Fire sprinklers are highly effective active systems against fires. Over 96% of fires in buildings are controlled by fire sprinklers alone. They’re affordable, effective and simple, which explains why every year over 40 million fire sprinkler heads are fitted in houses, large and small, factories and commercial buildings. In some countries these systems are mandatory in such places as hotels, factories, meeting places, schools, and museums. Let’s look how they work.
The essential components are a water supply system and a fire sprinkler head. The sprinkler head is made up of a plug, a liquid-filled glass bulb, a sprinkler, and a frame. When a fire starts, the temperature of the environment rises and the liquid in the glass bulb begins to expand. If the temperature continues to rise, the liquid expands so much that it breaks the glass. There’s then nothing left to stop the water and it begins to come out from the plug. When water hits the sprinkler, it’s spread over a larger area.
There are different types of glass bulb filled with different liquids and these are color-coded. Orange bulbs have an operational temperature of 57C/135F, red bulbs’ 68C/155F, yellow bulbs’ 79C/175F, green bulbs’ 93C/200F, blue bulbs’ 141C/286F, purple bulbs’ 182C/360F, and black bulbs’ 227C/440F.
Fire sprinkler systems operate in different ways as well. The type we’ve just explained is known as a wet pipe system and is the commonest in use. Each sprinkler head is activated independently and the main goal is to reduce water damage in the event of a false alarm.
Another type is the dry pipe system. In this, the pipes are filled with pressurized nitrogen, which is released if a fire activates the valves in the sprinkler head. The pipes then fill with water, which is discharged over the smoke or flames. Dry pipe systems are widely used in cold climates since there’s a high risk of frozen pipes preventing an emergency fire response
Pre-action systems are a kind of dry pipe sprinkler system that require two activation steps. When heat or smoke is detected, the pre-action valve opens and allow water into the pipes. Then, the sprinkler heads can be individually activated to release water over the fire. This two-step process enables facilities to shut off the system in case of a false alarm, protecting assets from water damage. Pre-action systems are especially useful in places where accidental discharge could lead to irreparable damage, such as in museums, libraries, and data centers.
Another type of system is the deluge sprinkler system, which also uses dry pipe technology. However, in this system, the sprinkler heads are always open. The sprinkler heads don’t have heat-sensing elements but, instead, are activated by external smoke or heat sensors. Once heat is detected, water fills the pipes and is released to all open sprinkler heads, creating a flooding effect across the entire area. This system is most often used in industries with flammable liquids, which pose the threat of rapidly-spreading fires.
Fire sprinklers are highly effective active systems against fires. Over 96% of fires in buildings are controlled by fire sprinklers alone. They’re affordable, effective and simple, which explains why every year over 40 million fire sprinkler heads are fitted in houses, large and small, factories and commercial buildings. In some countries these systems are mandatory in such places as hotels, factories, meeting places, schools, and museums. Let’s look how they work.
The essential components are a water supply system and a fire sprinkler head. The sprinkler head is made up of a plug, a liquid-filled glass bulb, a sprinkler, and a frame. When a fire starts, the temperature of the environment rises and the liquid in the glass bulb begins to expand. If the temperature continues to rise, the liquid expands so much that it breaks the glass. There’s then nothing left to stop the water and it begins to come out from the plug. When water hits the sprinkler, it’s spread over a larger area.
There are different types of glass bulb filled with different liquids and these are color-coded. Orange bulbs have an operational temperature of 57C/135F, red bulbs’ 68C/155F, yellow bulbs’ 79C/175F, green bulbs’ 93C/200F, blue bulbs’ 141C/286F, purple bulbs’ 182C/360F, and black bulbs’ 227C/440F.
Fire sprinkler systems operate in different ways as well. The type we’ve just explained is known as a wet pipe system and is the commonest in use. Each sprinkler head is activated independently and the main goal is to reduce water damage in the event of a false alarm.
Another type is the dry pipe system. In this, the pipes are filled with pressurized nitrogen, which is released if a fire activates the valves in the sprinkler head. The pipes then fill with water, which is discharged over the smoke or flames. Dry pipe systems are widely used in cold climates since there’s a high risk of frozen pipes preventing an emergency fire response
Pre-action systems are a kind of dry pipe sprinkler system that require two activation steps. When heat or smoke is detected, the pre-action valve opens and allow water into the pipes. Then, the sprinkler heads can be individually activated to release water over the fire. This two-step process enables facilities to shut off the system in case of a false alarm, protecting assets from water damage. Pre-action systems are especially useful in places where accidental discharge could lead to irreparable damage, such as in museums, libraries, and data centers.
Another type of system is the deluge sprinkler system, which also uses dry pipe technology. However, in this system, the sprinkler heads are always open. The sprinkler heads don’t have heat-sensing elements but, instead, are activated by external smoke or heat sensors. Once heat is detected, water fills the pipes and is released to all open sprinkler heads, creating a flooding effect across the entire area. This system is most often used in industries with flammable liquids, which pose the threat of rapidly-spreading fires.
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