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Argonite® Fire Suppression System
1. The Argonite fire suppression system uses an inert gas that
offers effective fire protection with zero environmental impact. It
is a simple blend of 50% Argon gas and 50% Nitrogen gas with a
density similar to that of air. Both Argon and Nitrogen are clean,
natural gases that are readily available throughout the world.
Argonite is safe and effective for use on many applications—it is
well suited for leaky enclosures such as flight simulators,
substations, and control rooms and for application with multiple
hazards.
2. Argonite is an inert gas that extinguishes fire based on the
principle of oxygen depletion. Argonite is an environmentally
acceptable clean agent that offers Zero Ozone Depletion Potential
(ODP) and Zero Global Warming Potential (GWP). It is safe for use in
a wide range of sensitive applications where people are present and
is electronically non-conductive. Argonite produces no post fire
residue: thus, there is no damage to protected equipment and nothing
to clean up. |
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3. Argonite extinguishes fire by physically removing oxygen from the
atmosphere. In occupied areas, people can breathe argonite at
extinguishing concentrations without fear. There are no
toxicological factors associated with the use of argonite and
argonite will not decompose or produce any by-products when exposed
to a flame from a fire condition.
4. Argonite is made of an equal blend of nitrogen and argon. It is
suitable for fighting fires in confined spaces. Because its
molecular weight is close to that of air, it lingers longer when
discharged to extinguish a fire. This reduces the need for hermetic
sealing of a protected room – a process that can be very expensive.
5. Should a fire start, Argonite is injected rapidly into the room,
reducing the oxygen level from the normal 21% to between 11% and
13%. This is too low for further combustion to take place, yet high
enough to allow essential safety personnel to operate.
6. Argonite suppression systems are suited to either total flooding
or local applications. When more than a single room or compartment
is protected, it is recommended that a central bank of argonite
cylinders be connected via diverter valves. This is the most cost
effective and efficient solution.
7. CODES/STANDARDS COMPLIANCE:
• The design, installation, testing and maintenance of the above
stated Argonite fire suppression system shall be in accordance to
the following codes, standards and regulatory bodies:
A. NFPA 2001 – Standard for Clean Agent Fire Extinguishing
Systems – 2004 edition.
B. NFPA 12A – Halon 1301 Fire Extinguishing Systems
C. UL 2166 – Standard for Halocarbon Clean Agent Extinguishing
System Units
D. Factory Mutual Approval Guide
E. ANSI B1.20.1 – Standard for pipe threads, General Purpose,
1992
F. Design and installation practices set forth by system
manufacturer
G. NFPA 70 - NEC – National Electrical Code
H. NFPA 72 – National Fire Alarm Code
I. Requirements of the Local Authorities Having Jurisdiction
(AHJ)
• The Fire suppression system must have the following listings and
approvals:
A. FM Approved – Factory Mutual Research Center
B. ULC Listed – Underwriters Laboratories of Canada
• The manufacturer shall meet ISO 9001 requirements for the design,
production and distribution of the Argonite fire suppression
systems. FAQ
Question:
What does Argonite consist of and why?
Answer:
Argonite is a composite gas that consists of 50% Nitrogen and 50%
Argon. The gas is mixed and stored under pressure. The composite is
completely inactive and is not involved in the burning process. In
consequence, extinguishing the fire does not pose any risk of
producing toxic fission products. The gas simply reduces the oxygen
level from 20.9% down to 12.5% thus quenching the fire. Both
nitrogen and argon work as oxygen-displacing elements, and argon is
mainly added to achieve a specific gravity (almost) equal to that of
ordinary air.
Question:
What is the price of an Argonite fire extinguishing system?
Answer:
The price of an Argonite system primarily depends on the size of the
room that needs protection. All Argonite systems are specially
designed to meet the needs of each individual customer. For a
specific estimate simply contact your nearest Argonite distributor.
In comparison to Halon and other chemical alternatives (the)
Argonite (gas) is relatively inexpensive, which makes a refill of an
Argonite system equally inexpensive.
Question:
Is Argonite approved?
Answer:
Yes - Argonite is approved and/or (verified) by most international
authorities and since 1993 more than 15,000 Argonite systems have
been installed world-wide.
Question:
How much space does an Argonite system take up?
Answer:
The size of an Argonite system depends on the size of the room that
needs protection. The advantage of an Argonite system compared to
(Halon systems)is that it can be placed outside the protected room
and even at a relative distance from this room. It can be placed
wherever there is some vacant space - e.g. in a basement or on the
next floor.
Question: Is Argonite safe for personnel?
Answer: Yes - in accordance with international standards Argonite
can be used in a manned (areas). Argonite reduces the level of
oxygen to 12.5% - which is humanly sustainable for a short period of
time.
Question:
If converting from Halon to an Argonite system how much of the
existing system can be reused?
Answer:
In most cases all electrical, (detection) detective and controlling
equipment of reasonably up-to-date standard (less than 10 years old)
can be reused. Halon containers, pipes and nozzles are always (needs
to be) replaced with Argonite system parts.
Question:
How does the argonite system work in gaseous fire suppression?
Answer:
A dedicated, flexible solution In a closed space almost all fires
are extinguished in less than 60 seconds when the concentration of
oxygen falls below 15%. The Argonite fire extinguishing system,
based on a mixture of 50% Nitrogen and 50% Argon, reduces the oxygen
concentration to 12.5% - a level acceptable to human exposure over
short periods - thus eliminating the fire quickly and effectively
without affecting personnel. Knowing the size and complexity of the
area to be protected, the fire hazard present and the requirements
of the local approving authority, a dedicated computer program is
used to specify the size and geometry of the Argonite system
hardware.
Generally one of two methods is used to protect an area with
Argonite. These are total flooding, where the required amount of gas
is released into a room, and modular or local systems that are
designed to cover a particular piece of enclosed machinery,
equipment, etc.
Efficient, cost-efficient protection
Argonite systems consist of one or more pressure cylinders connected
via a common manifold. System actuation can be manual or automatic
and the gas is dispersed through a pipe network and enters the
protected area via nozzles. Valve design, the size and pressure of
the cylinders, used together with computer calculated pipe and
nozzle dimensions, ensure that the correct amount of Argonite is
released effectively. Argonite's inerting and extinguishing
properties act quickly to eliminate the fire.
If more than one area within a building is to be protected, a single
Argonite system, designed to extinguish a fire in the largest room,
can be used. Provided that there is no risk of more than one fire
within the facility at any one time, the total cost of the fire
protection system can be reduced significantly in this way.
Benefits of the Argonite System:
• Fast acting and effective against nearly all fire hazards
• Environmentally neutral - zero ODP, zero GWP
• Low installation and maintenance costs
• No post-fire residues or damage to protected equipment
• Electrically non-conductive
• Safe for occupied areas
• Can be integrated with existing detection and alarm systems
• Automatic or manual release
• Total flooding or modular design
• Minimum downtime after a fire
If you have any questions or concerns. Please feel free to contact
us any time through this web site or through this email:
Sales@TTLCompany.com.
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