Professional Documents
Culture Documents
SECTION 10 - WARRANTY,
DISCLAIMERS & LIMITATIONS
Warranty ....................................................... 69
Disclaimers & Limitations ............................. 69
SECTION 11 - APPENDICES
FM-200® Agent served e.g. BS5306: Part 5: Section 5.1 and the BFPSA
Code of Practice for Gaseous Fire Fighting Systems.
u Factory Mutual (Approved)
Reference should also be made to NFPA 2001 and
u Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) Recognised BFPSA Volume 3 section 19 A review of the toxic and
Component asphyxiating hazards of clean agents replacements for
u NFPA 2001 Clean Agent Fire Extinguishing Sys- Halon 1301.
tems (Listed Alternative) FM-200®, like halon, extinguishes by causing a chemi-
u US EPA SNAP Rpt. (Unrestricted Listed Alterna- cal reaction with the combustion products, and does
tive) not remove oxygen like CO2 and other inert agents.
u Australian Industrial Chemicals Notification (Ap- Therefore, exposure to FM-200® at the design con-
proved) centration of 7.17%, and up to 9.0%, is not hazardous to
health. Exposure to higher concentrations is permissible
u German Institute for Environmental Hygiene and for limited periods. Refer to NFPA 2001, 2000 edition
Medicine (Approved) Section 1-6 "Safety," for exposure requirements. As with
halons, the US EPA and the National Fire Protection
Macron Safety Systems Manufactured Association (NFPA) recommend that unnecessary ex-
posure to any agent be avoided and that personnel
Systems evacuate protected areas as quickly as possible to avoid
u Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL Listed) the decomposition products of the fire.
u Loss Prevention Council Board (Listed) FM-200® can decompose at high temperatures to form
halogen acids. If so, their presence is readily detected as
u Factory Mutual (Listed) a sharp, pungent odour long before hazardous maximum
Macron Safety Systems manufacture in strict accord- exposure levels are reached. Fire toxicity studies con-
ance with the internationally recognised Quality assur- clude that generally decomposition products from the
ance Standard, BS EN ISO 9000 and approved to ISO fire itself, especially carbon monoxide, smoke, heat, and
9001. oxygen depletion, create a greater hazard.
Macron Safety Systems FM-200® Extinguishing System The noise created by the FM-200® agent discharg-
Units are to be designed, installed, inspected, main- ing can be loud enough to startle people in the vicinity,
tained, tested and recharged by qualified, trained per- but is unlikely to cause any permanent injury. Turbu-
sonnel in accordance with The Standard on Clean Agent lence caused by the high velocity discharge can dis-
Fire Extinguishing Systems, NFPA2001, 2000 edition and lodge substantial objects directly in its path, and cause
to be used in accordance with Environmental Protection enough general turbulence within the protected area to
Agency (EPA) Significant New Alternatives Program move paper and light objects.
(SNAP). Where determined to be appropriate by the Direct contact with the vaporising liquid discharged
authority having jurisdiction, applicable BS Standards from an FM-200® nozzle has a chilling effect on objects
may additionally be utilized to specific system require- and in extreme cases can cause frostbite to the skin. The
ments for these purposes. liquid phase vaporises rapidly when mixed with air and
therefore limits the risk to the immediate vicinity of the
nozzle. Minor reduction in visibility may occur for a brief
Health and Safety period due to the condensation of water vapour.
FM-200® Agent Characteristics l Most effective when used with automatic detection
to introduce FM-200® rapidly.
FM-200® (HFC-227ea) is a clean, gaseous agent con-
taining no particles or oily residues. It is produced un- l The ability to prevent re-ignition as long as con-
der ISO 9002 guidelines to strict manufacturing specifi- centration levels are maintained.
cations ensuring product purity. FM-200® leaves no resi-
due or oily deposits on delicate electronic equipment,
and can be removed from the protected space by venti- FM-200® is stored as a liquified compressed gas and is
lation. discharged into the protected area as a vapour. It is stored
in approved DOT(HSE)4BW500 or DOT(HSE)4BW450
FM-200® is thermally and chemically stable, but with- containers and is super-pressurised with dry nitrogen
out the extremely long atmospheric lifetimes associated to 25 Bar @ 210 C (360 PSI @ 70 0F).
with other proposed halon replacements. The atmos-
pheric lifetime of FM-200® has been determined to be
36.5 years (Reference GLCC). The US EPA SNAP does not
consider FM-200® to be a long lived substance when
discharged, and as such has placed no restrictions on
its use. (Environmental Protection Agency's Significant WARNING
New Alternatives Program).
Typical areas that can be protected by an FM-200®
FM-200® shall not be used on fires involving the follow-
system are detailed below; the list is by no means ex-
ing materials unless they have been tested to the satis-
haustive:
faction of the authority having jurisdiction:
Table 1.
Agent Physical Properties HFC-227ea
Table 2.
Agent Physical
Properties
Chemical structure N2
Chemical name Nitrogen
Molecular weight 28.0
Boiling point -195.80C (-320.4oF)
Freezing point -210.00C (-346 oF)
Critical temperature -146.90C (-232.4 oF)
Critical pressure 3399 kPa (492.9 psi)
(Reference: NFPA 2001, 2000 edition)
Table 3: Toxicology/Environmental
FM-200®
Environmental
Toxicology
Material
Carbon % 0.220% max
Manganese % 1.250% max
Phosphorus % 0.045% max
Sulphur % 0.050% max
4BW500
Hydraulic test pressure: 68.95 bar (1000 psi)
Working Pressure: 34.47 bar (500 psi)
4BW450
Hydraulic test pressure: 62.1 bar (900 psi)
Working Pressure: 31.0 bar (450 psi)
Container Label
The container label details the weight of FM-200® con- Technical Information
tained, empty weight, fill density and charge date. Once
the label is applied to the container surface, and to avoid Material: Aluminum
possible tampering it can not be removed intact.
Adhesive: Pre-applied 3M adhesive 9485
Technical Information
Burst Disc
A burst disc is factory fitted to every valve assembly. It
is designed to rupture when the container becomes over
pressurised when subjected to temperatures above the
designed storage temperature of the container.
Manual Actuator
Technical Information
The manual actuator is a simple ‘strike knob’ assembly
which is fitted to the top of the valve assembly or sole- Body: Brass CZ121
noid actuator. Inadvertent operation is prevented by a Actuation Pin: Stainless Steel
pin which has to be removed before activation. Pipe connection: 1/4" BSPP Female
Min. Actuation Pressure: 2 bar (29 psi)
Figure 7 - Manual Actuator (Part No. 2880)
Technical Information
Pneumatic Actuator
The pneumatic actuator is an assembly similar to the Technical Information
manual actuator but without the strike knob. Pressure
from a ‘master’ container or other sources is used to Body: Mild Steel & Dull Nickel
actuate the valve, via small bore piping or, preferably, a Swivel nut: Brass CZ121
flexible hose. Actuation Pin: Stainless Steel
Actuation Type: Latching
Rest Requirement: Manual Force Required
Figure 8 - Pneumatic Actuator (Part No. 2900) Connection: 1" BSPP
Power requirement: 24vdc
Current: 0.2A
Manual Actuation Force: 5 kgf (11. Ib.f)
Electrical connection: 3-pin plug connector
Diode Type: Suppression
Temperature Range: -20oC to +55oC
(-4oF to131oF)
Life Span: 10 years from manufacture
Testing: 100% Check on start /
Finish position
Approval: Underwriters Laboratories
Recognised to UL508
Tested in accordance with
UL864
Technical Information
Manifold
Manifolds are fabricated sections of steel pipe-work. They enable multiple containers to be connected to a common
pipe network. They can be used in conjunction with check valves in situations where main / reserve containers
arrangements are required.
