Novec™ 1230

Fire Suppression Systems

System Design

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Rev. 1202
 Basics

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 Important

Total Flooding is the only

approved application method
for clean agent systems!

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 Fire Classes

EMEA
Solid Flammable Gases Metal Grease /
Materials Liquids Cooking Oil

K
Americas
Solid Fl. Liquids Electric Metal Grease /
Materials and Gases Cooking Oil

Novec™1230 is effective on class A, B and C fires.

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 Design Standards
Standards are guidelines for system design and layout.
Typical standards for clean agent systems are ...
• EN15004
• ISO 14520
• VdS 2381 / CEA 4045 (Halocarbon gases)
• NFPA 2001

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 Hazard Analysis

Specific project information is

necessary to quote / design a
clean agent system!

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 Hazard Analysis

Information needed Why

• design standard
to know design concentration
• fire class
• system approval required to have the correct system available

• minimum hazard temperature to determine the flooding factor

• hazard altitude to correct agent quantity
• hazard dimensions incl. details about to calculate agent quantity
shape / voids to determine pipe run / nozzles
• place / space for agent containers
helps to decide on system type
(inside/outside hazard)
• other requirements? e.g. Main/Reserve

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 Hazard Analysis
Hazard volume & details
• Use always gros volume
• Length / Width / Height
• Ceiling void?
– if yes  height
• Floor void?
– if yes  height
• Impermeable building
structures may be
deducted.

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 Hazard Analysis
Air Condition Systems
1) Self contained: A/C unit located inside the hazard

Shut-down?
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 Hazard Analysis
Air Condition Systems
2) Remote unit: A/C unit located outside the hazard

Duct volume

HAZARD VOLUME

A/C unit
volume

Include duct and unit volume

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 Hazard Analysis
Air Condition Systems
3) Central A/C system

Damper Damper

Include duct volume up to dampers

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 Hazard Analysis
Ceiling Obstructions

Acceptable
0 to 300 mm
(0 to 12 inches)

Needs nozzles
> 300 mm
(> 12 inches)
in each section

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 Design

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 System Design

Sapphire™ systems can be used to protect ...

Small
rooms…

… or very
large rooms

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 System Design

Based on the project information determine …

1. agent quantity
2. achieved agent concentration
3. number and size of the container(s)
4. nozzles / pipe run
5. pressure venting

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 System Design

Based on the project information determine …

1. agent quantity
2. achieved agent concentration
3. number and size of the container(s)
4. nozzles / pipe run
5. pressure venting

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 1. Agent Quantity
You need to know:
1. Fire class  Project
2. Applicable design standard  Project
– Minimum design concentration  Standard
3. Hazard volume  Project
4. Minimum expected hazard temperature  Project
5. Hazard altitude  Project

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 1. Agent Quantity
Design Concentration =
Extinguishing Concentration + Safety Factor

determined by fire tests

• class A: room test
• class B: room test or cup burner test
• class C: room test

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 1. Agent Quantity
Design Concentration =
Extinguishing Concentration + Safety Factor

Fire class Extinguishing Safety Design

Concentration Factor concentration
Class A 3.5% 20% 4.5%*
*Heptane
Class B 4.5% 30% 5.9%
Class C 3.5 % 35% 4.7%

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 1. Agent Quantity
Minimum Design Concentrations
Class A Higher Hazard Class A*
EN 15004 - 10/9/5/2 5.3 % 5.6 %
ISO 14520 5.3 % 5.6 %
VdS 2381 5.8 %
NFPA 2001 / 2008 Edition 4.5 % ---
* Fire tests may not adequately indicate extinguishing concentrations suitable
for the protection of certain plastic fuel hazards (e.g. cable floor voids):
• cable bundles greater than 100 mm in diameter
• cable trays with a fill density greater than 20 percent of the tray cross-
section
• horizontal or vertical stacks of cable trays (closer than 250 mm)
• equipment energized during the extinguishment period where the
collective power consumption exceeds 5 kW.

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 1. Agent Quantity
Minimum Design Concentrations
Class B (Heptane)
EN 15004 - 10/9/5/2 5.9 %
ISO 14520 5.9 %
VdS 2381* 6.1 %
NFPA 2001 / 2008 Edition 5.9 %
* VdS has an additional scaling factor if the extinguishing
concentration is determined by ‘cup burner’ method.

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 1. Agent Quantity
Minimum Design Concentrations
Class C
EN 15004 - 10/9/5/2 no specific design
ISO 14520 concentrations
VdS 2381 mentioned

NFPA 2001 / 2012 Edition 4.7 %

* Europe: Fires involving flamable gases
US (NFPA): Fires involving energized electrical equipment

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 1. Agent Quantity
How to get from design concentrations to agent quantities?
A) using flooding factor table
B) using formula

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 1. Agent Quantity
Flooding Factor Table

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 1. Agent Quantity
Calculation with flooding factor

Q  V  CF
Q: required agent quantity (kg)
V: hazard volume (m³)
CF: flooding factor  from table (kg/m³)

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 1. Agent Quantity
Using the formula
V C
Q  ( )
s 100 - C flooding factor
Q = required Novec™1230 quantity [kg]
V = hazard volume [m³]
s = specific vapor volume [m³/kg]
sNovec = 0.0664 + 0.000274 x T (at sea level!)
T = minimum hazard temperature [°C]
constant factors,
C = minimum design concentration [%] agent specific

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 1. Agent Quantity

Altitude Correction
• At elevations above sea level, the agent
has a greater specific vapour volume
because of the reduced atmospheric
pressure
• Adjust the agent quantity if the system
is to be installed at altitudes >1000 m.

