Safety Commercial Suppression Group

Products

Total Flooding Extinguishing System

System Design
 This Training

Burkhard Krafft
Technical Services Manager EMEA

Introduction Components

FM-200®
Design Install./Maint.

Exam

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Safety
2 April 17, 2018
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 General

• Total Flooding is the only approved application method for

FM-200® systems !
• The room needs to be sealed adequately to maintain the
gas, and prevent re-ignition.
• Doors and windows must be closed before discharge.
• Cylinders need to be inside, or fairly close to the protected
area.

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Safety
3 April 17, 2018
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 General

• FM-200® is stored as a liquid

• Upon actuation, FM-200® travels
as a two phase flow through the
distribution pipe work
• Enters the hazard through a
network of nozzles as a gas
• Extinguishes the fire, and prevents
re-ignition.

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4 April 17, 2018
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 General

FM-200® systems can be used to protect ...

Small
rooms…

…or very
large rooms

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5 April 17, 2018
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 System Layout

Modularized System
 easier system design
 often most economic solution

Different container sizes

and container fillings are
allowed.

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6 April 17, 2018
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 System Layout

Manifolded System
 if containers are positioned
remote from the hazard
 higher costs due to larger
pipes and longer pipe runs

All containers must be

the same size and must
have the same filling!

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Safety
7 April 17, 2018
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 Information Needed

Vital information to be determined:

• Design standard
• Fire class (hazard material)
• Hazard volume
• Hazard altitude
• Hazard temperatures (min./max.)
• Cylinder location temperature: to be
between 0°C and +50°C (32°F to 120°F)
• Other information as per the hazard survey

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Safety
8 April 17, 2018
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 Design Steps

1. Calculate agent quantity at minimum hazard

temperature
2. Determine tank size, numbers and fill density
3. Check concentration at max. temperature
4. Find appropriate nozzle location
5. Design pipe network
6. Run hydraulic flow calculations

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Safety
9 April 17, 2018
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 Design Concentrations

Class A & C Hazard

• ISO 14520 7.9 % (Surface Class A)
8.5 % (Higher Hazard Class A)
• FM 7.17 %
• UL 2166 6.4 %

Class B *
• ISO 14520 9.0 %
• FM 9.0 %
• UL 2166 9.0 %
* based on Heptane (cup burner test + 30% safety factor)

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10 April 17, 2018
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 Agent Quantity Calculation
Flooding factor table

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11 April 17, 2018
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 Agent Quantity Calculation
Altitude correction factor

At elevations above sea-level, FM-200® has a greater specific volume because of

the reduced atmospheric pressure. A system designed for sea-level conditions will
therefore develop an actual higher concentration at levels above sea-level and an
actual lower concentration at levels below sea-level.

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Safety
12 April 17, 2018
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 Agent Quantity Calculation
1) Using the flooding factor table

W  V  CF  CAlt
Where W = Required FM-200® quantity [kg]
V = Net Hazard Volume* [m³]
CF = Flooding factor [kg/m³]  from table
Calt = Altitude correction factor  from table

*Only permanent impermeable building structures within the hazard may be

deducted from the overall hazard volume

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Safety
13 April 17, 2018
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 Agent Quantity Calculation
2) Using the formular
V C
W  ( )
S 100  C
Where W = Required FM-200® quantity [kg]
V = Net Hazard Volume [m³]
S = Specific vapor volume [m³/kg]
= 0.1269 + 0.0005131 x T (at sea level!)
T = Min. Hazard Temperature [°C]
C = Concentration [%]

Adjust adgent quantity W in accordabce with

'Altitude Correction' table if applicable.
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14 April 17, 2018
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 Agent Quantity Calculation
Example (ISO 14520)
 Type of hazard = computer room (surface class A)
 Net hazard volume = 280 m³
 Minimum hazard temperature = 20°C
 Maximum hazard temperature = 30°C
 Altitude = 1500 m

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Safety
15 April 17, 2018
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 Agent Quantity Calculation
Example (ISO 14520)
W  V  CF  C Alt
W  280  0.6254  0.83
W  145.4 [kg]
Round up to the next full kg.
Required agent quantity = 146 kg FM-200

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Safety
16 April 17, 2018
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 Agent Quantity Calculation
Example (ISO 14520)
V C 280 7 .9
Wsea level   ( )  ( )  175 kg
S 100  C 0.1372 100  7.9
s = 0.1269 + 0.0005131 x 20 = 0.1372
c = 7.9%

Wfinal  Wsea level  Alt . Corr.  175  0.83  145.3 kg

Round up to the next full kg.
Required agent quantity = 146 kg FM-200

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Safety
17 April 17, 2018
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 Achieved Concentration?
Check agent concentration at
maximum hazard temperature.