Technical Information
Table 5: Manifolds.
Part Size Dim. A Dim. B Pa rt Size Dim . A Dim . B
No. mm mm mm No. (m m ) (m m ) (m m )
9335 2 port 65 (2.5") 150 (6") 350 (14") 9357 5 port 100 (4") 150 (6") 508 (20")
9336 3 port 65 (2.5") 150 (6") 350 (14") 9358 6 port 100 (4") 150 (6") 508 (20")
9337 4 port 65 (2.5") 150 (6") 350 (14") 9312 3 port 150 (6") 150 (6") 508 (20")
9352 2 port 80 (3") 150 (6") 508 (20") 9313 4 port 150 (6") 150 (6") 508 (20")
9353 3 port 80 (3") 150 (6") 508 (20") 9314 5 port 150 (6") 150 (6") 508 (20")
9345 4 port 80 (3") 150 (6") 508 (20") 9315 6 port 150 (6") 150 (6") 508 (20")
9346 5 port 80 (3") 150 (6") 508 (20") 9316 7 port 150 (6") 150 (6") 508 (20")
9355 2 port 100 (4") 150 (6") 508 (20") 9317 8 port 150 (6") 150 (6") 508 (20")
9356 3 port 100 (4") 150 (6") 508 (20") 9318 9 port 150 (6") 150 (6") 508 (20")
9354 4 port 100 (4") 150 (6") 508 (20") 9319 10 port 150 (6") 150 (6") 508 (20")
Figure 16 - Flexible hose (Part No. 6490) Figure 17 - Male Adaptor (Part No. 91105)
Technical Information
Material: Brass
Connection: 1/4"BSPT x 1/4" BSPP
Technical Information
Technical Information
Material: Brass
Connection: 1/4" BSPP x 1/4" BSPT
Male Elbow
This elbow can be used on the last slave container when
the pressure switch connection is taken from the mani-
fold or piping networks.
Technical Information
FM-200® is distributed within the protected area by the 10mm (3/8") BSP Nozzle: Part No. 3381/2
discharge nozzle which is sized to ensure the correct 15mm (1/2") BSP Nozzle: Part No. 3391/2
flow of agent for the risk. Nozzles are available with seven 20mm (3/4") BSP Nozzle: Part No. 3401/2
or eight ports to allow for 180o or 360o horizontal dis- 25mm (1") BSP Nozzle: Part No. 3411/2
charge patterns. Ports are drilled in 0.1mm (0.004 in) in- 32mm (1 1/4") BSP Nozzle: Part No. 3421/2
crements to the specified system design. BSP nozzles 40mm (1 1/2") BSP Nozzle: Part No. 3431/2
are supplied as standard in Brass and Stainless Steel 50mm (2") BSP Nozzle: Part No. 3441/2
with NPT as optional.
Technical Information
Figure 22 - Door Notice (Part No. 2675) Figure 23 - Manual Release Sign (Part No. 2659)
CAUTION!
D o N O T enter unless
extingu ishing system
is lock ed off
FM200 Ò
NR30 3PJ572222 FAX 01483 302180
TEL 01483
Tel: +44 (0)1483 572222
Fax: +44 (0)1483 302180
CAUTION
ENSURE ALL
PERSONEL ARE
EVACUATED
BEFORE
RELEASING
for areas protected by concentrations greater than EXTINGUISHANT
C A UTIO N !
Material 2mm (0.08 in) Craylon Material 2mm (0.08 in) Craylon
Finish Gloss, scratch resistant Finish Gloss, scratch resistant
System Design
There are two main elements of system design. The first The FM-200® cupburner valve is 6.7% for
is the risk assessment; determining the type of protec- commercial grade Heptane.
tion required, considerations such as ventilation, open- Nozzle distribution test concentration = 6.9%
ings and restrictions; equipment location. etc. The sec-
Calculations:
ond is calculating the quantity of FM-200® required,
including floor and/or ceiling voids, positioning of noz- Cupburner or fire test concentration X
zles, electrical requirements, etc. nozzle efficiency factor X safety factor.
A Site Survey / Request form is a useful tool to aide- Nozzle efficiency factor = 6.9 = 1.03
memory for addressing the relevant factors, and can be 6.7
used subsequently to substantiate the design criteria.
This can be found in Appendix A. All systems are de- Safety factor: Class A = 1.2
signed in accordance with the BFPSA Code of Practise Class B = 1.3
for Gaseous Fire Fighting Systems, the appropriate Brit- Class C = Class A
ish Standards, currently BS5306 section 5.1. and NFPA For Class A (Determined by fire test) -
2001. 5.8% x 1.03 x 1.2 =7.17%
For Class B (Commercial grade Heptane)-
Hazard Analysis
6.7% x 1.03 x 1.3 =9.0%
The first, and one of the most important, exercises in
For Class B (Other class B fuels)-
planning an FM-200® extinguishing system is the haz-
cupburner x 1.03 x 1.3 = Design
ard survey. The information derived from the survey
concentration, but not less than
should include risk assessment, environmental condi-
9.0%
tions, personnel considerations, system operation both
in normal conditions and after a discharge, access and For Class C - Use at least design concentration
construction limitations, dimensions, volumes, and any for Class A surfaces fires (7.17)
special requirements.
For systems with only manual actuation -
FM-200® systems are suitable for use in normal com- cupburner x 1.03 x 1.3 = design
mercial and industrial environments. The design con- concentration but not less than
centration for Class A & C fires is 7.17% but differs for 9.0%
Class B fires. To determine other recommended design
concentrations for Class B flammable liquids, consult Rugged environments, and those requiring intrinsi-
Macron Safety Systems Limited as well as referring to cally safe or flameproof equipment, require special con-
NFPA 2001, 2000 edition, paragraph 3-4.2 and UL -2166, sideration and should be discussed fully with Macron
first edition, paragraph 61.2(b). However the minimum Safety Systems before finalising a system design. FM-
design concentration for flammable liquids is 9%. All 200® is suitable for use with the following materials:
design concentration calculations are based on extin-
guishing concentrations plus an additional 20% safety
factor for Class A & C and 30% safety factor for Class Class A Fires involving solid materials usually of
B, and manually actuated only systems, plus an addi- an organic nature, in which combustion
tional 3% safety factor for nozzle performance (commer- normally takes place with the formation
cial grade Heptane excluded). of glowing embers.
All system design calculations are calculated at mini- Class B Fires involving flammable liquids or
mum design concentration to determine agent quantity. liquefiable solids and flammable gases.
Maximum design concentration should be at the maxi-
Class C Fires involving energized electrical equip-
mum anticipated enclosure temperature, for comparison
ment where the electrical nonconductivity
see NOAEL / LOAEL values.
of the extinguishing media is of importance
See table 3 or Refer to NFPA 2001, 2000 edition.
