Control Rooms & Substations
Clean agent suppression where water would destroy what it saves.
At a glance
- Hazard family
- Buildings
- Protected by
- Clean agent, Fire alarm, CO₂
- Designed to
- NFPA 2001, NFPA 12, NFPA 72, IS 2189
- Clean agent discharge time (halocarbon)
- 10 seconds
Design basis
- Clean agent discharge time (halocarbon)
- 10 secondsNFPA 2001
- Clean agent hold time
- At least 10 minutesNFPA 2001
- Smoke detector spacing, smooth ceilings
- 9.1 m nominalNFPA 72
Standards that apply
- NFPA 2001Clean agent fire extinguishing systems.
- NFPA 12Carbon dioxide extinguishing systems.
- NFPA 72Fire alarm and signalling.
- IS 2189Automatic fire detection and alarm systems.
The risk
Fires here start in electrical panels and cables and are usually small — but the consequence is out of all proportion. Losing a control room or a substation can shut down a plant that is otherwise undamaged.
Water is not an option on energised equipment, and control rooms are occupied around the clock.
The scheme
Detect the fire at the smouldering stage, and suppress without water:
- Very early smoke detection — aspirating detection in critical rooms.
- Clean agent total flooding for occupied rooms; CO₂ for unoccupied electrical rooms and cable cellars.
- Interlocks that shut down ventilation and close dampers before discharge.
Systems that apply
NFPA 2001Clean Agent Fire Suppression
Gaseous suppression for control rooms, server rooms and cable galleries.
NFPA 72Fire Detection & Alarm System
Detection and alarm, supplied and integrated under the same contract as the suppression system.
NFPA 12CO₂ Fire Suppression System
Total flooding carbon dioxide for unoccupied electrical and machinery spaces.
Questions we are asked
Why not sprinklers in a control room?
Water damages energised equipment and can take the plant down with it. Clean agents put the fire out without residue.
Clean agent or CO₂?
Clean agent for rooms that are occupied; CO₂ for electrical rooms and cable cellars that are normally unoccupied.
How early can a fire be detected?
Aspirating smoke detection samples the air continuously and can raise an alarm while a fault is still smouldering.
Related hazards
Projects on this hazard
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