KSA.
adrenaline
- NOAEL - No Observable Adverse Effect Level
- LOAEL - Lowest Observable Adverse Effect Level
- PBPK - Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic, model
used to account for rate of uptake of agent into the
blood stream
Limits
For inert gases, maximum safe exposure
limit determined by oxygen displacement

SEC-SOA, Abha
- Oxygen concentration of 12% by volume approximates
KSA.
NOAEL type significance
- Oxygen concentration of 10% by volume approximates
LOAEL type significance
- The PBPK model does not apply to inert gases
Maximum Concentrations
Normally occupied enclosures

- Halocarbon agents
SEC-SOA, Abha
• Up to NOAEL
KSA.
• Up to LOAEL with means to limit exposure to time
limits from PBPK model
- Inert gases
• Up to 43% (12% oxygen) with means to limit
exposure to 5 minutes
Maximum Concentrations
Normally unoccupied enclosures

- Halocarbon agents
SEC-SOA, Abha
KSA.
exposure to time limits from PBPK model
- Inert gases
exposure to 3 minutes
exposure to 30 seconds
What is the Purpose of Flow
Calculation Software?
Predict system discharge performance for design
purposes

- Discharge time, nozzle pressure, nozzle agent quantity
SEC-SOA, Abha
- Generally, systems are not discharge tested
KSA.
Insure system meets criteria
- NFPA 2001, Listing or approval
- AHJ, OEM
Software is a tool
SEC-SOA, Abha
KSA.
Sample System
Protection from Misuse
Initial listing/approval and follow-up service
Acceptable hardware “built in”

Error and Warning messages
SEC-SOA, Abha

KSA.
Trained and competent user
Review of the design
- AHJ/Insurance
- Owner
Additional Features
Export pipe layout to Cad packages

Ability to lock diameter for individual pipe
SEC-SOA, Abha
segments
KSA.
- Particularly helpful with retrofits
Design specific help
Verification of Flow
Calculation Method
Series of discharge tests conducted to verify
predictions

SEC-SOA, Abha
Tests also establish other system limits
KSA.
- minimum and maximum orifice area ratios
- tee types, orientations, and split ratios
- maximum arrival time imbalance
- maximum runout time imbalance
- maximum pipe volume to agent liquid/cylinder volume
ratio (percent in pipe)
“Pre-Witness” Tests
3 and 4 nozzle tests
Each test with multiple limits included

SEC-SOA, Abha
All limits hit at least once
KSA.
Submittal package put together
- software output
- as-built drawings
- experimental data
All tests must pass criteria
“Witness” Tests
UL/FM present
2 of the pre-witness tests chosen

SEC-SOA, Abha
- Re-run the tests, results must be acceptable
KSA.
At least three new “blind” tests are run
- The limits for a test are chosen
- The test is laid out on the computer
- The system is constructed and the test run
- All tests must pass criteria
Limits for a Witness Test
Minimum fill density

Maximum discharge time
SEC-SOA, Abha
KSA.
Maximum run out time imbalance
Minimum pipe flowrate
Minimum nozzle area ratio
50:50 bull tee
85:15 side tee
Post-Extinguishment
Enclosure Environment
Thermal Decomposition Products

- For Halocarbon Agents, Halon 1301, FM-200,
SEC-SOA, Abha
FE-25, and FE-13, production of HF is the
KSA.
primary concern.
- For Inert Gas Agents, IG-100, IG-01, IG-55,
IG-541 and CO2, there are no thermal
decomposition products formed.
Post-Extinguishment
- Resulting TDP concentration is dependent
upon:

SEC-SOA, Abha
• Fire Size to Enclosure Volume Ratio.
KSA.
• Discharge Time.
• Safety Factor (Utilizing higher than minimum
concentration can reduce amount formed).
E.W.Forssell, et al, “An Evaluation of the International Maritime Organization’s Gaseous Agent Test Protocol”,
Fire Technology, 2001
12000
11000
10000
HF Concentration (ppm)
9000
8000
7000
6000

5000
SEC-SOA, Abha
4000
3000
KSA.
2000
1000
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18
Fire Size to Room Volume Ratio (kW/m 3)
NASA
Agent IMO Protocol (500 m 3) (1.2 m 3) (28 m 3) USCG (526 m 3) NRC (121 m 3)
Halon 1301 (5%) (3.7%) (5%) (5%)
NAF-SIII (12 %) Ansul (12 %) NAFGT (13.2%) (12%)
CEA-410 (7%) (6.2%) (6.2%) (6.0%)
CEA-308 (8.5%) (9%) (7.2%)
FM-200 (8.6%) K-F (8.6%) M/S-F (7.9%) (7.9%) (7.0%) (7.6%) (8.8%)
(8.6%) Chemetron
FE-13 (14.4%) (14.4%) (16%)
Approximate HF Production Correlation