Hazard Volume
In total flooding applications the risk area must com-
Note. Certain materials in this group may prise an enclosed space with no significant openings so
require increased concentrations to achieve that the design concentration can be achieved and main-
satisfactory extinguishment. Consult Macron tained. Generally, the calculation is based on an empty
for details of specific risk. area; the subsequent furniture and fittings having little
effect on the actual concentration. Similarly, large equip-
ment cabinets and control panels should not be consid-
ered in the calculation as it is assumed that the internal
area is required to be filled with agent.
Each enclosed space is considered as a risk area and
requires at least one nozzle. A floor void, ceiling void,
cable duct, etc., is treated as a separate adjacent area
Caution. FM-200® is not effective on the following: - and requires simultaneous discharge to occur.
• Class A Deep seated fires. Ceiling obstructions such as beams that are less than
• Class D Combustible metals. 300mm (12") below the slab need not be considered.
Obstructions greater than 300mm (12") can affect the
• Chemicals capable of auto-thermal recomposition. distribution of agent and may require additional nozzles.
Consult Macron Safety Systems if in doubt. Please note
• Chemicals capable of rapid oxidation.
that floor voids cannot be protected separately from the
• Enclosures with hot surfaces (>400oC) (752oF) associated room.
To determine the volume refer to the site drawings,
ensuring that the scale is accurate and that heights are
denoted, or make a sketch of the area adding dimen-
Hazard Structure sions and any relevant details. Calculate the volume of
The protected enclosure shall be bounded by rigid ele- each area.
ments of building constrution. The ceiling should be
not less than 0.3m (1.ft) above the hazard. The rigid
elements should have a fire resistance of not less than
30 min when tested in accordance with BS476: Part 20,
Part 21, Part 22 or Part 23 as appropriate.
During agent discharge, the hazard enclosure will
experience a pressure change. The hazard structure must
be capable of withstanding a pressure of 600 pa (0.201
ftH20) developed during discharge.
A self-contained unit conditions the air within the en- Natural Agent: To avoid possible injury, avoid any expo-
closure and does not rely on a fresh air supply, or draw sure to FM-200® in volume concentrations greater than
air from other parts of the building. 9% unless using self contained breathing apparatus.
Limit exposure times as in NFPA 2001, Section 1-6
If the hazard has a self-contained unit and it is lo- "Safety."
cated within the area without an outside air supply, no
additional agent is required. It is not necessary to shut Symptoms of overexposure to concentrations greater
down the unit prior to a discharge as the mixing effect is than 10.5% may include dizziness, impaired coordina-
beneficial. tion, reduced mental acuity, cardiac effects or uncon-
sciousness. In the event of overexposure, remove to
fresh air immediately and summon medical assistance.
(ii) Central air conditioning unit
Frostbite: Direct skin contact with FM-200® in the
A central air conditioning unit relies on air from outside immediate area of discharge may cause frostbite.
and is often linked by ducts to other parts of the build-
ing, therefore, prior to a discharge, the unit should be Agent Quantities
shut down and/or dampers operated to close the ducts.
Sufficient time must be allowed for the plant to stop, or Normally the agent quantity is the weight required to
dampers to close, before discharge occurs. produce the desired concentration at the lowest tem-
perature within the hazard enclosure.
Dampers should be installed in both supply and re-
turn air ducts, as close as possible to the area. The duct
volume between the hazard and the damper must be Agent Storage
added to the overall volume. FM-200® is stored as a liquified compressed gas in
appropriate containers to meet DOT4BW500 & 450 re-
Hazard Temperature quirements. Nitrogen in the container maintains a
superpressurisation of 25 bar at 21oC (360 psi at 70oF).
Determine as accurately as possible the anticipated mini- The chosen location should provide protection from
mum and maximum temperatures likely to be experienced severe weather, mechanical, chemical, or other types of
within the protected area. Minimum agent quantity re- damage. The ambient temperature of the storage area
quirements are based on minimum hazard. At maximum must be between 0 oC to 49 oC (32 oF to 120 oF), the
temperature, hazard concentration must not exceed the optimum temperature being 21oC (70oF).
NOAEL/LOAEL values for normally occupied spaces,
reference NFPA 2001, Section 1-6 "Safety." Hydraulic calculations are made at 21oC (70 oF). When
the storage temperature varies by + 5.5 oC (+ 10 oF) from
Once assembled , filled and pressurised the FM-200® 21oC (70 oF), there is a risk that the system will not sup-
extinguishing system should not be exposed to tem- ply the designed quantity of extinguishing agent.
peratures other than the storage / operating temperature
range of 0 to 500C. (32oF to 120oF). This also includes
while being in storage or transported.
Manifolds
It may be necessary to manifold agent containers to
provide the required amount of agent for a hazard, or to
make available the proper increments of agent weight
for the protection of multiple hazards.
Agent Distribution
Distribution piping will be installed only with approved
piping as indicated in Section 5.
Pipe size reductions may be made by using reducing
tees or reducing bushings or reducing couplings.
Switch Room:
Computer Room:
Floor Void:
Figure 27a - Side Tee Split limits. Figure 27b - Bull Tee Split limits.
Figure 27c - Side tee orientation "correct" Figure 27d - Side tee orientation "incorrect"
Figure 27e - Bull tee orientation "correct" Figure 27f - Bull tee orientation "incorrect"
NOTE: Incorrect orientation of side and bull tee could result in separation of the FM200 from the Nitrogen (due to FM-200®
greater density). The design would also be outside the parameters permitted by the calculation software. See figures 27d and 27f.
W = (V/S)* (C/100-C)
When the minimum quantity of FM-200® has been cal-
culated the weight is compared to the available agent
container size. The container size must be equal to or
W = Weight of Agent required (lbs)
greater then the weight of agent (see Figure 1).
V = Hazard Volume (ft3)
With the appropriate container selected, the previous
S = Specific Vapour Volume (ft3/lb) equation can be rearranged to determine the concentra-
S = 1.885 + 0.0046t tion based on the actual weight as containers are filled
to the nearest kg.
t = Design Temperature in Hazard Area (oF)
Switch Room: 22.9 x 22.7 x 8.2 = 4262.6ft3 % Hazard Agent = Individual hazard Volume
Sum of hazard volumes
Computer Room: 52.5 x 39.4 x 9.3 = 19237.1ft3
Floor Void: 52.5 x 39.4 x 1.1 = 2275.4ft3
Switch Room: 4262.6/25775.1 = 16.6% of Agent
t = 21o C (70oF) for calculation example
Computer Room: 19237.1/25775.1 = 74.6% of Agent
Floor Void: 2275.4/25775.1 = 8.8% of Agent
Switch Room: (7.20% required design concentration
example only)
It is determined from the above that both the switch
Room and the Computer Room can be fed by one mani-
W= 4262.6 X 7.2 = 149.9Ibs
folded system using 3 x 180 Litre containers, each filled
2.207 (100-7.2) with 276lbs of Agent. The Floor Void would use 1 x 52
Computer Room: (7.2% required design concentration Litre container filled with 80lbs as it requires less than
example only) 10% of the total Agent and therefore equates as follows.
(Separate tank is required for floor voids. If protected
with nozzle from computer room system, the piping would
W= 19237.1 X 7.2 = 676.3lbs be outside the tee split limits.)
