FIRETRACE International, best known for its Firetrace fire suppression systems for the protection of micro-environments, recently unveiled its new full-room, Firetrace Total Flooding system to complement its tube-based systems.

The system was launched at the recent International Firex, the UK’s largest, dedicated fire safety event, held in Birmingham (May 16 to 19), where the firm also showcased a number of applications for its tube-based, in-cabinet Firetrace fire detection and suppression system.

The tube-based solutions are now protecting in excess of 150,000 installations around the world. With this latest enhancement, the company can now lay claim to featuring the widest range of agent cylinder sizes, spanning from less than 0.45 kg to in excess of 544 kg.

Bill Eckholm, president and CEO of the US-based company, comments: “We remain committed to the principle that the majority of business-critical assets are most cost-efficiently and effectively safeguarded by providing them with dedicated in-cabinet protection. By adding a full-room, total-flooding system to our portfolio of fire safety solutions, and backing it with Firetrace International’s technical, applications and installations expertise, we are providing our customers around the world with a single-source of supply for mission-critical asset protection, irrespective of the shape or size of the enclosure.”

Coinciding with the launch of Firetrace Total Flooding, which is currently available in the US and throughout the Middle East, Firetrace International established its regional office in Dubai to provide dedicated support to customers throughout the region.

“The response from existing Firetrace customers and new business prospects clearly shows that our new Firetrace Total Flooding system provides the full-room fire protection for sensitive mission-critical assets that the Middle East is seeking,” says Jim Dickinson, Firetrace International Middle East’s business development manager.

In turn, Firetrace International Middle East has announced the appointment of Jeddah-based Saudi Sicli as the company’s authorised distributor for Saudi Arabia.

Commenting on the appointment, Dickinson says: “The appointment of a company with the professionalism, experience and reputation of Saudi Sicli will enable us to more effectively take the product to the Saudi market. Equally important, it will ensure that Firetrace customers throughout the kingdom receive the level of world-class service and support that is a fundamental part of the Firetrace offering.

The new engineered and pre-engineered Firetrace Total Flooding system is UL (Underwriters Laboratories) listed and utilises DuPont FM-200 that has established itself as one of the most popular clean fire suppression agents. This is due to its ability to quickly knock down Class A, B and C fires with no risk of thermal shock damage to delicate equipment.

When it comes to choosing between in-cabinet fire suppression and full-room total flooding for the protection of business-critical assets, size may be a deciding factor. “But the smart answer in many cases is not to choose between in-cabinet and total flooding solutions, but to use a combination of the two,” says Nick Grant, EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) vice-president and general manager of Firetrace International.

Applications for the Firetrace in-cabinet system include the protection of fume cupboards in the pharmaceuticals and research sectors, bus and coach engine protection, manufacturing and workshop equipment protection, and electrical and control cabinets throughout the telecommunications, mass transit, power generation, mining and petrochemicals industries.

Firetrace is specifically designed to safeguard electrical cabinets and machinery control cabinets from the ravages of fire. The stand-alone automatic fire suppression system quickly and inexpensively detects and suppresses a fire inside the cabinet, keeping damage to a minimum and preventing the spread of fire to adjoining cabinets. This ensures that the cabinet can resume its function as an essential part of the plant’s production process in the shortest possible time.
A major benefit of Firetrace is that, in addition to detection taking place inside the cabinet itself, because the system is self-seeking, detection is at the very point where the fire breaks out. This is possible because the system utilises Firetrace detection tubing.

The Firetrace Direct Release System is used in electrical cabinets. This utilises the Firetrace tube as both the detection device and the suppressant delivery system.

When the tubing detects a fire anywhere along its length it ruptures, forming an effective spray nozzle that automatically releases the entire contents of the cylinder, extinguishing the fire precisely where it starts and before it can do extensive damage to the cabinet. The entire cabinet is filled with extinguishing agent at a design concentration that prevents fire spread and re-ignition. In fact, due to the discharge being via the tubing rupture, a number of cabinets can be protected with a single Firetrace system, as the system will deliver the suppression agent only to the affected cabinet, the spokesman explains.

The Firetrace detection tubing is linked to an extinguishing agent cylinder. A wide selection of suppression agents is available from Firetrace International, the choice being dependent upon the particular characteristics of the fire hazard and any environmental considerations.

“For electrical cabinets and enclosures, such as fuse panels, switchgear and relays, the most appropriate suppression agents include 3M Novec 1230 fire protection fluid and DuPont FM200. Both of these clean-agent suppressants leave no residue to damage sensitive equipment; they are non-conductive and non-corrosive, making them ideal for electrical components. Significantly, Firetrace is self-activating, which means it does not require any electrical power and is intrinsically safe,” the spokesman concludes.