The world has come a long way when it comes to fire safety. For decades, advancements in detection and suppression technologies have protected millions of people from fire risk. Despite this positive progress, however, fires remain one of the costliest hazards facing the global community today.
According to figures gathered from 34 countries by the Center for Fire Statistics (CTIF), there were three million fires reported worldwide in 2019, resulting in at least 19,000 civilian deaths.1 Beyond the devastating human cost of fire, in the Gulf-neighbouring state of Turkey alone, annual insurance claims relating to fires and explosions totalled 500 million Turkish lira ($67 million USD),2 while in America conflagrations caused almost $22 billion worth of property damage in 2020.3 With the US National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reporting a 45% increase in non-residential property damage caused by fire in 20204 demand for reliable fire-suppression equipment has never been greater.
With over 100 years of experience developing cutting-edge fire-safety solutions, Johnson Controls continues to rise to this challenge – providing businesses around the world with the specialised support they need to stay safe and profitable. In this article, we take a closer look at the Johnson Controls portfolio of high-performance fire-suppression brands and systems, and how their expert designs help protect the world, one application at a time.
Water and gaseous suppression: the backbone of safety systems
Liquid- or gas-based suppression systems are the central components for an effective fire-suppression system. Johnson Controls is an industry leader in these staple suppression systems, offering an unmatched portfolio to help protect people and companies’ most highly valued assets.
At the water-based end of the spectrum, the AquaMist range ensures safety with quick-response fire suppression using fine water droplets. Requiring five times less water than traditional sprinkler systems, AquaMist offers a more efficient and sustainable suppression solution ideally suited to areas with high-value assets, such as specialised hospital equipment. The full range includes systems tailored to meet various application criteria, including AquaMist ULF (Ultra Low Flow), AquaMist Sonic – a hybrid system which utilizes any readily available, non-toxic extinguishing media and AquaMist Fog – a high-pressure solution for the protection of especially valuable materials.
The SAPPHIRE range too, delivers optimised fire-safety performance for high-value industries, such power generation, telecommunications, aviation, IT, medical facilities and museums. Offering an increased container pressure of 70 bar and fill densities of up to 1.4kg/L, the SAPPHIRE PLUS system is ideal for applications where greater design flexibility is a key priority. Requiring fewer agent containers to cover multiple hazard zones, the solution drastically reduces the suppression system footprint and installation costs for a truly cost-effective protection system.
The SAPPHIRE COMPACT direct low pressure (DLP) system provides a similar level of versatility and efficiency for smaller electrical enclosure applications, providing protection for up to four separate compartments with a single system. This unique, power-free suppression system allows the extinguishing agent to be discharged directly onto the fire via a highly sensitive detection tube for fast, localised fire suppression. Not only does this help avoid potentially devastating fire spread but the targeted response also ensures surrounding enclosures remain agent-free, helping assure operational continuity.
Both SAPPHIRE PLUS and SAPPHIRE COMPACT deliver 3M Novec 1230 Fire Protection Fluid – a clear, colourless suppression agent that vaporises on discharge. This fast-acting and electrically non-conductive clean agent allows the systems to suppress fires without damaging expensive electrical equipment, or the environment.
Data centres: safeguarding invaluable information
As the world’s need for ‘cloud storage’ space increases, so too does the number of large-scale data centres which require specialised fire-protection solutions. Johnson Controls provides an extensive range of products to meet the needs of the data-storage market, including gaseous and water-based suppression systems, fire-detection equipment and engineering systems designed to combat even the most challenging of threats.
Lithium-ion battery fires for example are a risk factor common to energy and data-storage facilities that cannot be underestimated. Battery abuse, extreme temperatures or abnormal operation in a single lithium-ion cell can trigger a catastrophic chain-reaction called thermal runaway, creating fires that can burn for days. To ensure the protection of these vital facilities, Johnson Controls recently developed a Lithium-Ion Risk Prevention System, a first-of-its-kind solution capable of detecting the off-gases emitted during the initial stages of battery failure. With this advanced warning, facility operators can shut down power to affected cells in a controlled manner, reducing the risk of sparking disastrous thermal runaway.