2.207 (100-7.2)
Switch Room: 4262.6/23499.7 = 18.14% of Agent After determining the minimum weight and concentra-
tion, the maximum concentration can be determined by
Computer Room: 19237.1/23499.7 = 81.9% of Agent recalculating the equation based on the maximum tem-
Floor Void: 2275.4/2275.4 = 100% of Agent perature anticipated in each enclosure 270C (800F) maxi-
mum design temperature. This calculation is required to
Actual agent to switch Room : determine if the maximum concentration is below the
0.1814 x 3 x 276 = 150.2 lbs NOAEL limit for normally occupied areas.
Switch Room: C = 100 x 150.2 x2.207 = 7.22% Floor Void: C = 100 x 80 x 2.2538 = 7.34%
(150.2x2.207)+4262.6 (80 x 2.253) + 2275.4
Piping Practices
Due to the two phase flow of FM-200®, certain piping
practices must be adhered to. Mainly that the flow split
must be on the horizontal plane. There are two types of
tee used in FM-200® systems, a through /side tee and a
bull tee. Both have limitations on the minimum and maxi-
mum allowable flow splits which are detailed in section
4, page 36.
It should also be noted that system designers shall al-
low a minimum of 10 times the nominal pipe diameter
around tee splits before any change of direction.
System designers should aim to design as far as possi-
ble balanced pipe networks, use minimum lengths of pipe,
use minimum numbers of elbows, maximize pipe volume
before the 1st tee and incorporate similar pipe run lengths
to nozzles.
Introduction
Example:
®
In determining the quantity of FM-200 required for Hazard Volume: 9182ft3
a particular application, it is important to assess the haz-
ard area correctly. The following information will need Room Temperature: 70oF
to be determined as discussed in Section 3.
Agent Concentration: 7.17%
Flooding Factor: 0.0351
1. Hazard Volume.
2. Minimum Room Temperature.
Quantity of FM-200® required: 0.0351 x 9182 =322.3lbs
3. Hazard Type.
4. Height above sea-level.
Note: Specific Vapour Volume data shown in
Table 7 are experimentally derived values and
The Hazard volume can be determined by calculating the specific vapour volume equation (S) has
the room volume and deducting any impermeable vol- a correlation coefficient of 0.99. However the
umes that may be contained within the area. The antici- equation can be used to give a close approxi-
pated temperature of the Hazard area will normally be mation of required agent quantities.
advised by the client. The agent concentration is de-
pendant upon the type of hazard being protected, the
type of nozzle used and hazard altitude. The quantity of
FM-200® can be calculated by using the flooding fac-
tors (Table 6. imperial / 6a. metric) or by using the for-
mula (FM-200® Equation Calculations) and then multi-
plying by the altitude correction factor (table 7).
Table 7: Altitude Correction Factor sure that vary more than 11 percent (equivalent to approxi-
mately 915m (3000 ft) of elevation change) from standard
A ltitu d e a b o v e sea - C o rrectio n
sea level pressure 760 mm Hg at 0 oC (29.92 in Hg at 70 oF).
lev el F a cto r
ft
-3 0 0 0 (-0 .9 2 km ) 1 .1 1
-2 0 0 0 (-0 .6 1 km ) 1 .0 7
-1 0 0 0 (-0 .3 0 km ) 1 .0 4
FM-200® Equation Calculations
0 (0 .0 0 km ) 1 .0 0
1 0 0 0 (0 .3 0 km ) 0 .9 6
2 0 0 0 (0 .6 1 km ) 0 .9 3
The weight of agent required for a hazard area can also
3 0 0 0 (0 .9 1 km ) 0 .8 9
4 0 0 0 (1 .2 2 km ) 0 .8 6
be calculated from the formula shown below;
5 0 0 0 (1 .5 2 km ) 0 .8 2
6 0 0 0 (1 .8 3 km ) 0 .7 8
7 0 0 0 (2 .1 3 km ) 0 .7 5 W = (V/S) * (C/100-C)
8 0 0 0 (2 .4 5 km ) 0 .7 2
9 0 0 0 (2 .7 4 km ) 0 .6 9
1 0 0 0 0 (3 .0 5 km ) 0 .6 6
W = Weight of Agent required kg (lbs)
(BS5306: Part 5: Section 5.1 / NPFA2001 Table 3-6)
V = Hazard Volume m3 (ft3)
®
At elevations above sea-level, FM-200 has a greater spe- S = Specific Vapour Volume cu.m/kg (ft3/lbs)
cific volume because of the reduced atmospheric pres-
sure. A system designed for sea-level conditions will there- where S = 0.1269 + 0.0005131 t ( oC)
fore develop an actual higher concentration at levels above
sea-level and an actual lower concentration at levels be- Or (S= 1.885 + 0.0046 t o F)
low sea-level. The adjusted agent quantity is calculated t = Design Temperature in Hazard Area oC (oF)
by multiplying W (from the equation on the left) by the
altitude correction factor. The design quantity of the clean C = Required FM-200® Design Conc. (% by volume) at
agent shall be adjusted to compensate for ambient pres- Design Temperature (t).
Engineered Systems
• Max. liquid arrival time imbalance of 1.0 seconds.
Macron Safety Systems Engineered systems are based • Maximum liquid run out time of 2.0 seconds.
on a Hydraulic Flow Program developed by Hughes As- • Maximum nozzle height is 4.87m (16.0ft)
sociates Inc. The program predicts the two phase flow of
FM-200® and nitrogen through a pipe network. Informa- • Minimum of 10% agent in pipe before first tee.
tion detailing the enclosure is entered and the program
calculates the required pipe sizes, nozzle drill sizes, aver- • Maximum of 20 nozzles per system.
age nozzle pressures and discharge time. For further infor- • Maximum of 10 enclosures per system.
mation on the Flow Program, refer to the Hughes Hy-Flow
User's Manual. • The ratio between the nozzle area and the pipe cross
sectional area immediately preceding the nozzle is
As system design calculations are critical to the suc- limited to a minimum of 0.20 (20%) and a maximum
cess of the extinguishing system, only Macron Safety of 0.80 (80%).
Systems or Macron Safety Systems trained personnel are
permitted to perform system calculations. If in the future, (For extended discharge consult Ma-
companies other than Macron Safety Systems wish to use cron Safety Systems Ltd.)
the program, representatives will be required to attend a
formal training session. All system calculations are con-
ducted either 'in house' by Macron Safety Systems or au-
thorised suppliers. Table 8 : Max. & Min. Flow Rates.
Pipe Size mm Minimum flow Maximum flow
(in) rate kg/s (lb/s) rate
kg/sec.(lb/s)
NOTE: The calculation method has been de- 10 (3/8) 0.272 (0.60) 0.907 (2.00)
signed for specific types of fittings, pipes, and 15(½ ) 0.454 (1.00) 1.361 (3.00)
pipe inside diameter. When these limitations 20 (¾) 0.907 (2.00) 2.495 (5.50)
are not maintained, there is a risk that the sys- 25 (1) 1.588 (3.50) 3.855 (8.50)
tem will not supply the required quantity of ex- 32 (1 ¼) 2.722 (6.00) 5.67 (12.50)
tinguishing agent. 40 (1 ½) 4.082 (9.00) 9.072 (20.00)
50 (2) 6.35 (14.00) 13.61 (30.00)
65 (2 ½) 9.072 (20.00) 24.95 (55.00)
80 (3) 13.61 (30.00) 44.92 (99.00)
100 (4) 24.95 (55.00) 56.7 (125.00)
Program Parameters 125 (5) 40.82 (90.00) 90.72 (200.00)
150 (6) 54.43 (120.00) 136.1 (300.00)
When designing pipe network systems, the following Note: This information is for Schedule 40 pipe, and serves as an
design parameters should be considered to avoid system estimate only.
reject when running the calculation. Pipe and nozzle sizes need to be confirmed by the computer
program.
