The critical nature of equipment in a data centre for companies means that an automatic fire suppression system is indispensable. Important requirements for an automatic fire suppression system in a data centre are:
- Fast and reliable detection.
- Fast and assured suppression of the fire.
- Prevention of re-ignition of the fire.
- Use of extinguishing agents which do not damage sensitive equipment.
When using an automatic fire suppression system in a data centre, a patented detection pipe is able to quickly detect an incipient fire. Apart from that, it is possible to have a second detection method, such as an aspiration system, control the suppression system in parallel.
For many data centres, Protega Solutions recommends the use of a suppression system with FK5. FK5 is a liquid at room temperature. When suppressing a fire, FK5 extracts heat from the fire which terminates the chemical reaction, so the fire is cooled and immediately extinguished. Because of the cooling effect, the risk the fire re-igniting is non-existent. During a suppression, all unused FK5 immediately evaporates, and within 5 days the product has totally absorbed in the atmosphere.
FK5 has absolutely no effect on any equipment in the data centre. Nothing has to be cleared away, cleaned or repaired as a result of the extinguishing of a fire.