An introduction to the Victaulic Vortex 1000 fire suppression system will be presented on Tuesday from 3 to 3:30 p.m. in Theater A. The system is the world’s first hybrid nitrogen and water system, and claims to offer a completely green solution without costly clean up from water damage or any use of toxic chemicals. Minimal water presence and facility downtime help maximize productivity and safety, says Frank Barstow, Vortex national sales manager with Victaulic (Booth 349; Easton, Pa.), and work- shop presenter.
For most attendees, says Barstow, the concept of a hybrid system will be unknown, so the presentation will include an introduction to the system, information about how it works and how it effectively suppresses fire.
This hybrid system is a combination of two existing types of systems: one a clean agent or gas system, and the other, a water mist system. To create the hybrid, nitrogen is used to atomize the water going into the system to sub-10-micron-sized water droplets. “The reason for the small size is that the more water droplets that we can create, the greater the ability of the droplets to absorb heat from a fire, so it is more effective at extinguishing flames,” explains Barstow.
As the water is atomized, the water molecule is embedded with the nitrogen molecule so that when it’s discharged into the area of a fire, it creates a homogenous suspension of nitrogen and water. This allows one part of the system to act like a gas system, which can actively put out small, smoldering fires in a large room. However, unlike a gas system, the Vortex solution does not require room integrity, meaning the room does not have to be airtight. Combining the billions of tiny water droplets with nitrogen also allows the room to be cooled at the same time that the fire is extinguished by the gas. This eliminates the flash over that can occur with a typical, gas fire-suppression system.
If you have a large fuel- or chemical-based fire, the billions of water droplets will be the primary extinguishing agent and the nitrogen will serve as a carrier of the water droplets to provide adequate velocity from the nozzle.
“So we ended up with a hybrid system, which is sort of like a moist gas system,” explains Barstow. “It works like a gas system but doesn’t require room integrity and at the same time can work like a water mist system but is more effective than the currently available technology.”
Aside from these traits, the Vortex solution may interest chemical manufacturers for other reasons. First, it is simple to retrofit as it does not require room integrity and is compatible with existing fire protection systems, including heat, smoke and flame detectors, as well as existing release panels. Second, it leaves no residue, wetness or mess behind if it discharges. “Besides being a totally green system, the Vortex solution leaves no collateral damage behind. It will not harm electronic equipment or product,” says Barstow.
Joy LePree