Post-Extinguishment
- Primarily hazard is to personnel as equipment is
generally more tolerant than humans to exposures

SEC-SOA, Abha
- Dangerous Toxic Loading, DTLHuman, representing
the threshold for life threatening exposures estimated
KSA.
by Meldrum as 12,000 ppm-minutes or an exposure to
1200 ppm HF for 10 minutes.
• Meldrum, M., Toxicology of Substances in Relation to Major
Hazards: Hydrogen Fluoride, Health and Safety Executive
(HSE) Information Centre, Sheffield S37HQ, England, 1993.
- Early detection and fast suppression key to limiting
effects.
H a z a r d a s s e s s m e n t o f H F c o n c e n t r a t io n s
d u r in g G L C C E D P t e s t in g
5000
M a g T a p e (c )
M a g T a p e (o )
P a p e r(T L )
P a p e r(B L )
C ir c u it B o a r d
G u in e a P ig
W ir e /n - H e p t a n e
L C 50
4000
E s tim a te d L C 5 0 , M a m m a l
Average HF Concentration (ppm)

SEC-SOA, Abha
3000
Rat
KSA.
R at
R at
2000
M onkey
R at
1000
E s t im a t e d D T L , H u m a n
M ouse
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
E x p o s u r e T im e ( m in )
[H u g h e s A s s o c ia te s , In c . , " H a z a r d A s s e s s m e n t o f T h e r m a l D e c o m p o s it io n P r o d u c t s o f F M - 2 0 0 T M
in E le c tr o n ic s a n d D a ta P r o c e s s in g F a c ilit ie s " , H u g h e s A s s o c ia te s , I n c ., 1 9 9 5 ]
Agent Retention
Allows for time to deal with persistent
ignition sources and for hot surfaces to cool

SEC-SOA, Abha
down. Particularly important when
KSA.
automatic shutdown is not part of activation
sequence.
Common cause of discharge test failures.
No hard answer for how long is enough
(case by case).
Agent Retention
The time, T, for the interface to descend to any
level, H, in the enclosure, is:

SEC-SOA, Abha
KSA.
T=2Aencl[(K3Hencl)0.5-(K3H)0.5]/K3FACDALeak
where
K3=2g(pmix-pair)/[pmix+pair(FA/(1.0-FA))]
Agent Retention
Agent retention or holding time usually
based upon final interface height equal to

SEC-SOA, Abha
highest (lowest for nitrogen) combustible
KSA.
material in enclosure.
Agent Retention Time in 10x10x10 ft Enclosure
with FA=0.5, Highest Combustible at 7.5 ft or
Lowest Combustible at 2.5 ft for Nitrogen
20
5% Halon 1301
8.7% FM-200
18 16.8% FE-13
11.7% FE-25
40.3% Inergen (IG-541)
16 54.6% Argon (IG-01)
Agent Retention Time (minutes)
45.5% Argonite (IG-55)

36.4% CO2
14

40.3% Nitrogen (IG-100)
SEC-SOA, Abha
12
KSA.
10
0
0.00 0.25 0.50 0.75 1.00 1.25 1.50 1.75 2.00
2
Leakage Area (ft )
Agent Retention Time in 10x10x10 ft Enclosure
with FA=0.5, Highest Combustible at 7.5 ft
20
5% Halon 1301
8.7% FM-200
18 16.8% FE-13
11.7% FE-25
40.3% Inergen (IG-541)
16 54.6% Argon (IG-01)
Agent Retention Time (minutes)
45.5% Argonite (IG-55)

36.4% CO2
14
40.3% Nitrogen (IG-100)

SEC-SOA, Abha
12
KSA.
10
0
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5
2
Leakage Area (ft )
Enclosure Pressure and
Venting
The experienced enclosure pressure
depends upon the following factors:

SEC-SOA, Abha
- Total leakage area.
KSA.
- Design concentration.
- Rate of agent addition (discharge time).
Venting
For agents stored as a liquid, Halon 1301,
FM-200, FE-25, and FE-13, the enclosure

SEC-SOA, Abha
undergoes two pressure pulses.
KSA.
- The first pulse is negative and is due to the
quick reduction in enclosure temperature
caused by the vaporization of the agent in the
enclosure.
- The second pulse is positive, caused by the
volume of the added agent.
Enclosure Pressures
TM 2 2 3 3
8% FM-200 Discharge with 226 cm (35 in ) Leak in 85 m (3000 FT ) Enclosure
2.00
450 Cylinder Nozzle Total
1.75
Actuation Liquid Discharge
400 Run-Out
1.50
350
300 1.25
250 1.00

