To Install water sprinklers in an electrical s.station

[SA07]

Hi

Our insurance has requested to install water sprinklers in an electrical substation. Please see attached picture.
Is this a common practice? On top there are electrical panels. In case there is a broken sprinkler bulb water may spread inside electrical panels. Please advise. Thanks

 

[davidbeach]

Wood?

How about a pre-action dry system that allows you to trip everything before the water hits anything?

I’ll see your silver lining and raise you two black clouds. - Protection Operations

 

[IRstuff]

Water and electricity should not mix.

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[SA07]

We have 2 power plants. A cable on one unit may fail while the other unit is operating normally.

 

[TugboatEng]

There is no reason you can't interlock the protected zone so that it is de-energized in the event of a deployment of the fire suppression system.

 

[electricuwe]

I'm surprised about the use of wooden construction here.

 

[EdStainless]

I have seen high pressure fog systems installed in electrical applications.
The high pressure atomizes the water and the result is that there is very little water used.

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P.E. Metallurgy, consulting work welcomed

 

[stevenal]

Suggest FM200 instead of water. Perhaps insurance can be convinced once you explain the lack of water damage to the panel equipment.

 

[SA07]

We already have fire trace installed inside all of our electrical panels.

 

[stevenal]

Kinda defeats the purpose of using a clean agent to add water. Perhaps the system needs to be expanded? Might want to speak to your insurance folks more.

 

[wayne440]

May be time to shop around for insurance if your carrier cannot understand water + electricity are not generally compatible.

 

[RedSnake]

We have high pressure fog systems at work.
And we have "tried" them ;-) and it works well.
The equipment is a mix of electrical motors, hydraulic pumps, junction boxes and cables.
If your cabinets is IP54 which at least here is quite standard for industry it would be okey.
Would probably work with IP43 too, depending on where the the nozzles or placed.

“Logic will get you from A to Z; imagination will get you everywhere.“
Albert Einstein

 

[EdStainless]

HP fog is much more common in Europe than in NA.
These systems are often used shipboard and in high rise buildings.
I have seen a test, but I wasn't in the room at the time.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
P.E. Metallurgy, consulting work welcomed

 

[EEIre]

Preaction double knock system is the normal solution here.

This keeps the spinkler pipework empty unless the fire alarm opens a pre-action valve in the case of fire. Also allows you to design in electrical interlocks etc