If hazard altitude is not listed in the table, find the altitude next
lower than the hazard altitude and determine the correction factor.

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 1. Agent Quantity
Why minimum hazard temperature?
The specific vapour volume of the agent depends on
the temperature.

Temp. 0°C Temp. 35°C

V = 100 m³ V = 100 m³
(71 kg) (63 kg)

FF = 0.710 FF = 0.621
@ 0°C @ 35°C
DC 4.5% DC 4.5%
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 1. Agent Quantity
Why minimum hazard temperature?
The specific vapour volume of the agent depends on
the temperature.
Specific Vapor Volume
Temperature
Novec™ 1230 (m³/kg)
The lower the temperature, -10 °C 0.06366
the less agent volume (m³) -5 °C 0.06503
obtained from agent mass 0 °C 0.06640
(kg) stored in a container. 5 °C 0.06777
10 °C 0.06914
15 °C 0.07051
20 °C 0.07188
35 °C 0.07325

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 1. Agent Quantity
Why minimum hazard temperature?
The specific vapour volume of the agent depends on
the temperature.

Formula to calculate s at sea level / 1.013 bar (m³/kg)

Novec™1230: s = 0.0664 + (0.000274 x t)

constant

with t = design temperature (°C)

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 1. Agent Quantity
Example
 Design standard: ISO14520
 Type of hazard: computer room (surface class A)
 Dimensions: L=12.0 m x W=7.5 m x H=3.0 m
 Ceiling / floor void: none
 Min. hazard temp.: 20°C
 Max. hazard temp.: 40°C
 Altitude: 1600 m above sea level
 Max. overpressure: 300 Pa

Determine the Novec™1230 agent quantity

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 1. Agent Quantity
Example using flooding factor
 Volume = 12.0 x 7.5 x 3.0 = 270 m³
 Design concentration = 5.3%
 Flooding factor = 0,779 kg/m³
 Altitude correction = 0,83

QNovec = 270 m³ x 0,7786 kg/m³ x 0,83 = 174,6 kg

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 1. Agent Quantity
Example using formula
V C
Q  ( ) cAlt
s 100 - C
V = 270 m³
s = specific vapor volume [m³/kg]
sNovec = 0.0664 + 0.000274 x 20 = 0.0719 m³/kg
T = 20°C
CNovec = 5.3 %
cAlt = 0.83

270 m³ 5.3
Q ( ) 0.83  174.5 kg
0.0719 kg/m³ 100 - 5.3

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 System Design

Based on the project information determine …

1. agent quantity
2. achieved agent concentration
3. number and size of the container(s)
4. nozzles / pipe run
5. pressure venting

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 4. Nozzles & Pipe Run

Modularised vs Manifolded

Different container sizes / fillings,

no manifold, smaller pipe sizes. All containers must be the same size and
must have the same agent quantity!

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 4. Nozzles & Pipe Run

Nozzles: what is important ?

1. Nozzle coverage (max. coverage area per nozzle)
2. Nozzle discharge pattern (180° or 360°)
3. Max. coverage height
4. Nozzles sizes available (max. agent quantity per nozzle

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 4. Nozzles & Pipe Run

Nozzle Limits Pattern Radius Area Height Sizes1)

360° 6,9 m ---
LPCB 5,0 m 15 to 50 mm
180° 10,9 m ---
360° --- 30 m²
VdS 5,0 m 15 to 50 mm
180° --- 30 m²

Design temperature range: -20°C to +50°C 1) The maximum size

available determines also a
max. flow possible:
approx. 13,6 kg/s

360° 180°
LPCB: The protected area must be
completely within the max. radius.
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 4. Nozzles & Pipe Run

Nozzle Limits Pattern Radius Area2) Height Sizes1)

360° 9.1 m 167.2
UL/FM 4.3 m 15 to 50 mm
180° 15.0 m m²

Design temperature range: 0°C to +50°C

Any area with L(ength) * W(idth) not
exceeding 167 m² and if within the
max. radius is acceptable.

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 4. Nozzles & Pipe Run

Example LPCB: Nozzle Coverage 360° vs 180°

But max. flow per (50 mm) nozzle?

~ 136 kg max. vs 175 kg required for the room
Agent
min. quantity
2 nozzlesrequires
360° or 1min. 2 nozzles
nozzle 180°
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 4. Nozzles & Pipe Run

Example VdS: Nozzle Coverage 360° vs 180°

Hazard floor area = 12.0 m x 7.5 m = 90 m²,

Max. area per nozzle = 30 m²
min. 3 nozzles 360° or 3 nozzles 180°

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 4. Nozzles & Pipe Run

Example UL/FM: Nozzle Coverage 360° vs 180°

But max. flow per (50 mm) nozzle?

