Johnson Controls has introduced an innovative 70 bar gaseous fire suppression system, enabling higher fill densities at an increased pressure – reducing footprint, installation costs and service time.
Part of the proven HYGOOD SAPPHIRE® range, SAPPHIRE PLUS is designed to optimise fire safety performance in high value areas, such as power plants, telecommunications, aviation, transport, IT, medical facilities and museums. In addition, SAPPHIRE PLUS is UL Listed, FM approved and EN compliant, allowing complete confidence in its fire suppression capability.
Leading the market, the SAPPHIRE PLUS system will deliver an increased container pressure rating of 70 bar – a substantial increase from traditional SAPPHIRE 25 and 42 bar pressures. The greater pressure allows fill densities of up to 1.4kg/L, reducing the number of containers required. It also enables extended pipe runs — above 100 metres — meaning the containers can be stored further away from the protected space. As a result of the increased pressure capability, multiple hazards can be protected from a single container bank, through the use of selector valves – helping plant and facility managers save valuable costs and reduce installation time.
The new system has also been developed to include all approvals and listings in one single global platform, without the need to switch to a different equipment range to suit regional variations in the accepted approvals and listings. Benefits therefore include compliance with all national and international standards such as EN 15004, ISO 14520 and NFPA 2001.
The new SAPPHIRE PLUS gaseous fire suppression system has been specifically developed to help suppress fires quickly and easily in areas with valuable equipment, where other technologies could be less effective. SAPPHIRE PLUS provides protection to high value assets, resulting in less damage, reduced downtime and lower installation costs. With zero ozone depletion potential, a global warming potential of just 1 and a high margin of safety, it is also a safe choice for both people and the environment.
SAPPHIRE PLUS delivers 3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid, a clear, colorless agent that vaporises on discharge, absorbing heat and providing total flooding to suppress fire. With automatic detection and an extended temperature range, from –18°C to 65°C, the new system is ideal for use in the protection of high value assets, such as in power generation plant control rooms across the world, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The SAPPHIRE PLUS system offers a greater degree of flexibility than with lower pressure systems, helping with the design of selector valves systems and offering opportunities for the containers to be stored remote from the protected hazards. The high safety margin of Novec™ 1230 FireProtection Fluid would be particularly useful if standardised container fills are used in a selector valve system designs, resulting in more agent being deployed in some of the protected hazards.
Miguel Coll, Product Director for Engineered Systems, Johnson Controls, comments, “With the launch of SAPPHIRE PLUS, we aim to set new standards in fire protection. An extension of our reliable SAPPHIRE range, the new system will allow greater design flexibility in high value assets – while offering the same proven fast acting fire suppression.”
To coincide with the launch of the new system, Johnson Controls is also introducing an interactive tool, to demonstrate how SAPPHIRE PLUS can bring benefits to both large and small high value areas. Users can apply the tool to help plan the best fire suppression solution for the environment.