W  S  100
C
V  WS
Human Safety First !!!

W = FM-200 quantity [kg]

V = Net Hazard Volume [m³]
S = Specific vapor volume [m³/kg] = 0.1269 + 0.0005131 x T (at sea
level!)
T = Maximum Hazard Temperature [°C]
C = Concentration [%]

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18 April 17, 2018
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 Achieved Concentration?
Example (ISO 14520)
W = 146 kg FM-200 (at 1500 m!)
W = 146 kg / 0.83 = 176 kg (at sea level!)
V = 280 m³
S = 0.1269 + 0.0005131 x 30 = 0.1423

176  0.1423  100

C  8.21% (was 7.9% @ 20°C)
280  176  0.1423

NOAEL = 9% LOAEL > 10.5%

System is safe for normally occupied hazards.

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Safety
19 April 17, 2018
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 Container Selection
Available TPED Containers

Ht. to Min. Max. Max.

Container Tare
Diameter Valve FM-200® FM-200® Gross
Size Weight*
Outlet Filling Filling Weight*
(litre) (mm) (mm) (kg) (kg) (kg) (kg)
--- --- --- --- --- --- ---
8 254 300 15 4.0 9.0 26
16 254 499 19 8.0 20.0 41
32 254 831 26 16.0 38.0 68
52 406 596 44 26.0 59.0 111
106 406 1020 72 53.0 119.5 205
147 406 1354 90 73.5 165.5 274
180 406 1633 106 90.0 204.0 332
--- --- --- --- --- --- ---

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Safety
20 April 17, 2018
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 Container Selection
Container filling densities:
 minimum filling density: approx. 0.50 kg/ltr.
 maximum filling density: approx. 1.1 kg/ltr.
 practical filling density*: approx. 0.8 kg/ltr.

 *Approx. 80% of max. filling. This 80% is not

a fixed value but a recommendation from
experiences with hydraulic flow calculations.
 Qualified results will be given from the
hydraulic flow calculation software only.

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Safety
21 April 17, 2018
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 Container Selection
Container filling densities:
TPED Containers DOT Containers
Min. Max. Max. Min. Max. Max.
Container Container
FM 200 FM 200 Practicle FM 200 FM 200 Practicle
Size Size
Filling Filling Filling Filling Filling Filling
(litre) (kg) (kg) (kg) (litre) (kg) (kg) (kg)
--- --- --- 4.5 2.5 4.5 3.5
8 4.0 9.0 7 8 4.5 8.0 6
16 8.0 20.0 16 16 9.0 17.5 14
32 16.0 38.0 30 32 17.0 33.5 27
52 26.0 59.0 47 52 27.0 53.0 42
106 53.0 119.5 95 106 53.5 106.5 85
147 73.5 165.5 132 147 74.0 147.5 118
180 90.0 204.0 163 180 91.5 182.0 145
--- --- --- 343 172.0 343.5 275

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Safety
22 April 17, 2018
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 Container Selection
Example (ISO 14520) TPED Containers
W = 146 kg FM-200 Min. Max. Max.
Container
FM 200 FM 200 Practicle
Size
Filling Filling Filling
(litre) (kg) (kg) (kg)
147 73.5 165.5 132
180 90.0 204.0 163

147ltr. container: 146kg / 165.5kg * 100% = 88.2%  too much filling

180ltr. container: 146kg / 204.0kg * 100% = 71.6%  filling o.k.

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Safety
23 April 17, 2018
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 Nozzle Location
• Nozzle orifices should not be placed where they may
discharge into nearby objects
• 180° nozzles shall be located on the longest side wall.
• Max. elevations:

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24 April 17, 2018
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 Nozzle Limits
360° Nozzle
 Max. discharge radius: 28.6 ft (8.7 m)
 Max. area coverage: 1026 ft2 (95.3 m²)
 Max. nozzle height: 16 ft. (4.87 m)
 Min. nozzle height: 1 ft. (30 cm)
 Ceiling to nozzle: max. 1ft (30 cm)

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Safety
25 April 17, 2018
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 Nozzle Limits
180° Nozzle
 Max. discharge radius: 33 ft (10.05 m)
 Max. area coverage: 1026 ft2 (95.3 m²)
 Max. nozzle height: 16 ft. (4.87 m)
 Min. nozzle height: 1 ft. (30 cm)
 Ceiling to nozzle: max. 1ft (30 cm)

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26 April 17, 2018
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 Nozzle Limits
Important !
The covered hazard area has to be within the
maximum discharge radius!

