:

CO2 Suppression Systems

 CO2
What is CO2 ?
A colourless, dry, odourless, non-corrosive
gas
Density 1.5 times that of air
Occurs naturally in atmosphere (0.03%)
A by-product of combustion process eg. fossil
fuels
Produced as a by-product of industry
 CO2

How does it work?

Reduces oxygen to less than 15%

Discharges as liquid, expands at nozzle
into dense cloud of vapour/ dry ice
Expansion creates cooling effect,
expansion ratio 1kg= 0.56m3
Effective on fire classes:
A - Ordinary combustible material
B - Liquid fuel fires
C - Electrical fires

Heat
 Oxygen Depletion Curve
60
Impaired Unimpaired
Performance Zone Performance Zone
Concentration - Vol. %

50

Inert Agents
40

30

20
FE 13TM
12.3%
10 NASA Minimum

Pass Out FM-200

0
9 10 12.3 16 21
Oxygen Conc %
 CO2
Inexpensive
Readily available
Effective on wide range of fires
Versatile: high pressure/low pressure
Total flood/local application
Non corrosive: will not contaminate liquids
or food
Clean - no mess, CO2 dissipates to
atmosphere
 CO2 & The Environment

Normally present at 0.03% (increasing due to

pollution/combustion)

We breathe in CO2 at 0.03% & breathe it out at 3 -

4%

Harmless at low concentration

Zero ODP
 CO2 & The Environment

Significant GWP but non-emissive

No environmental restrictions on CO2

No restriction on testing (eg FMRC procedures)

CO2 is environmentally friendly

 CO2 Safety
Clear exit routes
Emergency lighting
Alarms to operate on detection of fire
- discharge delay to allow egress
- delay on door closer to allow egress
Exit doors to open outwards - panic bolts
Continuous alarm until atmosphere safe
again
 CO2 Safety

Odoriser - adds distinctive smell to CO2 discharge

Adequate warning signs and instruction inside and
at entrance to risk
Search & rescue drill by trained personnel (Fire
Brigade) with BA sets. A person rendered
unconscious by CO2 protected area can be revived
with prompt first aid
Safe ventilation of CO2 flooded areas
 CO2 Safety

Cylinder safety:
- Stored as a liquid at 58bar
- Burst disc
- Transport cover
Container Storage Temperature range:
- Local application: 0C to + 46C
- Total Flood: -18C to + 54C
 Hazards to Personnel

Suffocation
Drifting of gas to other areas which may be occupied-
warning signs
Noise from discharge - quite loud
Pre-discharge alarm & time delay: Sufficient to allow
evacuation
Visual alarms where ambient noise level is high
 Hazards to Personnel
Direct discharge of CO2 onto person
- skin burns
- eye injury
- ear damage
Precautions to prevent accidental discharge
- isolation valve (BS requirement)
- control head
- lockout at control panel (NFPA/FM requirement)
- lock off/door interlock (BS requirement)
Clearance from live electrical apparatus
- guidance provided in standards
 Design Standards &
Approvals
Design Standards Approvals

NFPA 12 FMRC
BS 5306 Pt 4 ABS
LRS
MSA
DNV
CCS (China)
NKK (Japan)
BASEEFA
System Hardware Review

Direct-acting solenoid assembly

Metron actuator

Weight-monitoring device
Direct-Acting Solenoid
 Direct-Acting Solenoid

Designed for use with standard 45 kg

CO2 cylinders

Modified version of existing cylinder valve

Control head and nitrogen pilot cylinder

replaced by solenoid assembly coupled to
cylinder valve
 Direct-Acting Solenoid
Mode of Operation

Inactivated State - pneumatic actuator subject to

atmospheric pressure only

Receipt of electrical signal from control panel

- Solenoid coil activated
- CO2 passes from cylinder to pneumatic actuator
- Movement of actuator piston opens klem valve

Agent exits via discharge port

Direct-Acting Solenoid
Schematic
 Direct-Acting Solenoid

Specification

Voltage range 18V DC to 28V DC Current at 18V DC 338mA

Current at 28V DC 526mA Nominal coil resistance 53.2ohm

Minimum firing pulse 60mS Maximum firing pulse Unlimited

Electrical connection Din plug type Operating temperature -20 C

DIN 43650 range to +55 C

Maximum working 152.5 bar (g) Environmental BS EN

pressure protection 60529
1991 IP65
 Direct-Acting Solenoid

Benefits

Less hardware associated with system

Compact actuation assembly
Greater ease of installation
More cost-effective
Simple in-situ testing procedure
 Metron Actuator

D8521-002 at 116.00 net

Direct fitting onto Klem Valve
Manual Override
Single or Multi Cylinder systems
Four-year installed life
 Weight Monitoring Device

Development Rationale:

