FE-13 Fire Suppression Systems
FE-13 is an alternative to Halon 1301 for protecting large rooms, flammable liquid storage, turbine enclosures, high ceiling structures and low temperature environments. Low temperature environments include: locomotives, mining equipment and unheated storage. FE-13 has the lowest toxicity of any other clean agent.
Benefits of using FE-13
- Safe for people
- Does not leave a residue
- Electrically non-conductive and non-corrosive
- Environmentally preferred alternative to Halon
Due to its low toxicity, FE-13 can be used in areas that are normally occupied. This makes it useful in total flood applications such as a control room where people occupy the protected space during discharge of the system.
FE-13 was originally developed by DuPont as a chemical refrigerant. Its absorbs heat from a fire similar to the way in which a sponge absorbs liquid.
As with other clean agents, FE-13 can be used in any area with high valued electronics such as computer facilities, battery rooms and telecommunications facilities. It also has many industrial applications including unheated storage areas.
FE-13 is a clean agent gaseous fire suppression system that is employed for the protection of special hazard occupancies such as: oil and gas processing facilities, turbine enclosures in power plants, pumping facilities, laboratories, flammable liquid storage rooms, anechoic chambers and compressor facilities. The clean agent is eco friendly and does not deplete the ozone level in the stratosphere. It has a relatively low lifetime in the atmosphere and is ruled "acceptable" by the US EPA. FE-13 is safe for use in areas with human occupancy and has no restrictions for such use on concentrations up to 24 percent.
FE-13 acts to suppress a fire by absorbing the thermal heat from a fire. This heat absorption reduces the ability of a fire to propagate by restricting the decomposition of the fuel into combustible gases. Eliminating the heat generated in the combustion process eliminates the ability of the fuel to burn. FE-13 is stored at room temperature as a liquid in high-pressure cylinders and uses its own storage pressure for discharge and distribution. This agent can be used in temperatures as low a -40°F and its high-pressure discharge means a quick even distribution within the hazard. FE-13 has the highest nozzle height location available at 25 feet.