~ 136 floor
Hazard kg max.
areavs= 175 kg required
90 m², for the
max. allowed roomm²
= 167
Agent
min. quantity
1 nozzlesrequires
360° or 1min. 2 nozzles
nozzle 180°
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 4. Nozzles & Pipe Run

Maximum coverage height (5 m)

• if hazard height > max. coverage height
 multi-layer nozzle arrangement

≤ max. coverage height

total hazard height

≤ max. coverage height

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 4. Nozzles & Pipe Run

Nozzles: what else ?

• Odd shaped rooms or obstructions inside the hazard
may require more nozzles than the minimum number
based on coverage area.

Cabinet

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 4. Nozzles & Pipe Run

Tee Split Rules

90% - 65%

30%-70% 70%-30%

10%-35%
100%

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 4. Nozzles & Pipe Run

How do we achieve certain splits ?

80 kg 70 kg

Nozzle drill sizes / nozzle

area determines the flow 150 kg

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 4. Nozzles & Pipe Run

Which configuration is correct here ? What split % ?

70.6%
60 kg
30%-70% 70%-30% 90%-65%
25 kg BULL TEE 60 kg

SIDE TEE
29.4% 70.6%
25 kg 29.4%
10%-35%
85 kg
100%
85 kg
100%

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 4. Nozzles & Pipe Run

Which configuration is correct here ? What split % ?

69.5%
153 kg
30%-70% 70%-30% 90%-65
153 kg BULL TEE 67 kg

SIDE TEE
69.5% 30.5%
67 kg 30.5%
10%-35%
220 kg
100%
220 kg
Both configurations are correct 100%

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 4. Nozzles & Pipe Run

Tee Split Rules

• Tee outlets always in horizontal plane

Bull Tee
Bull Tee
Incorrect
Correct

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 4. Nozzles & Pipe Run

Tee Split Rules

• Tee outlets always in horizontal plane

Side Tee
Correct Side Tee
Incorrect

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 4. Nozzles & Pipe Run

Tee Split Rules

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 4. Nozzles & Pipe Run

General Rules
Keep pipe run as short as possible and as
balanced as possible.

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 4. Nozzles & Pipe Run

Pipe Size Estimation

• determine agent flow rate
 system discharge time?
 standards
 10 seconds max.

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 4. Nozzles & Pipe Run

Pipe Size Estimation  use estimation table

How to determine the flow rates?

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 4. Nozzles & Pipe Run
Example:
175 kg agent required
2 tanks 106 ltr.
2 nozzles 360°

Nozzle size
40 mm (1½")
8.75 kg/s
40 mm (1½")
2 x 106 ltr /
87.5 kg filling

17.5 kg/s
65 mm (2½")
Manifolded system

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 4. Nozzles & Pipe Run
Example:
175 kg agent required
2 tanks 106 ltr.
2 nozzles 360°

8.75 kg/s
40 mm (1½")

1 x 106 ltr /
87.5 kg filling

Modularised system

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 System Design

Based on the project information determine …

1. agent quantity
2. achieved agent concentration
3. number and size of the container(s)
4. nozzles / pipe run
5. pressure venting

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 Pressure Venting
General pressure characteristics

Inert gases
Pressure

+
Time
- Chemical agents

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 Pressure Venting
Important !
The designer should be aware that the discharge of any
gaseous extinguishing agent into an enclosure will change
the pressure within that enclosure, which could affect the
structural integrity of the enclosure.

The protected enclosure will require a pressure relief

device.

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 Pressure Venting
The US based Fire Suppression Systems Association
(FSSA) have issued a “Guide to Estimating Enclosure
Pressure and Pressure Relief Vent Area for Applications
Using Clean Agent Fire Extinguishing Systems”.
This guidance has been based upon experimental data
attained via collaboration with various industry participants,
including a number of multinational organisations.
The FSSA work is by far the most in-depth investigation to-
date, on the estimation of enclosure pressure and total vent
area requirements.

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 Pressure Venting
The following input parameters are required to use the
calculation methodology:
• Extinguishing agent
• Protected enclosure volume
• Extinguishing system discharge time
• Extinguishing concentration
• Relative humidity of enclosure.
1. If the enclosure strength is known it is possible to
calculate the required total vent area.
2. If the total vent area is known then it is possible to
calculate the expected pressure excursion following an
extinguishing system discharge.

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 Pressure Venting
1. Total Vent Area for FK-5-1-12 (Novec 1230)
• enclosure strength must be known

Positive Total Vent Area

Negative Total Vent Area

Limits of applicability

(enclosure positive/negative
pressure limits)
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 Pressure Venting
Example: Vent area calculation
• enclosure strength is known with 300 Pa

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 Pressure Venting
2. Pressure Excursion for FK-5-1-12 (Novec 1230)
• total vent area must be known

Positive Pressure Excursion

Negative Pressure Excursion

Limits of applicability

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 Pressure Venting
Example: Pressure excursion calculation
• total vent area is known with 0,1 m² (~30x33 cm)

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