FIRE PROTECTION

SYSTEMS

ACTIVE FIRE SYSTEM

PASSIVE FIRE SYSTEM
 Three pillars of fire protection

Detection
Suppression
Containment
Active system
system
Needs action to start operating
Fire protection system that
requires power or water to
operate.
Used to extinguish fire.
Passive
Needs no action. Also cannot be turned off.
Requires no power or water to operate
Systems meant to contain fire
Includes the following applications:
a) Fire Proof Doors

Includes the following: b) Partitions and Ceilings

c) Fire rated ducts

a) Sprinklers
d) Structural steel protection
b) Fire extinguishers e) Fire stop seals

c) Smoke alarms f) Intumescent fire seals

g) Fire resistant paints

d) Heat alarms
h) Wired and toughened glass.
e) Emergency lighting
Active Fire Protection
Fire Extinguishers:
1. Water Extinguishers: Use water and foam; released in
the form of long jet of duration 2.5 min.
Advantage: No acid bottle; hence max safety for person operating
And Refilling it. .
Disadvantage: Used only on class A fire. Water has higher density
Than most inflammable liquids. Hence danger of expanding fire.
2. Dry Chemicals: Operating pressure is 7.5 to 15 bar.
Used on class A,B,C fires. Works on smothering action; cuts off supply of O2.
Use chemicals to dampen the chemical reaction.
Advantage: This is very fast in putting out fire.
Disadvantage: It is one time operation type.