Enables penetration of
European specs
Improved system
reliability
 Weight Monitoring Device
Features:
Robust construction - all metal
One man installation
Reliable - components selected for long life
Low maintenance - 6 monthly visual
inspection
Simple test procedure
Remote monitoring via optional switch
 Weight Monitoring Device
Assembly Diagram

Downward force of cylinder exceeds leverage on weight rod

Loss of mass 10% Reduces downward force and weight rod falls
operating switch
Weight Monitoring Device
Microswitch Details
 Weight Monitoring device
System Arrangement

Installation

Requires supporting frame

Frame supports manifold

No racking required
 Weight Monitoring Device

System Actuation Options:

Standard Solenoid Control Head & Pilot Nitrogen

Cylinder

Direct-Acting Solenoid Assembly

Metron Operated Actuator Assembly

 Weight Monitoring Device

Benefits:
Increased market acceptance
Capital cost offset by reduced servicing and
installation time
More accurate determination of CO2 mass
Increased system reliability
Gas loss detected automatically
Greater safety in cylinder storage area - detection of
leaking CO2
Lower cost of ownership - reduced maintenance
 Typical Applications

Total Flood Local Application

Switch Gear Rooms Aluminium/ Steel Rolling Mills

Cable Basements Flow Coating Machines

Fuel Stores Paint Booths

Generators Spark Erosion Machines

Gas Turbines Kitchen Range Hood, Ducts

Archive/Stores Quench Tanks

High Tech Filters High Value Machine Tools

 Unsuitable Applications

Reactive metals, e.g. Magnesium

Chemicals which generate their own oxygen
e.g. Cellulose Nitrate
Metal hydrides
Inerting - static discharge creates a hazard and a
potential explosion

Note: Where product is stored under another medium, e.g. Sodium

under Kerosene (Paraffin), Magnesium chips under oil; CO2 will
prevent spread of fire to these materials.
 System Choices

Total Flooding:
- enclosed space
- surface fires (limited leakage)
- deep seated (no leakage)

Local Application:
- flat coated or liquid surface
- 3 dimensional irregular shaped risks with or
without partial enclosure.
 System Choices

Hose Reel:

- Manual system
- Uses high pressure hose & applicator
- Useful for rapid knock down of spill fire in
production areas.
 System Design
Surface Fire
- discharge time 60 seconds
Deep Seated Fire
- discharge time up to 7 minutes
Other Variables
- Material Conversion Factor (MCF)
- temperature compensation
- leakage compensation
- forced ventilation
 System Design

Use the design tools

Preliminary Design Schedule

Equipment Matrix
CO2 Flow Calculation Program
The Manual
 START

YES NO
Is the risk enclosed
by a 1/2 hour fire rated
construction?

YES
NO Are there any openings
which cannot be closed
at discharge?
A: Calculate in M2 the area of
NO
Will the fire be
uncloseable openings deep seated?

Install dampers etc

as required B: Calculate 10% of the total area in m2 YES
of all sides top and bottom of the enclosure
C: Calculate 10% of the volume in m3

NO Is A greater YES
than B or C ?

Add extra CO2 at the rate of 5kg/m2 NO

opening (multiply as necessary by material
conversion

Total Flooding System Calculation Local application system calculation

Surface Fire: Basic Quantity

6m
9m
3m

V = 9 x 6 x 3 = 162m3
Volume factor: 0.8kg/m3..(from manual 2.1)
Basic quantity of CO2 = 162 x 0.8 = 129.6kg
Total gas supplied: 45 X 3 = 135kg
 Material Conversion Factor

Check Fuel Hazard Against Table 2

Multiply the Basic Quantity by MCF, e.g.
Vol 162m3
Basic Quantity = 129.6kg
Butadine: MCF = 1.3
CO2 Quantity =129.6 x 1.3 = 168kg
= 4x45Kg CO2 Cylinders
If possible check competitors calculation.
 Uncloseable Openings

9m 6m
Vol =162m3
Surface 3m
Area = 198m2

Method A
Permissible Max Leakage Area = 10% of vol 162m3 = 16.2m2

Method B
Permissible Max Leakage Area = 10% of SA 198m2 = 19.8m2

Always use the lowest figure compensate at 5Kgm2

 Total Flood
Temperature Correction

Usable range: -20C to +100C

Above 100C add 2% CO2 every 5C

Below -20C add 2% CO2 every 1C

 Deep Seated Fire

Refer to table 3 for hazard selection

20 minutes minimum hold time
Leakage is not desirable
(except high level venting)
Extended discharge where leakage
unavoidable
Refer to KFP for guidance
 Deep Seated Fires
5m
10m

3m

Switch Room
3
Vol= 150 m
3
Flooding Factor 1.35 kg/m

Basic quantity is found from Table 3. Do not use Table 1.

