Use of Inert Gas Fire Suppression Systems for Data Centers

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Information Technology sector is a vital part of today's economy, providing businesses and individuals with access to critical information and services.

As such, the protection of IT assets, such as data centers and server rooms, is of utmost importance. Data centers are critical infrastructure that store and process massive amounts of sensitive data for businesses and organizations around the world. Protecting these facilities from fire is of paramount importance, as a fire could result in the loss of data, downtime, and even potential harm to human life. Inert gas-based fire suppression systems offer a reliable and safe method for protecting data centers and server rooms from fire.

National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) standard for clean agent fire suppression systems (NFPA 2001) includes guidelines for the use of inert gas-based systems, among other types of clean agents, in data centers and other critical facilities.

One of the key benefits of inert gas-based fire suppression systems is that they are safe for use in occupied spaces. As an alternate system to traditional fire suppression systems, which use water or other chemicals to extinguish fires, inert gas-based systems use a combination of gases, such as nitrogen, argon, and carbon dioxide, to suppress fires. These gases are non-toxic and do not leave any residue, making them safe for use in areas where people are present. Another advantage of inert gas-based fire suppression systems is that they are effective in suppressing fires quickly. The gases used in these systems are released rapidly, flooding the protected space, and reducing the oxygen level to a point where fires cannot be sustained.

This rapid suppression of fires can help prevent the spread of fire and minimize damage to IT assets, reducing downtime and ensuring business continuity. Inert gas-based fire suppression systems also offer the benefit of minimal clean-up after fire. Traditional fire suppression systems, such as those that use water or foam, can leave behind significant amounts of residue that can damage IT assets and require extensive clean-up. In contrast, inert gas-based systems do not leave any residue, eliminating the need for clean-up and minimizing the potential for damage to IT assets.

These systems use a combination of gases, such as nitrogen, argon, and carbon dioxide, to suppress fires without causing damage to the sensitive electronic equipment found in data centers. In this article, we will discuss the use of these systems in data centers and the international standards that govern their use. The use of inert gas-based fire suppression systems in data centers is governed by few international standards. The two most important standards are NFPA 2001 and ISO 14520. These standards provide guidelines for the design, installation, and maintenance of inert gas-based fire suppression systems, ensuring that they are effective and safe for use in data centers. NFPA 2001 is the standard for clean agent fire suppression systems. It provides guidelines for the design, installation, and maintenance of fire suppression systems that use clean agents, including inert gases. This standard ensures that the systems are effective in suppressing fires while minimizing damage to the equipment and the environment. ISO 14520 is the international standard for gaseous fire-extinguishing systems. It provides guidelines for the design, installation, and maintenance of fire suppression systems that use gaseous agents, including inert gases.

One should understand that it is very important to conduct a thorough fire hazard assessment, select the appropriate gas, ensure the room’s integrity, design an effective piping network, consider the gas storage requirements, and design an effective alarm and control system. These factors are critical to ensuring the system’s effectiveness in protecting the intended space from fire.

HD Fire Protect offers the HD Inertsys inert gas fire suppression system as one of its flagship products. The system is designed to quickly extinguish fires in areas where water-based fire suppression systems are not practical or effective. The HD Inertsys system uses a combination of argone, nitrogen and CO2 gases, which are stored in high-pressure cylinders (200/300 bar) and released through a network of piping and discharge nozzles. One of the key features of the HD Inertsys system is its ability to quickly suppress fires while minimizing damage to the protected space and its contents. The system works by reducing the oxygen concentration in the protected area to a level that cannot sustain combustion. The system is effective in suppressing fires involving Class A, B, and C combustibles, including electrical fires.

The HD Inertsys system is designed to be environmentally friendly, with zero ozone depletion potential and zero global warming potential. The system is also safe for use in occupied spaces and does not leave any residue or cause any damage to IT assets. The HD Inertsys system is available in various sizes and configurations, making it suitable for a wide range of applications, from small server rooms to large IT data centers and industrial facilities. The system is designed and manufactured with VdS Approval. Overall, the HD Inertsys inert gas fire suppression system is a reliable and effective solution for protecting critical assets from fire, and it has been widely adopted by various industries worldwide.

Special Projects

In addition to the design and manufacture of standard fire-fighting products, we can also provide customised and bespoke engineered systems to meet individual customer needs or applications for special projects. Special units and skids are made on demand according to your specifications. Our technical service and engineering teams can assist you on special project requirements for various fire-protection and related applications. From initial concept and design to commissioning and on-site assistance, we can offer our support
One such example was use of Varsha Nozzles for sound suppression application in ISRO rocket launch station. Our Varsha nozzles were used for excessive sound suppression during the GSLV Mark III launch. Acoustic sound suppression was developed by ISRO in order to suppress large decibel sound by attenuating noise using water quenching method. Selection of HD Varsha Nozzles was made to ensure that water jet from all ends meet at the definite points of launch pad. Extensive performance tests of Varsha nozzles were carried out in Jalgaon.