Combusting batteries are not the only challenge data-centre owners face when it comes to fire safety. In recent years technological breakthroughs have led to significant improvements in the storage and processing capacity of the Hard Disk Drives (HDD), but with each new development came greater susceptibility to damage caused by excessive noise – for example, that generated by discharging sprinkler systems. Johnson Controls again responded to this data-centre-specific challenge with the development of the SAPPHIRE Halocarbon Acoustic Nozzle, which reduces both sound power and vibration pressure during discharge. Specially designed to deliver reliable fire protection without damaging sound-sensitive equipment, this simple solution means data-centre operators can rest assured that effective fire suppression won’t come at the cost of corrupted HDDs.
Protecting the oilfields of the Middle East: hazardous area suppression
From extraction to transport and storage, petrochemical production requires specialised fire-suppression equipment at every stage to keep sites operating safely. Johnson Controls’ extensive range of systems offers oilfield operators the tailored solutions they need to assure safety even in some of the world’s most hazardous environments.
The NFF 3×3 UL201 alcohol-resistant, non-fluorinated foam concentrate, for instance, was specifically developed to suppress flames and vapour in Class B, polar solvent and hydrocarbon fuel fires. This synthetic foam concentrate delivers rapid flame knockdown and improved burn-back resistance with three unique suppression mechanisms. Firstly, the extended-drain foam blankets the fire for longer, helping to block oxygen and suppress fuel vapour. In the event of polar solvent fires, the agent forms a polymeric membrane, sealing the fuel surface to prevent vapours from escaping while ensuring the polar fuel does not degrade the foam blanket. Finally, the water contained within the foam helps to cool the ignition site and surrounding area, reducing the risk of re-flash. As a non-fluorinated foam concentrate solution, the NFF 3×3 UL201 suppression agent is fully compliant with EU directives 2017/1000 on the use of Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and 2019/1021 on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). The overall result is a reliable, fast-acting and effective suppression solution that oilfield operators can trust to protect their businesses without damaging the environment.
Reliable hand-held suppression
No effective fire-safety plan is complete without a set of high-quality, reliable portable extinguishers. Johnson Controls NEURUPPIN brand offers this crucial reliability, with a wide variety of products designed, manufactured and certified in Germany for complete quality assurance. Drawing on a long-standing tradition of German engineering excellence, NEURUPPIN extinguishers are available with foam, water, powder, CO2 and speciality suppression agents, ensuring users have a dependable solution to hand, no matter the application. The NEURUPPIN F-500 Fire Extinguisher is specifically designed to combat one of the most dangerous forms of fire hazard, failing lithium-ion batteries. In a test of three identical EN3-7 certified portable fire extinguisher types, including powder and foam, only the NEURUPPIN F-500 successfully extinguished burning lithium-Ion batteries. As a result, the NEURUPPIN model was able to reliably prevent both thermal runaway and reignition by penetrating and cooling the affected battery cells.
For high-fire-risk industrial applications, Johnson Controls also offers RED LINE cartridge-operated fire extinguishers – reliable, easy to use hand-held solutions offering on-the-spot recharge for superior firefighting performance. These solutions are built to last, with carbon steel shells capable of resisting damage from impact, vibration and corrosion, and special polyester powder paints for superior protection against cracking and chipping.
Wheeling in heavy-duty protection
As a compliment to traditional hand-held solutions, Johnson Controls offers a range of reliable wheeled extinguishers. These systems deliver high-capacity yet portable suppression performance to help keep high-risk areas such as airports, steel and iron mills, offshore platforms and fuel storage tanks safe from fire. RED LINE Wheeled dry chemical fire extinguishers feature large-diameter steel wheels for superior manoeuvrability up to the source of the fire, while the quick-opening valve option allows for fast, one-step actuation. In the case of Class B (flammable liquids and gases) or Class C (energized electrical equipment) fires, specialised SENTRY Carbon Dioxide Wheeled Fire Extinguishers offer users a versatile and reliable suppression solution. Featuring a non-corrosive, non-damaging extinguishing agent that leaves no residue following suppression, these extinguishers provide maximum protection for indoor settings such as aircraft hangars, paint spray booths, quench tanks and metal tube manufacturing facilities.