General Information
Installation drawings shall be submitted for approval to
All installation shall be carried out by an approved Ma- the appropriate authority prior to system installation.
cron Safety Systems contractor with the correct equip-
ment and previous experience of gaseous extinguishing On receipt, unpack the Macron Safety Systems sup-
systems. Macron Safety Systems can supply this serv- plied items and ensure that the components comply with
ice or provide a list of their factory trained installation the packing list and installation drawings.
contractors. Installation instructions are described un-
The container weight is checked at the factory prior
der the following main headings, and in the order of
to dispatch, and recorded on the label attached to the
installation.
container. If there is any doubt regarding the weight, or
leakage is suspected, the container should be weighed
to confirm there is no weight loss. Determine the con-
• Container Installation tainer storage temperature and refer to the Temperature
• Piping and Nozzles Correction Chart to check the pressure within the con-
tainer (see Appendix B).
• Actuation Controls
• Ancillary Equipment
• Completion Procedures Container Installation
The container location is identified on the system draw-
Specific installation drawings must be prepared for ings and should be protected from extremes of tempera-
the hazard area in accordance with system design as ture, and be accessible for service and maintenance. The
calculated by the FM-200® Hydraulic Flow Program. These containers must be firmly secured to a wall or bulkhead.
drawings should be followed closely in order to ensure No Safety Outlet and Actuation Caps should be removed
the system meets its design criteria. The pipe network is at this stage.
sized in order to obtain correct discharge time, nozzle
pressures, agent quantity and various other design con- Figure 29 - Safety Outlet and Actuation Caps
siderations. If for any reason, the pipe network requires
modifications the system must be recalculated before 50mm(2") Safety Outlet Cap Part No. 94466
proceeding with installation. Installation drawings con- 25mm(1") Actuation Cap Part No. 91185
tain the following information; 25mm(1") Safety Outlet Cap Part No. 94463
• Enclosure Volumes.
• Agent Quantities. Actuation Cap
1. Fix the back channels of the mounting brackets to Figure 30 - Container Strap Location
the wall at the appropriate heights (see table 11),
using suitable anchor type bolts (not supplied).
Containers are manifolded together for three main rea- Manifold Bracket Installation
sons;
• To reduce the amount of piping required by 1. Fix the two back vertical channels to the wall at the
connection to one feeder pipe. appropriate height using suitable anchor type bolts
(see table 12).
• For systems that require main and reserve.
Back channels are used to ensure that the appropriate
• Combining the correct containers to obtain the height adjustment is available when connecting the dis-
required quantity of agent within a specific haz- charge hose from the valve outlet to the manifold check
ard area. valve (see figure 31).
2 Position the containers against the back channels 5. For safety remove discharge hose and replace safety
with the valve outlets pointing left at the required caps, while pipework is installed.
spacing for the manifold ports (see Figure 14,
dimension B).
52 50 80 1133
2 7 .0 to 5 3 .0 k g (2 ” ) (3 ” ) (4 4 5 /8 in .)
(5 9 to 1 1 7 lb )
106 50 80 1601
5 3 .5 to 1 0 6 .5 k g (3 ” ) (6 3 .0 ” )
(1 1 8 to 2 3 5 lb )
106 50 100 1601
(4 ” ) (6 3 in )
147 50 80 1931
7 4 .0 to 1 4 7 .5 k g (3 ” ) (7 6 in .)
(1 6 3 to 3 2 5 lb )
147 50 100 1931
(4 ” ) (7 6 in .)
147 50 150 1931
(6 ” ) (6 7 in .)
180 50 100 1931
9 1 .5 to 1 8 2 .0 k g (4 ” ) (7 6 in .)
(2 0 1 to 4 0 1 lb .)
180 50 150 2210
(6 ” ) (8 7 in )
1) Abbreviations:
BW butt welded / CD cold drawn / HFS hot finished seamless / CFS cold finished
seamless / S seamless
2) Where schedule numbers are given, these determine the minimum wall thickness in
accordance with BS1600. Where the specified pipe is not obtainable in these dimensions,
the next larger thickness should be used.
Note: Cautionary information indicating the calcula- Table 17: Hanger Spacing
tion method has been investigated for specific types of
fittings, type of pipe and pipe inside diameter. Also that
when the specified limitations are not maintained there Pipe Size Maximum Spacing
is the risk that the system will not supply the required mm m
quantity of extinguishing agent. The Flow Program con-
10 (3/8”) 1. (3 ft)
tains pipe & fittings options together with Equivalent
15 (1/2”) 1.5 (5 ft)
Length information for UK / US pipe & fittings.
20 (3/4”) 1.8 (6 ft)
25 (1”) 2.1 (7 ft)
Pipe Hangers 32 (1 ¼”) 2.4 (8 ft)
40 (1 ½”) 2.7 (9 ft)
Pipe hangers must be spaced according to the size of 50 (2”) 3.4 (11 ft)
pipe (see table 17). 65 (2 ½”) 3.5 (11.5 ft)
80 (3”) 3.7 (12 ft)
100 (4”) 4.3 (14 ft)
• Hangers must be placed within 300mm (12") of
150 (6”) 5.2 (17 ft)
the discharge nozzle (see Figure 32).
(Reference: BS ISO 14520-1:2000)
• Hangers must be placed between elbows that are
more than 600mm (24") apart (see Figure 33).
• Hangers must be fixed to a structure capable of
supporting the Pipework.
Nozzles
Removable Solenoid Actuator If no other actuators are to be installed ensure that the
protective cap on the actuator is retained in position.
The removable electrical actuator is fitted to the top of
the valve assembly as follows: The electrical signal from the detection and/or con-
trol equipment is connected in accordance with the wir-
ing diagram detailed in Figure 40 when all other installa-
• Check the actuator mechanism to ensure that it is in tions have been completed.
the non-fired position, i.e. pin retracted (see Figure
38).
Figure 40 - Electrical Actuator Wiring Diagram
• Remove the actuator cap from the top of the valve
assembly (see Figure 29).
• Carefully screw the actuator to the valve assembly
(see Figure 39).
Note: The actuator must be hand tight only.
4.5-5.0 mm
(.177-.197 in)
WITH NUT
AGAINST
BODY
SOLENOID
CAN BE
LOCATED
ANY 9Oo
ANGLE The Solenoid Actuator is fitted with a suppression di-
ode in parallel to the coil as indicated. Connect +ve from
Figure 39 - Electrical Actuator Location control panel to terminal 1 and -ve from control panel to
terminal 2, on plug connector. End of line monitoring
device (if required) to be fitted on site.
Pneumatic Actuator
Figure 41 - Manual Actuator Non-Fire Position
Check that the actuating plungers are in the raised posi-
tion (see Figure 43). Remove the actuation cap from the
top of the valve assembly (see Figure 29) and carefully
screw the pneumatic actuator to the valve on each slave
container.