Data Centers

Uptime of Data centers remains critical to most of the businesses today due to cloud-based models. Data centers and server rooms can consist of very costly as well as fragile devices – responsible for backing-up several critical industries. Any problem or down time can be extremely problematic to business continuity of many industries. Therefore automatic and fast-acting fire fighting systems are ideal for such applications.
Data centers and server rooms are typically protected by “total-flooding” clean agent inert gas systems. Inert gas fire suppression agent is made up of 100% argon, nitrogen, or mixture of both and/or CO2. Most popular being the IG-541 system, consisting of 52% Nitrogen, 40% Argon and 8% Carbon Dioxide. These inert gasses are non-reactive to chemical interactions, making them exceptionally safe and effective for putting out fires in data centers. IG-541 extinguishes the fire by reducing the residual oxygen concentration to a level that no longer supports combustion.
Alternately, even a Single or Double-Interlock Pre-Action system can be effectively used in protection of data centers and server rooms, in cases where sprinkler system needs be used with multiple detection mechanisms.
Protection of stand-alone electrical cabinets and machines can be done with CO2 based automatic fire suppression systems like HD-RAKSHAK, a system within the electrical cabinet itself, close to circuits where a fire can occur. The fire detection tubing actuates the system and instantly floods the entire cabinet area with CO2 extinguishing agent.

Commercial & Residential Buildings, Hotels and Airports

The automatic wet pipe fire sprinkler system is most common type of sprinkler system installed in buildings. Alarm valves act as check valves and to give an alarm in case of fire. The alarm is through water motor gong audible alarm bell or through a signal from pressure or flow switch.
This applies to commercial buildings, hotels, meeting rooms, logistics areas and production buildings or warehouses. In case of fire, the sprinkler system is automatically activated during the initial phase, thus preventing the fire from spreading. Sprinkler systems are designed in accordance to NFPA 13.
The pre-action system is used when it is required to have two triggers in order to start water flow through the sprinkler system. It greatly helps that the pre-action fire sprinkler can be set to prevent water from spouting in case of a false alarm or a mechanical failure. The pre-action system is good for use in places where the sprinklers are necessary in case of actual fire only so there is no water damage of any items in building due to inadvertent opening of sprinklers.

Power Plants

Power plants are characterized by their complex systems consisting of many high-risk areas and therefore reliable fire extinguishing systems are essential to ensure the safety in such places.
Steam and gas turbo generators operating at high temperature and speed contain large quantities of lubricating oil and constitute to a major risk of fire. Deluge water spray systems are commonly used in the protection of such machines.
Coal is transported on encased conveyor belts that run across coal processing stations. Fire detection and medium velocity automatic deluge water spray systems are most suitable for protection of coal conveyor belts.
Pre-action water spray systems are best suited for turbine fire protection because of their high assurance against inadvertent discharge
In certain risk areas, fire-fighting foams are added to deluge systems to reinforce the fire-suppression effect.
High-velocity water spray nozzles for protection of fixed hazards such as transformers, circuit breakers, turbo alternators, lube oil systems, oil fired boilers, and similar hazards.
Outdoor oil-filled transformers containing over 500 gallons of oil should be protected by automatic deluge water spray systems.
Fixed water spray systems are designed as per NFPA 15.

Oil & Gas, Petrochemical

Deluge water spray fixed systems for cooling of storage tanks, bullets, spheres, structures, and flammable liquid storage areas. These systems are designed as per NFPA 15. HD deluge valves offer reliable and robust solutions. Deluge valves can be operated by manual, hydraulic, pneumatic or electric trims. HD medium velocity nozzles come in a combination of k-factors and spray angles to offer effective spray pattern for cooling applications.
Fixed foam systems for open top floating and cone roof flammable liquid storage tanks. These systems are designed as per NFPA 11. HD foam chambers and rim seal foam pourers cover a wide range of flow rates and offer effective foam discharge solutions, making these ideal systems for storage tank applications.
Foam bladder tank systems provide accurate, dependable, and cost-effective foam fire protection for a variety of flammable/combustible hazard areas, with no external power other than water pressure. Water is applied to the outside surface of the bladder, displacing foam the concentrate inside the bladder, which then is injected into the water stream.
Foam-water sprinkler systems for flammable liquid storage and handling areas. These systems are designed as per NFPA 16. Foam sprinkler systems are more effective than a water-only system when evaluated for the same risk. They provide for actual extinguishment of the fire and a lower water demand.
Custom engineered foam systems are ideal for foam proportioning applications for a range of foam discharge.
Range of monitors is used in petrochemical storage and refineries.