Water Mist Systems
Water Mist Systems
A water mist system is an advanced fire protection solution that releases extremely fine droplets of water (much smaller than those from traditional sprinklers). These tiny droplets efficiently cool the fire and surrounding gases, displace oxygen near the flames, and reduce radiant heat, helping to suppress or extinguish fires quickly and with minimal water usage. This makes water mist systems ideal for protecting sensitive areas and valuable assets while minimizing water damage.
Key advantages
- Efficient cooling: The fine mist maximizes surface area, absorbing heat rapidly and lowering the temperature around the fire.
- Oxygen displacement: As the droplets evaporate, they expand and reduce the oxygen concentration near the fire, helping to suffocate the flames.
- Reduced water damage: Because less water is used compared to traditional sprinklers, water mist systems minimize damage to property and sensitive equipment.
- Protection from radiant heat: The mist creates a barrier that reduces the intensity of radiant heat, improving safety for nearby people and materials.
- Compact installation: Smaller pipe diameters and lower water demand reduce the space needed for system layout.
- Wide range of applications: Suitable for a broad range of applications, including industrial risks, hotels, water treatment facilities, car parks, and even museums.
The fire triangle and water mist systems
Experts frequently refer to fuel, heat, and oxygen as the “fire triangle.“
When all three of these elements react together in time and space, a fire occurs. By removing, reducing or separating these components, a fire can be controlled or extinguished.
Definitions:
- Fuel: Any kind of combustible material, such as paper, wood, oil, fabrics, etc. Some materials burn more easily than others.
- Heat: A heat source is typically responsible for the initial ignition of fire. Different materials burn at different temperatures. Combustion reactions also produce heat as they burn, further increasing the temperature, as such maintaining the fire and enabling it to spread further.
- Oxygen: Air normally contains 21 % oxygen, but most fires require at least 16 % oxygen to burn. During combustion, fuel reacts with oxygen, releasing heat and generating combustion products (gases, smokes, etc.)
The type of fire and the available fire protection system or firefighting equipment dictate which element of the fire triangle should be targeted in order to suppress the fire. Water mist generally has an effect on two of the three sides of the fire triangle: the heat and the oxygen. They also help control the third element by wetting surrounding materials.
- Cooling effect: The small droplets created by water mist systems increase the surface area to maximize the efficient absorption of heat.
- Oxygen displacement: The small water droplets evaporate rapidly and expand to displace oxygen in the proximity of the fire.
- Radiant heat attenuation: The small droplets provide effective protection from radiant heat.
Did you know?
Tiny little candle flames can reach really high temperatures!
The outer core of a candle flame typically burns at 1,400°C,
and the blue core of the flame at 800°C.
A little bit of history
Water mist primarily evolved as a water-based suppression solution for marine applications, driven by two incidents. The first one was the execution of the Montreal protocol on “substances that deplete the ozone layer” in the late 1980s, which led to the phase out of halon, a bromine-based chemical fire suppression agent which was widely used until then.
The second incident was a devastating fire on the passenger ferry “Scandinavian Star” on the morning of April 7, 1990, where nearly 50% of passengers died. This catastrophy led to an improvement of the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) fire safety requirements and installation guidelines as well as fire test procedures for alternative sprinkler systems.
Today, authorities and industry stakeholders recognize land-based water mist solutions—designed in accordance with EN 14972, VdS 3188, FM 4-2, and NFPA 750—as effective options for protecting a variety of risks.
Addressing the challenges faced by the modern and existing built environment requires a multifaceted approach encompassing technology, sustainability, safety and meeting the requirements of the customer. By implementing innovative solutions, we can create safe environments and prepare for future demands. We strongly believe that water mist will have a role to play in the approach of fire protection in such applications.
Water mist, be it high pressure or low pressure technology, can offer end-users the benefit of saving valuable space and lower operating costs. Viking provides a range of water mist systems, all with the necessary approval or accreditation, giving customers peace of mind.
Viking’s low pressure water mist systems
Image source: Viking S.A. | Laura Hope on Unsplash