Note. The actuator must be hand-tight only.
6.4mm (1/4")
MINIMUM
6.4mm (1/4")
MINIMUM
Figure 42 - Manual Actuator Location
Ancillary Equipment
Discharge Pressure Switch continued... NOTE: When the device (i.e. pressure switch) is con-
nected to a standard supervisory input circuit, there will
be no distinction between a wiring fault and device ac-
To wire the discharge pressure switch to the control tuation . This device is to only be utilised when accepted
panel, unscrew and remove the switch cover plate. Con- by the authority having jurisdiction.
nect to the appropriate terminals on the microswitch or if
supplied with wires, to the coloured wires which are la-
belled as follows:- Accessories
Common (C) (violet)
Door Notices
Normally Open (NO) (blue)
Warning notices are required at all exits and entrances
Normally Closed (NC) (black) to protected area, ideally mounted on the door. Plates
may be drilled and screw fixed or attached using suitable
adhesive.
Low Pressure Switch
All container valves are 'Factory fitted' with low pres- Manual Release Notices
sure warning switches. Voltage input can be applied to
Manual release notices are required at all manual ac-
either terminal.
tuators, remote manual actuators and call points. Plates
may be drilled and screw fixed or attached using suit-
Figure 48 - Low Pressure Switch to Control Panel
able adhesive.
diagram.
Completion Procedures
CAUTION:
The completion of the installation system,
commissioning tests and hand-over may
occur before the area is ready for use. In
the event of delay between hand-over and
the risk area being available for protection,
then the system must be left in a 'safe' con-
Connections to Pyrochem FMM-101 or dition to avoid accidental discharge. The
FMM-1 Module system must only be made operative once
the area for protection has been completed
NOTE: Program the addressable module as supervisory. and is operational.
See Pyrochem PCR-400 manual for programming details.
Pre-checks and Visual Inspections • Remove top mounted or side mounted solenoid (if
connected via solenoid adaptor) from valve.
Check that solenoid is activated when system is
General triggered. If the solenoid adaptor is not present,
remove electrical connections from side mounted
When the installation is complete, and before making solenoid and check wiring voltage is correct for
the final connections, the following checks should be actuation when system is triggered.
made:
Hand-over Procedures
Introduction
The hazard integrity is the ability to retain the discharged Below Ceiling Leakage Area
FM-200®. For a total flooding extinguishing system to (BCLA)
be effective, the design concentration must be achieved
and then maintained for at least ten minutes. The only Experience has shown that leakage above a suspended
method of testing the agent retention within the pro- ceiling has a negligible effect on the FM-200® concen-
tected area is to verify the integrity of the enclosure by tration. Like water leaking from the holes in the bottom
applying proven test procedures. of a swimming pool, FM-200® tends to escape from leaks
in the lower part of the enclosure due to the weight of
The enclosure integrity test has been developed to the mixture above it. The rate at which FM-200® is lost is
locate the source of leaks and, from the data collected, therefore primarily governed by the leakage below the
predict the retention time, proving system performance floor, and walls beneath the ceiling. This is called the
and removing the need for actual FM-200® discharge. Below Ceiling Leakage Area.
In order to determine with any degree of confidence that
the hazard area will hold the gas for the required time
period, where necessary an Enclosure Integrity Test in
accordance with BS5306:Part 5: Section 5:1 / NFPA 2001
appendix B. must be conducted. Predicting Retention Time
Once the ELA, BCLA and static pressures have been
Principle measured the next step is to calculate the retention time
of the enclosure. The formula is derived from a standard
The test is conducted with a device known as a door engineering/fluid dynamics principle. The result of the
fan, which has been used in the energy conservation calculation is the number of minutes it takes for the FM-
field for over 25 years. It has three basic components as 200®/air interface to reach the minimum protected height
follows: required, normally about 75% of the enclosure area.
Integrity Test Procedure Dampers should be installed in both supply and return
air ducts, as close as possible to the area. The duct vol-
Evaluation. The enclosure and immediate surrounding ume between the hazard and the damper must be added
area is initially examined visually to assess the readi- to the overall volume.
ness for testing, the existence of any attached spaces
that could affect the results, and that there is an ad-
equate relief area and return air path. The volume of the Door Fan Installation. A Retrotec RD860 door fan unit
enclosure is confirmed and the highest equipment meas- is installed in the designated test door in accordance
ured to ascertain the required level for retention time. with the manufacturer’s instructions.
The gauges are zeroed by taking them to full scale de-
Preparation. All doors outside the area that are required flection and holding for approximately ten seconds, af-
to be open for the test are wedged open with suitable ter which the gauges are gently tapped and zeroed.
notices posted to advise personnel. Where voids are
protected by FM-200®, tiles are removed to ensure a Enclosure Evaluation
uniform air flow.
Static Pressure Measurements. With the door fan equip-
The enclosure is put in the state it would be in prior ment fully installed and set up, but with all openings
to a discharge, e.g. ventilation system shut down, damp- closed, a measurement of any pressure difference be-
ers closed, etc. tween the enclosure and the relief area is made. If the
Note. Equipment within the enclosure that does not af- measurement is unduly high its causes are ascertained
fect the integrity may be left running even if it will be and if possible permanently reduced or eliminated.
shut down in the event of a discharge, preventing un- Total Enclosure Leakage Method. Using an adequate
necessary disruption and inconvenience. range on one fan, or a number of fans, a pressure differ-
ence of between column pressure and column pressure
plus 30% is created. The pressure difference, and the air
Ventilation. Air conditioning and/or forced ventilation flow required to generate this, is then recorded. This is
can affect the system performance and the quantity of carried out for both pressurisation and depressurisation
agent required. modes. The total equivalent leakage area and the pre-
dicted retention time is calculated.
(i) Self-contained air conditioning unit
Suspended Ceiling Leakage Neutralisation Method.
A self-contained unit conditions the air within the en- This procedure is used to improve the accuracy of the
closure and does not rely on a fresh air supply, or draw predicted retention time where a reasonable air-tight ceil-
air from other parts of the building. If the hazard has a ing exists, whether or not the ceiling is protected with
self-contained unit and it is located within the area with- FM-200®.
out an outside air supply, no additional agent is required.
It is not necessary to shut down the unit prior to a dis- Note. Leak paths through the ceiling may be temporarily
charge as the mixing effect is beneficial. However if the sealed.
air-conditioning unit is left running, a depleting concen-
tration rather than a descending FM-200®/air interface The volumes above and below the false ceiling are
will be formed. The concentration will be depleted due depressurised to the same extent but using separate fans.
to leakage. Therefore the enclosure should be over- This is confirmed by using cool chemical smoke to check
gassed to obtain the required ten minute retention time that no air is flowing through the false ceiling.
at minimum concentration. Readings of the pressure difference between the en-
(ii) Central air conditioning unit closure, relief area, and the air flow through the fan(s)
used to depressurise the room and false ceiling are made,
A central air conditioning unit relies on air from outside and then the procedure is repeated in the pressurisation
and is often linked by ducts to other parts of the build- mode. The below ceiling leakage area is then calculated
ing, therefore, prior to a discharge, the unit should be and used in conjunction with the ELA to predict a re-
shut down and/or dampers operated to close the ducts. vised retention time.
