BERMAD Fire Protection

The UL429A certification ensures the reliability and safety of deluge valves used in fire protection systems. This certification verifies that the deluge valves meet the basic requirements of Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) safety standards and ensure a high and reliable performance.

Have you heard about the world's longest, heated crude oil pipeline? Developed through a collaborative effort between: Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation (TPDC), TotalEnergies, and China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), the groundbreaking project of EACOP (stands for: East African Crude Oil Pipeline) is designed to facilitate the transportation of produced oil from Uganda's Lake Albert oilfields to the port of Tanga in Tanzania, from which it will be distributed worldwide.

Corrosion is an everyday topic encountered in our industry on a regular basis.
This technical issue contains many aspects that ultimately place a high-cost burden on facility owners.

Tel Aviv's new Light Rail 'Red Line' is soon to be the first section of the new light twin-track urban railway. The project is designed to address the problem of increasing traffic congestion by transporting passengers within the Tel Aviv-Yafo metropolitan area.

It is crucial to realize the importance of pressure control in fire protection systems. What are the key points that most people overlook and what might be the consequences of that?

Choosing a deluge valve may sound easy, but buyers frequently overlook vital aspects which can have disastrous consequences. We take a look at the key criteria you need to know to ensure the deluge valves you choose perform to your expectations.

In fire protection, every second is crucial, especially in high-risk infrastructure buildings, such as power plants. They need fire protection systems that are autonomous and not dependent on unreliable municipal water pumps or electricity supplies. Therefore many industrial buildings have their own water reservoirs with piping and pumps located a fair distance away from the area they are serving to protect.

Providing maximum safety against fire for one of the largest oil drilling facilities in the world, Shell’s FPSO in the Gulf of Mexico, was an extremely challenging task. With drilling up to a depth of up to 9 km and a production rate of 50,000 barrels of oil, the rig is a high-risk fire zone.

The June 2019 explosion at the Philadelphia Refinery was described as being like a nuclear eruption. Fires at refineries are, unfortunately, all too common often taking a tragic toll in human life.

With so many factors to take into account, the selection, sizing, and positioning of valves for fire suppression and protection systems can be a complex and time-consuming task.

As a result of access limitations to tunnels, tunnel fires present significant risk to people, vehicles and the tunnel structure itself.

Pressure surges can occur in fire protection systems as the result of sudden velocity or flow direction changes such as the quick opening or closing of a valve or the sudden starting or shutting down of a pump.

In our next webinar, we will be reviewing terminology related to the triangle of fire, and focusing on foam agents and equipment used in diverse Oil & Gas onshore and offshore facilities such as chemical plants and petro chemical plants.

Have you heard the terms Local Reset, Remote On-Off, and Remote Reset? How are they connected to deluge valves in fire protection systems? Join our next webinar to learn more about these terms and the differences between them, as well as the design and engineering principles behind each deluge valve configuration type.

Fire is one of the greatest risks oil, gas & petrochemical facilities face on a day-to-day basis. These facilities aim to minimize this risk with fire protection that typically includes a deluge sprinkler system.

The design of fire protection systems is a complicated process that requires an integrated approach and a high level of expertise. System designers and engineers need to take a large number of factors into account while also understanding and complying with stringent local, regional, and international standards. 

All deluge valves are self-operated water driven valves. The primary function of the Solenoid Valve is to release the control valve. Every electrically operated deluge valve shall be certified by Underwriter Laboratories (UL) and/or FM Global (FM) and must be listed with a specific solenoid according to the standard. The UL and FM standards are very strict and must be followed. Many users opt for less expensive valves which don’t carry these certifications. The users don’t understand the importance of these standards, the significance of certifications, and why stringent testing is carried out to ensure valves don’t fail. The result of valve failure can be anything from damage to premises and equipment to a major catastrophe.

Fire pumps are used to supply fire protection systems with pressurized water to ensure the smooth operation of the system's extinguishing devices. Because the fire pump's performance has a direct impact on the performance of the entire system, it is crucial to ensure it is functioning correctly.

The oil industry plays a significant role in our everyday lives, powering our vehicles and providing asphalt for the roads we drive on as well as the raw material for almost all types of plastics. Currently, the global current demand for oil averages 98.51 million barrels per day (mbd), which represents approximately $6.8 billion (in US dollars) in daily economic activity worldwide.

In high-hazard settings such as oil extraction facilities, refineries, and buildings in industrial parks where chemicals and other flammable liquids are stored, deluge systems are the preferred type of fire sprinkler system. Often referred to as open sprinklers, deluge systems are designed with open nozzles and empty, non-pressurized lines and are designed to discharge through all the sprinkler heads in the system. