Pharmaceutical

 

We have over a decade of experience providing critical life safety services to the pharmaceutical industry.  Our expert team is trained in the safe and effective design of fire protection systems typically used within the pharmaceutical industry.  By analyzing the hazard type we can, design, supply, install, and certify the most appropriate fire protection system to ensure business continuity, a safe working environment, and complete equipment protection.

 

Switch Rooms / Comms Rooms

We at Wilec recognize the critical role of on-site switch rooms and comms rooms that house and control all the network and electrical equipment.  In the event of a fire, the damage is measured not just by the equipment value, but also the sequence of events that may follow, including:

 

“Loss of Data”

“Operation Downtime”

“Time spent in data recovery and regeneration”

 

Laboratory Spaces

We offer fire protection solutions for all types of laboratory spaces.  By inspecting the protected area and all associated hazards, we can utilize our extensive range of extinguishing agents to provide the most effective solution, whether that be water, gas, or foam.

 

Datacentres

With the continually growing data centre market, in Ireland and beyond, it is essential that these buildings have the best fire protection solutions on the market.  For this application, we look at two key considerations:

“Protection of equipment and data”

“Protection of Personnel and anyone on site”

 

These considerations are important when choosing the extinguishing agent.  Typically, in Datacentres, we observe two hazard classes:

“Ordinary Class A: Fire of Materials such as wood, fabric, rubber and certain plastics”

“A+ Electrical Hazards”

 

The main sources of fire in Datacentres are:

 

Internal Sources	External Sources
Sparks caused by switches	Dirt
Short-Circuits and Electric Overload	Equipment Overheating / Thermal Conditions
Static Electricity	Solar Radiation

 

 

Solution

Typically for a Data Centre we would recommend two forms of protection.  It is not practical to use a gaseous solution for large data processing halls due to the quantity of cylinders required, therefore we look to a water mist solution.

For the smaller server rooms, we can use a gaseous solution such as Inergen or Novec as the quantity of cylinders required are normally much less.  We can use a bank of cylinders to simultaneously protect multiple rooms by using selector valves.

 

Benefits of Gaseous Bank Systems

The extinguishing agent is low-cost when using inert

All components are located in the same room

Reduced cylinder requirement

Reduced extinguishing agent requirement

Naturally occurring gases so zero ozone depletion potential (ODP) and the greenhouse effect

Suitable for occupied areas

Easy to connect a reserve supply

 

 

Other considerations and solutions for Datacentres

 

Silencers

“Free discharge of fire protection systems contributes to high frequencies and sound pressures of over 110dB that may affect sensitive equipment found within Datacentres, such as hard drives. In collaboration with our partner manufacturer, we can offer fire protection systems that operate below 90dB by installing silencer nozzles that offer maximum benefit when used with inert gases.”

 

Raised Floors / False Ceilings

“It is common to find raised floors and false ceilings in many data centres, particularly those on a large scale.  Often these areas are difficult to maintain and inspect and contain electrical equipment and other potential hazards, that have a fire load and therefore must be protected.  We can offer both fire detection and protection for these difficult-to-reach places.”

 

Healthcare

Hospital Facilities are generally vast areas that span across a number of floors and present various fire hazards that require effective fire protection.  The areas that pose the greatest risk of fire in hospitals are:

 

“Occupied Spaces – Corridors/Waiting Rooms/Wards”

“Operating Theatres”

“Laboratories”

“Kitchens”

“Document Storage Rooms”

“Comms/Server Rooms”

“Generator Rooms”

“Laundry Facilities”

 

This highlights the complex nature and various sources of fire within a hospital building, which in turn requires a systematic and versatile approach to fire protection.

For continuous fire protection, we can offer High-Pressure Watermist that is installed using AISI 316L stainless steel piping that provides a clean and hygienic H2O discharge.  It can be used for many applications and can be retrofitted easily due to the smaller pipe diameter required.  Water usage is approximately 85% less than in a standard sprinkler system which offers a more environmentally friendly solution with minimal to no damage on equipment and material.

For laboratory spaces and server/comms rooms where Watermist may not be suitable, we can offer Inert or Chemical Clean agents that offer fast and effective fire suppression.

 

Commercial Spaces

 

Offices, Hotels, Shopping Centres, etc.

These areas are classified as occupied areas and if a fire were to break out, it presents an obvious threat to life.  This also means that the chosen extinguishing agent must be clean and non-toxic.  Watermist is the solution that ticks all the boxes.

 

Libraries, Museums & Heritage Buildings

 

It goes without saying, that many of these buildings are home to the most valuable documents and artifacts of cultural and historical importance, some of which are priceless.  Therefore, they need fast and effective fire detection and suppression to ensure their infinite preservation.

The contents of such buildings present an extremely high fire load, meaning that the potential for outbreak and the severity of the fire is greater than in most other applications.  To add to this, many of these buildings were designed and built centuries ago, when fire safety was not at the forefront of good design and practice. 

Early Detection

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Fast Suppression

Smoke Detection, typically Aspirating Smoke Detectors (ASD) or Optical Smoke Detectors achieve the earliest detection of fire. Watermist offers a clean, non-toxic solution that suppresses fire fast with 85% less H2O than a standard sprinkler system, minimizing any potential damage to equipment and material.  The requirement for smaller pipe sizing means that we can offer a more subtle installation by altering our piping network to maintain aesthetics without affecting the system performance. We can also offer Inert and Chemical Clean Agents where Watermist is not suitable, provided room integrity is achievable.

Generators, Machinery Spaces and Plant Rooms

We are highly experienced in the protection of generators, transformers, machinery spaces, and plant rooms.  Our manufacturer’s extensive product range means we can offer the most appropriate solution for the application.  Sites rely on the uninterrupted operation of these rooms and equipment to maintain onsite production and so fast suppression in the event of a  fire is essential for business continuity.

 

Solutions

Water Mist (Where dampers are louvres are controlled)

CO2