Sufficient time must be allowed for the plant to stop, or
dampers to close, before discharge occurs.
RETROTEC DISCHARGE SIMULATION VER. HA5.1 FAN TEST R EADINGS & DATA
RETENTION TIME PREDICTION MODEL
X
Page 2 Of 2 Licensed to: MARCRON SAFETY SYSTEMS (UK) LIMITED
Software Conforms to 1992 NFPA 12A/2001 TCD Room Integrity Procedure. Registration # : 207
Maximum Allowable ELA (m2): 0.005
Interface Height @ 10 minutes: 2.903
General Comments
Personnel required to work in the protected area should Fully Automatic System
be conversant with the detection and extinguishing Where a sensitive fire detection system is included for
equipment installed, and trained in fire procedures. All the automatic release of extinguishing agent, the system
life-saving equipment must be properly maintained. shall only be capable of automatic release once two or
The method of system operation is chosen at the more sensors detect the fire.
design stage to suit the protection required for the haz- The number of detectors and their spacing is de-
ard area and the environmental factors appropriate to signed to ensure a satisfactory response time. To en-
that area. This part of the document provides informa- sure personnel may safely evacuate the risk area an ad-
tion relevant to ALL the standard operational systems justable time delay should be fitted such that sufficient
to cover the eventuality of changes to, or expansion of time may elapse prior to system discharge. Ideally, the
the original design. delay period shall not exceed 30 seconds (BS5306 Pt5).
Prior to system discharge (and at the commencement
of any time delay period) a clearly audible alarm different
from any other used shall sound and continue until the
System Detection and Actuation complete system is reset. In areas of high ambient noise
level, a visual indication may also be required, in addi-
General tion to the audible warning.
Each system is designed to suit the hazard area, whether The design of a system for automatic detection, sig-
the area is normally manned or unmanned, and whether nal distribution, alarms, etc. is not always of MACRON
the detection/actuation devices are to be manual or au- SAFETY SYSTEMS supply. Therefore, details appertain-
tomatic. The permutation of systems is large but from ing to fire detection and alarm operation and mainte-
an operational point of view, the systems are best nance are not included in this document.
grouped as:-
UL Listed Detection & Control Equipment
Detectors shall be UL Listed for the intended applica-
• Manual.
tion. Control Panels shall be UL Listed for releasing de-
• Fully Automatic. vice service and compatible with detection and MA-
CRON SAFETY SYSTEMS FM-200® Engineered Total
• Automatic with Manual Intervention. Flooding Fire Extinguishing System.
Manual System
Manual systems depend on human detection of a fire in
the hazard area and prompt action to actuate the local or
remote strike knob for the FM-200® system to discharge
and flood the protected area and extinguish the fire.
All other instructions associated with manual op-
eration form part of the user’s procedures on safety
precautions and fire drill. If required MACRON SAFETY
SYSTEMS can assist the user to prepare the procedures
for safety and fire precautions.
FM-200® Concentration
FM-200® total flooding systems greater than 9% design
concentration should only be used with manual actua-
tion in normally occupied areas. A normally occupied
area is defined as an area intended for occupancy.
Any area protected by FM-200® should be evacu-
ated prior to start of system discharge. Where egress of
normally occupied areas cannot be accomplished within
one minute, FM-200® total flooding systems shall be
designed not to exceed 9.0% concentration.
Refer to NFPA 2001, Paragraph 1-6.1.2.1 for additional
information.
General
These notes are only applicable to the hazard area(s) Should it be necessary to enter a space containing FM-
protected by a FM-200® fire extinguishing system. Where 200® or decomposition products the following precau-
such a system may form part of, or combine with other tions should be taken;
forms of fire protection systems then composite instruc-
tions for all systems are necessary to ensure the safety
of personnel and property following a fire. MACRON • Use a fresh air mask or self contained breathing
SAFETY SYSTEMS are available to assist a client pre- equipment.
pare composite instructions. In accordance with BS5839:
Part 1 the organisation will have appointed, or nomi- • Do Not use a filter mask or canister type mask.
nated, a responsible person to act as a ‘Fire Officer’.
• Do Not enter space unless you are under observa-
Actions following a fire should be co-ordinated and/or
tion from outside the space, or tethered by a lifeline.
directed by the Fire Officer.
• Ensure that all pressurised equipment is isolated or
safe from release.
Introduction
Weekly Check of Containers
This section provides user inspection and maintenance Check storage container pressure gauges and ambient
guidance for FM-200® Engineered Systems. A log book temperature, compare these pressures to the Tempera-
will be provided to record all inspections, maintenance, ture Correction Chart to determine temperature corrected
measurements and actions taken. The continued capa- pressure. If the container corrected pressure shows a
bility for effective performance of an FM-200® Total loss of more than 10%, the containers should be removed
Flooding Fire Suppression System depends on fully for weighing. All measurements and actions shall be re-
adequate maintenance procedures, with periodic test- corded in the log book.
ing. Reference NFPA 2001 section 4-1 to 4-6.
Systems shall be thoroughly inspected and tested for Where a Client does not wish to use a MACRON
proper operation by qualified contract personnel in ac- SAFETY SYSTEMS maintenance contract or the spe-
cordance with the requirements of British Standard 5430 cialised liquid level detection equipment, then contain-
Part 2. Before any checks are carried out, ensure the ers must be weighed to establish the FM200® content.
extinguishing system is isolated electrically and mechani- The weighing procedure is as follows:
cally and remove all solenoid and pneumatic actuators.
No maintenance work should be carried out without ob-
taining approval from the Fire Officer and advising any
personnel within the hazard area. The following Pro- • Remove all manual controls, pressure actuators
gramme should be carried out in addition to the User's and pressure actuation pipe or tubing and flexible
Programme of Inspection. The user shall be provided electrical connectors.
with a signed and dated report of the inspection advis-
ing any rectification carried out or needed.
• Disconnect and remove discharge piping /
discharge hoses from container valves.
3 Monthly Actuator Check.
• Fit Safety Outlet Caps onto container valves.
Test and service all actuating mechanisms.
• Remove containers from bracketing and weigh
containers. Any container showing more than the
3 Monthly Electrical Systems Check maximum allowable weight loss must be recharged
by a qualified recharge agent.
Test and service all electrical detection and alarm
systems as recommended in BS 5839 Part 1 • Record weight of container on record tag.
Recharging
This section describes the procedures to enable the 11. The outlet adapter may require to be replaced if
refilling of a container that has been discharged and will this is so the outlet will need to be removed and threads
require recharging. This covers both 25mm(1") and cleaned. Apply Loctite 648 to the thread of the new out-
50mm(2") container valve assemblies. let adapter and screw fully home. Re-fit outlet safety
cap.
Valve Refurb In the event that the pressure gauge or pressure
switch needs to be replaced:
On receiving a container that requires to be recharged
the following operations are carried out. 12. Remove to reveal grub screw. Check the grub
screw setting, this should be initially tighten fully and
1. Check that the container is empty.
then loosen by 1/2 a turn.
2. Remove valve, syphon tube grub screw and sy-
13. Apply PTFE tape to replacement components
phon tube from container. (This operation only needs
and refit.
to be undertaken if the burst disc needs replacing).