Solutions for safer warehousing and storage
For almost 40 years, Johnson Controls has been pioneering the development of ever-more effective Early Suppression Fast Response (ESFR) sprinklers for the warehousing and storage sector. This ongoing innovation project has allowed the company to build the most complete ESFR offering available on the market today.
Beyond ensuring safety, the most important consideration when designing fire suppression schemes for storage applications is installation flexibility. In these facilities, space is money – every square metre must be utilised as efficiently as possible to maximise economic return for the operator. Ceiling-only protection systems featuring ESFR automatic fire sprinklers are the ideal solution for these applications, offering greater space-efficiency without compromising on safety.
The TYCO Model ESFR-34 Pendent Sprinkler is Johnson Controls’ most advanced solution of this kind to date, offering both the tallest ceiling-only fire protection solution as well as the narrowest minimum aisle widths currently available. Suitable for storage facilities with shelves up to 50ft (15.2m), ceiling heights of 55ft (16.8m) and aisle widths as narrow as 6ft (1.8m), ESFR-34 systems can be installed 17in (432mm) below the maximum ceiling height – the farthest element-to-ceiling distance in the industry. These record-breaking features make the ESFR-34 Pendent Sprinkler the perfect solution for warehouse and storage facility owners looking to maximise capacity and assure safety.
Keeping kitchens safe
With hot ovens and open flames sitting in close proximity to combustible materials, kitchens are the main source of fire hazards in many commercial buildings. To combat these risks, Johnson Controls offers a wide range of fire-safety systems specifically tailored for restaurant applications, including rapid detection and suppression solutions. Chefs, staff and building managers can rely on the ANSUL R-102 and PIRANHA Dual Agent Restaurant Fire Suppression Systems to keep their kitchens safe from fire. Both solutions deliver rapid flame knockdown and superior surface cooling, while generating a tough vapour-securing blanket to help prevent re-flash. To complete the picture, ANSUL Restaurant Electric Detection (RED) technology provides intelligent multi-zone protection to meet the unique demands of complex commercial kitchens. With seamless integration with the ANSUL R-102 or PIRANHA suppression systems, ANSUL RED offers comprehensive, adaptable and fully UL compliant protection for commercial kitchens.
A new era for fire protection
From remote oilfields to the heat of a commercial kitchen, Johnson Controls’ products are constantly working behind the scenes to protect our world and your business. The evolution of digital technologies and their potential to make building systems work smarter is a key focus area for the innovation experts at Johnson Controls. By harnessing the latest technologies, the company continues to develop innovative solutions to assure safety, boost efficiency and power its customers’ missions.
For more information, go to www.johnsoncontrols.com/fire-suppression
References
- Center for Fire Statistics (CTIF), World Fire Statistics, Report No.26, 2021, https://ctif.org/sites/default/files/2021-06/CTIF_Report26_0.pdf, p.7
- Business Insurance, Industrial fire claims total $67 million per year, September 2020, https://www.businessinsurance.com/article/20200909/STORY/912336524/Industrial-fire-claims-total-$67-million-per-year
- Marty Ahrens and Ben Evarts, National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®), Fire Loss in the United States During 2020, September 2021, https://www.nfpa.org//-/media/Files/News-and-Research/Fire-statistics-and-reports/US-Fire-Problem/osFireLoss.pdf, p.1
- Ibid, Fire loss in the United States During 2020, p.9
About the Author
Mehesan Mehesan is General Manager, Middle East and Africa, Fire Suppression Products at Johnson Controls.