200 0.75
SEC-SOA, Abha
Pressure (iwc)
150
Pressure (Pa)
0.50
100
KSA.
50 0.25
0 0.00
-50 -0.25
-100
-0.50
-150
-200 -0.75
-250 -1.00
-300 -1.25
-350
-1.50
15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Time (sec)
[Great Lakes Chemical Corporation, 1997]
Leakage Area per Enclosure Volum e (in 2 /ft3 )
0.008 0.009 0.010 0.011 0.012 0.013 0.014 0.015
3.0
700
600 2.5
500 2.0
400 1.5
300
Enclosure Pressure (iwc)

Enclosure Pressure (Pa)
1.0
200

100 0.5
7% Gypsum 7% Cinder Block
SEC-SOA, Abha
0 8% Gypsum 8% Cinder Block 0.0
9% Gypsum 9% Cinder Block
-100
KSA.
-0.5
-200
-1.0
-300
-400 -1.5
-500 -2.0
-600 -2.5
-700
-3.0
1.9 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3
2 3
Leakage Area per Enclosure Volum e (cm /m )
TM
Enclosure Pressures During FM -200 Testing
[M. Robin, "Investigation of the Pressure Dynam ics of FM-200 System Discharges",
Presented at 1997 Halon Options Technical W orking Conference, Albuquerque, NM, May 1997]
Venting
For agents stored as a compressed vapor,
IG-01, IG-100, IG-55, IG-541, the

SEC-SOA, Abha
enclosure undergoes a single pressure pulse.
KSA.
- Maximum enclosure pressure corresponding to
the maximum rate of agent addition.
- Easier to predict as the significance of the heat
transfer from the compartment boundaries is
reduced.
Venting
With detailed flow predictions and
enclosure details, the experienced enclosure

SEC-SOA, Abha
pressure can be predicted with an
KSA.
appropriate equation of state.
System Pressures
2200
2000 Exp-Manifold
Exp-Nozzle
Pred-Cylinder
1800
Pred-Node1
Pred-Manifold
1600 Pred-Nozzle

1400
SEC-SOA, Abha
Pressure (psig)
1200
KSA.
1000
800
600
400
200
0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
Time (sec)
Enclosure Pressure
2.0
1.8
Measured
Predicted
1.6
1.4
Enclosure Pressure (iwc)

SEC-SOA, Abha
1.2
KSA.
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Time (sec)
Venting
Without detailed flow predictions, the
enclosure pressure can be found from an

SEC-SOA, Abha
orifice equation and an assumption
KSA.
regarding the peak agent flow rate.
DPencl=[Qagent,max/(CdALeak(2g/pmixg)0.5)]2
Venting
Enclosure Strength

- Varies with type of construction, but is less
SEC-SOA, Abha
than you might think. 2 iwc (500 Pa) is a
KSA.
conservative value.
- Venting is required if developed pressure is
greater than what can be tolerated.
Summary
Extinguishing concentrations are determined by
test and are agent and fuel specific. Need to

SEC-SOA, Abha
understand how protected hazard relates to test
KSA.
fuels.
2000 edition of NFPA 2001 includes an increased
safety factor (30%) for Class B and manually
activated systems.
ISO 14520 requires a 30% safety factor for Class
A and B hazards.
Summary
For some systems/applications the minimum
safety factor may not be appropriate. The

designer must understand and account for the
SEC-SOA, Abha
issues that affect system reliability.
KSA.
NFPA 2001 allows halocarbon concentrations
above the NOAEL if means are provided to limit
the exposure time to those determined using the
PBPK model.
Software that has been thoroughly tested and
validated is essential.
Summary
Early detection and fast suppression are the key to
limiting production of thermal decomposition

products.
SEC-SOA, Abha
KSA.
Agent retention time is dependent on agent
concentration, total leakage area, and leak
distribution.
There is no hard answer for how long the retention
time needs to be.
Summary
Developed enclosure pressures depend on the
agent, design concentration, leakage area, and

discharge time.
SEC-SOA, Abha
KSA.
Venting is required if the developed pressure
exceeds the enclosure strength.

Clean Agent System Design

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Clean Agent System Design

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Clean Agent System Design

Eric Forssell and Scott Hill

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

NFPA World Fire Safety Congress & Expo

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

3.2mm (1/8") Allthread Rod

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Fuel Inlet Air/Agent Inlet

IG-01 (Ar) 37.5 40.8 8.8

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

FC-3110 5.9 5.3 11.3

HFC-23 12 12.3 2.5

HFC-227ea 6.6 6.6 0

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

0-4 0.00 0.00

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Approximate HF Production Correlation

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

45.5% Argonite (IG-55)

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

45.5% Argonite (IG-55)

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed

Engr. Salman Ali Syed