ESFR and ANTIFREEZE
ESFR and ANTIFREEZE
(OP)
I can't find an available solution to protect our refrigarated frozen food building. We have rack storage protected by ESFR K14, filled with 45m³ water+polyprop.glycol for use until -35°C. Since we know from NFPA13 or FM2-2 that this is not a good solution, we are looking for other solutions, covered by NFPA13 or FM2-2. I heard last december(2003) that FM took away all his appovals for anti-freeze solutions. Does anybody knows the real reason ? Other technics to protect frozen food buildings ?





RE: ESFR and ANTIFREEZE
If the solution in your system is not "lactate", beware. Prop and ethylene glycol solutions actually increase the heat release rate of a fire just after system activation. For a control mode sprinkler system like spray or large drop sprinklers, its not that big of a deal but with ESFR its a different story. ESFR is suppression mode technology and must have early knock-down of the fire to be successfull.
I would look at large drop sprinklers.
J. Scott Mitchell
Fire Protection Engineer
RE: ESFR and ANTIFREEZE
Regards
B Franc
SPK Engineering
http://www.spk.fr/index.htm?referrer=securite_incendie
RE: ESFR and ANTIFREEZE
You have to know that we engineered the building in 1998. It was a 12m high building. First, we wanted to make a compartmentation around the freezer (+/- 5000m²). We used a lot of ESFR for the rest of the site (12m high, storage 10,3m, racks).
A dry system was not a solution for us (f.e. dry Large Drop),not because the max. storage height is less, but for the next reason.
I know a lot of frozen food-manufacturers are using this (in combination with in-rack-sprinkling) for the moment.
I think the negative results of sprinkling water in a building of -22°C are underestimated: the floor will come up, sprinkling piping is gone and you have to unfreeze the building. The most risk for this case is an accidental damage of a bulb.
Then, we heard about antifreeze-solutions for ESFR. The few tests and experiences were a (false) argument to go for this solution. In a surpression scenario we had a good chance to surpress a beginning rack-fire with max 4 sprinklers and 45000 l of water-glycol-solution.
At this moment I know this was not a good choice. As a matter of fact it's difficult to find other solutions.