New Marine Fire Suppressant Fills Halon Void
More than 350 small boats are involved in fires each year in the UK alone, so an effective on board fire suppression system is essential. Until recently, Halon was thought to be the best firefighting medium for use in automatic systems but it was found to extremely damaging to the environment and production ceased in 1995.
Since then, it has been phased out by most users and will be banned under the Montreal Protocol and Kyoto Agreement from 31 December 2002.
One of the latest replacement marine fire suppressants is Pyrogen, a small and lightweight fire extinguishing system from Pyrogen Yacht Services UK Ltd in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
Born out of the Soyuz space programme, Pyrogen claims three times greater effectiveness than Halon. It is an aerosol which behaves like a gas, attacking the fire both chemically and physically to extinguish it virtually at once and prevent re-ignition.
Pyrogen is effective against Class A, B, C, E and F type fires.<$>It is undergoing certification worldwide and its latest approvals, including that of the MCA, are listed on the company website.<$>Pyrogen cannisters are lightweight and safe to transport and require no additional pipes, nozzles or distribution equipment.
The units cannot leak, burst or deteriorate and, depending on conditions, will store for up to ten years.
They can be electronically or automatically activated and once discharged, new cannisters can be installed in minutes to avoid potentially hazardous periods without a functional system.
Unlike the halon products it replaces, Pyrogen is environmentally friendly, with low toxicity, no chloride or bromide, and a functionality that does not deplete oxygen to suppress the fire. It is also non-conductive, non-corrosive, and produces no thermal shock to sensitive equipment.
MJ Information No: 17183
Related Articles
ACCESSORIES & EQUIPMENT
OTHER NEWS
ACCESSORIES & EQUIPMENT