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27 April 17, 2018
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 Pipe Network Rules
Side Tee & Bull Tee

30%-70% 70%-30% 90%-70%

BULL TEE

SIDE TEE
10%-30%
100%

100%
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28 April 17, 2018
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 Pipe Network Rules
Tee splits always in horizontal plane

Incorrect

Correct

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29 April 17, 2018
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 Pipe Network Rules
Tee splits always in horizontal plane

Incorrect

Correct

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30 April 17, 2018
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 Pipe Network Rules
Tee splits always in horizontal plane

Correct

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31 April 17, 2018
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 Pipe Network Rules
Always 10 x pipe diameter after a Tee split

10 x D

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32 April 17, 2018
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 Pipe Network Rules
General: try to have a pipe run as balanced as possible.

as far as possible

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33 April 17, 2018
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 Pipe Size Estimation
Max. discharge time for FM-200® systems is 10 seconds.
Pipe Size Min Flow Min Flow per sec Max Flow Max flow per sec
(mm) (kg) (kg/s) (kg) (kg/s)
10 1.00 0.10 4.91 0.49
15 4.91 0.49 11.04 1.10
20 11.04 1.10 19.64 1.96
25 19.64 1.96 30.68 3.07
32 30.68 3.07 50.27 5.03
40 50.27 5.03 78.54 7.85
50 78.54 7.85 122.72 12.27
65 122.72 12.27 207.39 20.74
80 207.39 20.74 314.16 31.42
100 314.16 31.42 490.88 49.09
150 490.88 49.09 1104.47 110.45

Note: This table is for estimation purpose only. The final pipe size will be
determined by the hydraulic flow calculation software.

Note: max. nozzle size available 2 inch !

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34 April 17, 2018
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 What Else Is Important

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35 April 17, 2018
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 Room Integrity Test
Why is room integrity important?
 to reach the required agent concentration
 to maintain the concentration for at least 10 minutes
(hold time)
 small leakages will already result in loss of agent.

Critical hazard areas?

 gaps at doors & windows
 ducts & openings for pipes and cables
 joints walls / ceiling etc.

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36 April 17, 2018
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 Room Integrity Test
How to check?
 blower-door-test (door fan test)

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37 April 17, 2018
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 Room Integrity Test
Who does a room integrity test?
 especially trained and equipped engineering consultants
 suppliers of extinguishing systems

Is a room integrity test necessary?

 Standards (ISO, NFPA) require it
 Insurances may require it (FM Global)
 If not explicit required, the decision has to be made by the
extinguishing system supplier together with the customer.
Don't think, it is not your responsibility!

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38 April 17, 2018
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 Pressure Venting
Do we need pressure venting?

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39 April 17, 2018
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 Pressure Venting
Do we need pressure venting?

"With a low leakage enclosure designed and constructed,

overpressurization of this enclosure upon releasing the
gaseous agent into this space must be considered."

"All gaseous agents will produce positive pressures within the

protected enclosure when discharged. This pressure generated is pure
physics and cannot be avoided. "
" Agents stored as a liquid tend to absorb more heat from the space as
the liquid flashes to a gas at the discharge nozzles. These agents will
generate negative pressures within a protected space when discharged"
(LPC Test 1996)

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40 April 17, 2018
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 Pressure Venting
General characteristics
Pressure

Inert gases

+
Time
- Chemical agents

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41 April 17, 2018
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 Pressure Venting

The designer should be aware that the discharge of

any gaseous extinguishing agent into an enclosure
will raise the pressure within that enclosure, which
could affect the structural integrity of the enclosure.

The protected enclosure will require a pressure

relief device.

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Safety
42 April 17, 2018
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 Pressure Venting
Formula to estimate the venting area required:

Q  v Agent
A required opening (m²)
Q Agent flow rate (m³/sec.)
A Δp max. allowable pressure increase (Pa)*
p  vHOM vAgent specific volume of the agent **
vHOM specific volume of the homogeneous
air / agent mixture***

* A value of 200-300 Pascal’s should be used if there is no other

value offered by the client or clients representative.
** 0.137 m³/kg for FM-200®
*** 0.6 is a good average value for FM-200® @ 7.9% concentration.

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43 April 17, 2018
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 Pressure Venting
Equipment:

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44 April 17, 2018
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 Thank you for
your attention

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Safety
45 April 17, 2018
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