How to gain control of fire in highway and railway tunnels
Water supply for firefighting has always posed a challenge, especially when trying to get water into long and narrow tunnels with limited access for fire trucks.
The Jerusalem railway project involved providing water supply for fire extinguishing at a standard pressure and automatic shut-off of zones in the event of a malfunction in the pipes.
The railway is 30 kilometers long, consisting of 20 kilometers of tunnels and 5 kilometers of bridges. As the railway descends from the Jerusalem hills towards the coastal plain, the water pressure in the water supply lines becomes extremely high. The challenge is to reduce the pressure for safe use by firefighters.
BERMAD met the challenge by dividing the tunnels into water pressure zones using BERMAD hydraulic pressure reducing valves. Two parallel pipe lines laid alongside the rails to supply water to hoses and sprinklers in the tunnels are connected and controlled by an array of electrically controlled shut off valves, allowing a supplementary backup water supply in the case of a burst or failure in one of the main lines.
For Sarona Tunnels, the requirement was to supply a fire extinguishing system using open sprinklers. In order to meet the challenge, Bermad provided unique customized deluge valves, remotely activated and suited for operation in underground areas with a humid and volatile atmosphere. The automated system was designed so that fire suppression water is delivered only to the section of the tunnel where there is fire. Using this type of flooding system increases the level of safety and the chance of gaining control over the fire before it spreads.
The bottom line? Every tunnel requires a customized engineering design of its fire extinguishing systems. The professional support and guidance of Bermad’s application engineers from the early design stages up to activation of the system guarantees reliability, so when operation of the fire extinguishing systems is called for, the systems will work perfectly.
See how BERMAD’s pressure reducing valves provide reliable fire protection in two of Israel’s tunnels.
Related Items
 |
