Fire safety applications

Archives and storage vaults contain irreplaceable items such as documents, books, manuscripts or paintings, and therefore they need the best protection possible. Detectors that are able to identify even the lowest smoke concentrations and an extinguishing system that causes no harm to the most sensitive and valuable items are the ideal solution.

Cleanroom laboratories fulfill a key role as research in a wide range of fields would be virtually impossible without them. Fires in such facilities can have a considerable impact on the research work itself, as well as significant financial consequences for the organization concerned. It is no surprise that the fire safety requirements are as diverse as the facilities themselves and reflect the respective laboratory’s specialization.

The individual e-houses based on container solutions, pre-assembled in Europe and shipped to the entire world need to be protected against fire hazards.  Siemens provides a completely tested and safe system.

For data centers, emergency power supply (e.g. generators or batteries / UPS rooms) is mission-critical as it ensures business continuity in case of blackouts. Special attention should be paid to providing adequate protection of such a backup system. Early (and faultless) detection of incipient fires enables all relevant technical and organizational measures to be activated immediately. Consequently, any such incidents can be dealt with quickly and critical situations prevented.

University event venues are used for many diverse functions with varying numbers of participants. These may include seminars, graduation ceremonies, banquets, theatrical performances, exhibitions and even rock concerts. Since fire risks and environmental conditions at event venues can vary considerably, the fire protection system must be able to adapt easily to changing requirements.

Exhibition rooms are usually characterized by large air volumes due to their high ceilings. This means that any fire-related aerosol will only arrive at ceiling level after a serious delay and that its concentration will be strongly diluted. Fire safety systems in these areas should provide high-sensitivity detection while preserving the room and exhibits’ historical integrity. Separate systems may be installed to provide individual protection for glass display cases.

Guest rooms are the primary origin of non-confined fires in hotels and responsible for over 70 percent of civilian deaths (NFPA report). As people are more vulnerable to fire-related accidents when they are sleeping, guest rooms have the highest priority in fire protection. ASA detectors provide maximum protection and are immune to deceptive phenomena such as steam or tobacco smoke.

Cooking is one of the leading causes of fire. Commercial kitchens are particularly at risk due to the large number of possible ignition sources such as open flames and grease traps. In the past, kitchens were monitored with thermal detectors only. Today’s sophisticated multi-criteria technology is able to detect incipient fires at a much earlier stage as they rely on both smoke and heat detection.

Laundries are relatively critical zones in terms of fire safety, due to the combined presence of large electrical appliances and the high fire load contained in combustible textiles. Fire protection systems in these rooms should ensure early detection and be insensitive to deceptive phenomena such as steam or dust.

Li-ion battery storage systems cover a large range of applications from generation to consumption, helping to stabilize frequency and voltage, and balance variations in supply and demand. Early and reliable fire detection is, therefore, a must when designing fire protection systems for Li-ion battery systems. Rapid extinguishing is also essential and can be ensured by the use of automated extinguishing systems using an appropriate agent.

Fires in parking garages can be particularly devastating: If they aren’t suppressed early, they can quickly develop into large fires that are very hard to extinguish and dangerous not only to people but the stability of the whole building. A reliable solution for harsh environmental conditions which also provides warning of potentially lethal CO₂ concentrations is recommended.

Plant rooms are at the heart of many businesses that depend on the continuity of their operations. These rooms are filled with state-of-the-art, costly electronic and electrical equipment. The accumulation of hardware, electrical power and cabling pose a constant risk of potential ignition through overheating or short circuits. Earliest possible detection and extinguishing ensures minimal disruption.

Fire protection in restaurants is a top priority due to the large concentration of people during peak hours. There are various types of fire risks which vary from event to event. Early and reliable fire detection helps avoid panic situations in case of fire.

The fire risk in server rooms should not be underestimated – particularly in the raised floor area, due to the presence of both a constant ignition source (electricity) and considerable amounts of combustible materials (cables and electrical components), as well as a plentiful supply of oxygen from the forced-air cooling system. This requires earliest, reliable fire detection and efficient, safe extinguishing.

Stairways play a central role in any fire safety concept: They are primary escape routes since elevators must not be used in the event of a fire. Our fire protection systems ensure that in case of fire stairways are kept free of smoke to permit unhindered evacuation.

The number of fire brigade call-outs to university student accommodation due to false alarms is surprisingly high. This is not only a significant cost factor but also potentially dangerous for the students. Frequent false alarms inevitably lead to complacency and a reluctance to evacuate the building every time the fire alarm is activated. Find out how to plan a reliable fire protection system specifically designed for student accommodation.