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A. SPEED
ESFR sprinkler heads sense a fire and begin spraying water in
half the time of conventional heads. The sooner the system
starts to fight the fire, the smaller the fire will be, so it is
more likely that the ESFR system will be capable of
extinguishing the fire promptly.
B. VOLUME
Conventional heads discharge water at a rate of about 90 to 100
Litres per minute (lpm), and high output conventional heads
(used with hazardous and explosive materials) output
approximately 60 gpm. ESFR heads discharge water 680lpm per
minute.
C. DROPLET SIZE
ESFR heads emit larger droplets of water with greater momentum
than conventional heads. When extra water is forced through
conventional heads, it tends to come out as a mist and a greater
percentage evaporates than when conventional heads flow at a
normal rate. ESFR heads not only output larger amounts of water,
but a greater share of the water reaches the fire, hastening the
extinguishing process. Conventional systems are generally not
designed to extinguish a fire, but rather to keep it from
spreading by moistening the area around the fire.
These three factors build upon each other to increase ESFR's
efficiency. By detecting the fire sooner, outputting more water,
and increasing the likelihood of the water reaching the fire
because of the droplet size, ESFR systems are able to compensate
for the sprinkler heads being further from the fire.
WHO CAN USE ESFR?
For many (but not all) categories of product, ESFR technology
can be used in warehouses with storage that does not exceed
10.7m (35 feet) in overall height, and with a ceiling height
that averages 12.2m (40 feet) or less. You will need to confirm
with your insurance carrier and local authorities (i.e. fire and
building inspectors) that ESFR is appropriate for the product
being stored in your facility. |