Therefore basic quantity is:

150 x 1.35 = 202.5kg
i.e. 5 Kidde 45kg Cylinders
 Extended Discharge

Typical Applications
- rotating electrical machinery
Extinguishing concentration
- achieve in 1 min
- maintain 30% for run-down-time
Initial/extended discharge
Refer to Table 4 for additional gas quantity
CO2 Design - Local Application - 1

Protection against surface fires in:

- Flammable liquids, vapours, shallow solids
- Open areas
CO2 discharged directly at the fire: nozzle position critical

Hazards Risk
Dip Tank Solvent
Quench Tank Hot Oil
Printing Press Solvent
Textile Machines Dust/ Fluff
Coating Machines Solvent
Kitchen Range Grease, Hot Oil
CO2 Design - Local Application - 2

In all the above cases protection should

include extract ducts, fume hood filters.
Services must be shut down e.g:
- Ventilation fans
- Solvent pumps
- Heaters etc.
 CO2 Quantity

Two methods of calculation depending on the hazard:

Rate by Area- Using known nozzle characteristics the discharge

rate can be calculated from the number of nozzles required to
protect a given surface area. (See table 5)

Rate by volume- Use to protect irregular 3D objects where it

cannot be reduced to equivalent surface area or if an enclosure
exists it does not meet the requirement for total flood

Discharge duration: 30 seconds

For high pressure systems increase gas quantity by 40% as only

70% of cylinder is effective
 Local Application Rate
by Area Method

Used for flat surfaces

Flammable liquid fires - 150mm freeboard is required

150mm freeboard

Area of protection and rate of discharge varies with distance between

nozzle and hazard surface.
Within limitations in Manual 7.3.2.
 Local Application Rate
by Area Method

The area of hazard surface protected by each

nozzle is determined by its side of square
Select nozzle carefully to minimise quantity of CO2
required
See KFP CO2 design manual Table 5
Position nozzle centred over and at 90 to hazard.
(May also be installed at between 45 - 90)
- Refer to 7.2 Fig 1 & Table 6
 Rate by Area Method

1.07

0.92 1.07

Surface Area: 0.92 x 1.07m = 0.99m2 (Side of square = 1.08m)

2 Nozzles at height 1.14m
Side of Square = 1.08m
Flow Rate = 25.2 kg/m, Total flow = 2 x 25.2 = 50.4kg
CO2 required = 50.4 x 1.4 x 0.5 = 35.3kg
 Local Application
Rate by Volume Method
Also known as Assumed Volume method
- 3 dimensional irregular objects which cannot be
reduced to equivalent surface areas.
- where the degree of enclosure does not conform to total
flooding requirements.
Total discharge rate based on volume of an imaginary
enclosure.
This hypothetical volume must have a floor.
Assumed walls & ceiling to be 0.6m from hazard (except
actual walls) and must enclose all areas of leakage,
splashing or spillage.
 Local Application Rate
by Volume Method
A minimum dimension of 1.2m shall be used.
No allowance to be made for solid objects within the
assumed volume.
Discharge rate for basic system: 16kg min m3
A reduction in the rate may be made when:
- There are permanent fixed walls 0.6m
above the risk
- The rate must not be less than 4kg min m3
- See KFP CO2 design manual Fig. 2
 Rate by Volume Method
Vol A= 1x2x3=6m3 0.6
3.0
2.0

0.6
1.0

0.6 0.6
Assumed Vol 0.6
Vol B = 1.6 x 3.2 x 4.2=21.5m3
Therefore @ 16kg min m3 = 344kg
CO2 quantity actual = 344 x 1.4 x 0.5 = 240kg
 Nozzle Location
Rate by Volume Method

Use enough to cover the entire hazard

volume.
Position of nozzle & objects must be
considered so as to retain CO2 within the
hazard volume.
Use table 5 as a guide for distance and area
covered.
Note: This method of system design always
uses more gas than the rate by area method.
Sales Features of CO2

CO2 is cost-effective
KFP is internationally competitive
Convenient to engineer systems
Robust, reliable product
Widespread refilling facilities
 A Comparison of CO2
and Inert Blend Gases
Composition A single gas (100% CO2 ) Blend of gases (52% N2,
40 % Air, 8% CO2)

Storage 850psi (58 bar) 2175psi (150 bar)

Pressure

Application Three application methods; Only one application

Flexibility total flooding, local application, method; total flooding
hand hose lines
 A Comparison of CO2
and Inert Blend Gases
Agent Just one cylinder provides 200
Efficiency cubic feet (56 cubic metres) of
protection
Recharge Simple operation- worldwide
availability
Extinguishing Oxygen reduction- oxygen
Method content drops from 21% to
Takes three cylinders to provide
200 cubic feet (56 cubic metres)
of protection-three times the floor
space required
Complicated blending operation
limited availability
Oxygen reduction-Oxygen
15% unsuitable for 12%- potential
asphixiant with occupied spaces
strict EPA SNAP design
requirement when used in
occupied spaces