14. Remove 50 bar (725psi) burst disc assy if dam-
3. Unscrew top cap by removing locking grub screw
aged from burst disc port and replace with a new assy.
located behind safety cap chain fixing screw. Once that
has been taken off the schrader should also be removed. 25mm(1") valve : M14 assy. torque to 18Nm, (94080)
All O ring seals must be lubricated using PTFE / 50mm(2") valve : M18 assy. torque to 20Nm, (94085)
silicone grease.
4. O ring seal for the top cap has to be removed and
replaced : 25mm(1") valve O ring No. 122 (part no.90025)
& 50mm(2") valve O ring No. 231(part no.90120)
5. Remove shuttle from valve body.
6. The shuttle has two O rings an upper and lower,
both have to be replaced. Upper O ring : 25mm(1") valve
O ring No. 122 & 50mm(2") valve O ring No. 227. (part
no.90130)
7. Remove bottom cap from shuttle and replace lower
O rings : 25mm(1") valve O ring No. 212(part no.90185) &
50mm(2") valve O ring No. 327(part no.90140)
8. Replace bottom cap to shuttle and shuttle to valve,
spray a small quantity of PTFE silicone grease into the
bore of the valve body.
9. Screw new schrader into top cap using schrader
tool set to 0.6Nm. Replace top cap to valve and lock into Figure 50
place with grub screw. 50mm (2") Valve exploded View.
1. The valve assy is assembled to the nitrogen rig Replacing Valve Assembly to container
bottom cap using PTFE/silicon greased O ring on the
valve neck thread. The outlet adapter cap is also fitted, 1. Take container and clean neck thread using a
ensuring that the vent tap is closed. power drill and the appropriate attachment. Use care
when cleaning neck threads as the O ring seal could be
2. The nitrogen regulator is opened to 40 bar (580psi) damaged.
and the pressure to the valve is slowly increased to this
pressure, this is to pre-dome the burst disc. This pres- 2. Remove debris from inside the container as well
sure is held for 1 minute ensuring that there is no drop in as from the neck thread, this should be done using the
pressure indicated by nitrogen rig gauge. workshop vacuum cleaner and airline.
3. A Water /soap solution is poured into the top cap 3. PTFE grease must be applied to the clean con-
schrader and leak detection spray is applied to all ports tainer neck thread.
on the valve to check for leakage. If no leaks are present 4. Take the appropriate syphon tube for the correct
the pressure to the valve must be reduced to 25 bar container and valve assy, making sure that the syphon
(362.5psi) and the closing down adapter fitted. To close tube and grub screw hole has been properly de-burred.
the valve shuttle down, 40 bar (580psi) is applied through
the closing down adapter. 5. The syphon must be cleaned either by hand with
paper towels or in the workshop washer.
4. Once again check for leaks.
6. Apply Loctite 572 around the circumference of
5. Slowly release the gas from the test rig, vent from the syphon tube above the grub screw hole. Fit the sy-
closing down adapter and ensure that the outlet cap phon tube into the valve assy, ensuring that the grub
adapter tap is opened before attempting to remove the screw hole's line up.
adapter.
7. Remove excess loctite adhesive and screw in grub
If a leak is identified it should be rectified, if the leak screw.
persists the valve assembly should be rejected.
8. Fit valve and syphon tube assembly to container,
insuring that the neck O ring is in place.
25mm (1") valve - 2"8UN neck ring No. 327
50mm (2") valve - 3 1/4"8UN neck ring No. 337
9. Secure the container in to the pneumatic belt vice
and tighten the valve using the "C" spanner, until the
valve bottoms onto the top of the neck ring.
FILLING
1. With the Container ready for filling a check is
made to the filling instruction sheet and the container
fill weight, time, date and fill details record.
5. Switch on the pump marked 'Liquid' on filling 13. Remove the closing down line adapter.
cabinet and fill container to required weight, refer to fill
14. If valve does not close after 5 applications, the
tolerances table 19. (less approximately 0.7kg ( 1.5lbs)
cylinder must be de-pressurised. Refer to section on
which is present in pipework and will be forced through
"Decanting Containers through rig." Ensure vent valve
during pressurisation). When the fill is reached switch
is closed when not required to prevent contamination
off pump.
on fill line.
6. Remove container from scales, zero scales and
15. Test all ports with leak detection spray, and
weigh to verify fill is within tolerance, adjust if required.
Schrader with water/soap solution.
7. Attach low pressure switch wires to test box and
If a leaks is observed, minor leaks may be cured by
regulate nitrogen pressure to 13.8 bar (200psi) on fill rig
tightening the offending components.
and switch on supply.
16. Remove fill hose and filling adapter, leak test the
8. Slowly increase the nitrogen pressure on the ap-
outlet and attach safety cap. Note : When leak testing
proved pressure regulator to the stated pressure on the
outlet with spray, do not look directly into port, examine
filling instruction sheet, making the relevant allowances
quickly from an angle.)
in pressure to compensate for the current room tempera-
ture (see the temperature correction chart Table 20.). Read 17. Reset scales and note down gross weight.
off the calibrated external fill pressure gauge to deter-
mine when the intended charging pressure has been 18. Make certain all safety caps are in place, schrader
reached. (Check that the container pressure gauge reads protection cap Part No' 91185.
within +/- 1bar (+/- 14.5 psi) of the fill gauge, replace 19. Attach label to container stating the following
container gauge if outside this tolerance). information. Job number, Customer, Project, Container
size, Fill weight, Gross weight, Date filled, Type of agent.
Caution. When superpressurising, a pressure 20. Place container in bonded area for leak monitor-
regulator must be used when the pressure ing for at least 24 hours prior to dispatch.
source is a tank of high pressure gas. 21. After 24 hours a Leak Test on the container is
conducted - see section on Container / valve assy leak-
age test.
Ensure that the test box registers a change in state
(normally open to normally closed or normally closed to 22. Insert fill information on to container label.
normally open) at approximately 21 bar rising (350 psi). 8 Ltr Container: Label part No.4284
9. Agitate the container to accelerate nitrogen ab-
sorption into the agent and top up the pressure accord- 16 to 180 Ltr Container: Label part No.4294
ingly. Switch off nitrogen supply once absorption has
stopped. 23. Adhere label to container 50mm (2") below the
container top fixing bracket height.
10. Attach the closing down adaptor to the con-
tainer valve top cap and connect the nitrogen closing
down line. Regulate the nitrogen pressure to 40 bar (580
psi) with the fill rig.
11. Open the closing down valve for 1 second only
to force the valve shuttle down. The container valve can
be heard to close. Turn off the nitrogen supply and vent
the closing down line with the needle valve.
12. Vent the fill hose to atmosphere. If the pressure
drops to zero as shown on fill rig gauge marked outlet
within 10 seconds, the valve has closed. (Top up if
necessary)
Transportation
Containers that have passed all required tests and
have been filled or recharged must be stored, trans-
ported and installed in the vertical position. A warning
label will be placed on a container to indicate this re-
quirement. See figure 52.
This only applies to 8 - 52 Ltr containers only.
Figure 52.
Transportation Warning Label.
Warranty
Following the commissioning of the system, all equip-
ment will be covered by the company's twelve month
parts warranty (excluding parts accidentally or mali-
ciously damaged by others). For further information, re-
fer to MACRON SAFETY SYSTEMS 'Terms and condi-
tions' document.