3. Carbon dioxide: Used for Class B and C fires (liquids, gases and electric fires)
Filled with liquid CO2 to 2/3, Evaporated gas is 1/3.
Works on smothering action; cuts off supply of O2.
Advantage: It is reusable.
Disadvantage: Has no cooling effect, hence not used in class A.
Comes with discharge horn to stop entrainment of air with CO2.
Smoke Detectors
Can initiate an alarm much quicker than a heat detector because
it responds to smoke generated very early in a fire's development.
Can be powered by 9V battery or can be wired into electric circuit.
2 basic types of smoke detectors:
1. Photoelectric: uses a photocell coupled with specific light sound.
Smoke entering smoke detector disrupts the light beam causing
an alarm to start.
2. Ionization Smoke Detector: responds to smoke particles that
interrupt flow of ionised air molecules moving between two
electrodes within the detector. Responds faster to flaming fires
versus smoldering fires.
Active Fire Protection
Automatic Sprinkler system: Based on horizontal
water distribution at ceiling lvl. covering an area
of potential fire hazard. Usually the net work
consists of pipes of 20mm dia fixed to the ceiling.
Pipes are spaced at 3m center to center. Heat
actuated sprinkler heads are fixed to theses pipes.
It involves the following:
1. Water supply system
2. Water distribution piping system
3. Fire sprinklers (sprinkler head operates
individually as the heat reaches the bulb and the
red alcohol in the bulb causes it to shatter).
Active Fire Protection
Fire Alarms: Installed to give an alarm and to call for assistance in
event of fire. They can be manual (hand bell type or similar located
near all main exits) or automatic (starts automatically and sends
message to the nearest control point/ fire brigade station; usually
present in large industrial buildings).
Fire Hydrant: These are provided on aring main of 150 mm dia in
the ground around the building periphery. The ring main gets water
from underground tank.
Wet Riser: System consists of 100 to 150 mm dia vertical GI pipes
at suitable locations in the building. A fire pump is used to feed
water from underground tank to these pipes.
Dry Riser: Adry riseris a normally empty pipe that can be
externally connected to a pressurized water source. They are used
when the water pressure of a building wouldn't be enough for fire
suppression, and in unheated buildings where the pipes could
freeze. Dry risers have to allow access to afire engine within 18m
of the dry riser inlet box. Dry risers in occupied buildings have to be
within a fire-resistant shaft, usually one of a building's fire escape
staircase enclosures
Passive Fire Protection
Objective of Passive Fire Protection:
To contain fire, to compartmentalise fire for a period of
time so that it can be suppressed or extinguished before
it travels. Also to ensure safe fire escape of building
occupants. In case people are trapped, then fire fighters
have enough time to rescue them.
Passive fire protection system works on containment
and compartmentation.
Includes Fire rated partitions, ceilings, doors and
penetration seals.
Compartmentation
Restricting the movement of fire/ smoke from one part
of the building to another when active system is unable
to control.
This occurs when fire is at the flash over stage.
Compartmentation does not mean that every cabin
needs to be fire rated. It means that only critical areas,
depending on the type of building and the material
stored.
Fundamental Principle is the integrity of subdividing
elements must be maintained and there can be no weak
points or cavities.
Where is Passive Fire Protection
Mechanical and Electrical enclosures around mechanical and
electrical services, penetrations due to passage of cable trays,
ducts or services should be protected.
All types of building joints such as expansion joints shld also be
protected. Access doors should be fire rated to compartments that
need compartmentation.
Fire can travel easily through shafts (lift shats, service shafts,
escape routes). So shafts should have fire rated walls and should
be sealed at every floor.
Fire Resistant Ducts need protection as they can spread fire to the
whole building. Ducts provided in the basement for smoke
extraction shld also be fire rated.
Passive Fire Protection Systems
1. Fire Walls/ Partitions and Ceilings :
.Required in Fire safe lobby, fire escape routes and compartmentation of
critical areas like Generator Room, Data Room, Vertical Shafts (Electrical,
sanitary, pantry shafts).
.Generally 100mm thk walls of concrete are given 2 hours (concrete being
non homogenous material and its fire performance depends on the
constituents).
.Normal brick wall (230 mm) also gives 2 hr fire rating.
.Gypsum boards are fire rated. 50mm thk board can provide 2 hr
protection. They are called Dry Wall. It is endothermic due to presence of
water of crystallisation in the form of hydrates. So the adjacent spaces
cannot get warmer than 100deg (bp of water) untill the water in the board
has vanished.
Passive Fire Protection Systems
(contd)
2. Firestopping :
Firestopping is the sealing of the gaps in fire resistant construction.
To maintain integrity of the compartment, all openings shld be closed
by fire stop systems.
Gaps are created due to : Service penetrations, curtain wall gaps
between floors, structural movements and bldg joints (expansion
joints), poor workmanship.
Gaps are filled with smoke seals made of intumescent material
(which will expand and fill gaps when exposed to higher temp).
Normal plastic pipes melt under high temp. Suitable plastic pipes with
intumescent material in them should be used so that gaps can close in
case of fire.
Passive Fire Protection Systems
(contd)
3. Firebarrier:
Fire barrier is fire resistant system installed in concealed spaces or
between structural elements of a bldg to prevent propagation of fire.
Steel buildings need fire barrier. Although steel melts at 1500 deg C,
it loses its load bearing capacity in excess of 550 deg C. (failure
value of steel is between 550 to 700 deg C). Risk of collapse of bldg
increases drastically if steel structure is unprotected.
Methods used for protecting steel are using protective mats/wraps,
board cladding (gypsum/ calcium Silicate) and fire paints.
The most common is cementitious spray (gypsum/portland cement)
due to low cost.
Passive Fire Protection Systems
(contd)
4. Fire Resistant Ducts:
Sheet metal ducts can distort under fire.
Types of ducts:
a. Smoke extraction: Usually in basements where self smoke escape is
not possible. Pressurization ducts are installed in escape routes so
air is blown to create high pressure so that when door opens, fire
shld not travel due to +ve pressure difference.
b. HVAC ducts are only insulated for condensation and heat gain but
not protected with fire dampers due to heavy cost.
.Fire protective wraps , board cladding and cementitious sprays are
used for making ducts fire resistant.
Passive Fire Protection Systems
(contd)
5. Fire Dampers:
System provided at every junction where HVAC are
passing through a compartment. During fire, these
dampers get activated and block the duct which
segregates the duct.
6. Fire Resistant Glass:
When glass heats up , temp gradient is produced. There
is higher expansion at the center than at edge creating
a brittle fracture.
Wired Glass and Clear glass can be fire resistant; used
in fire doors and data rooms where vision from inside to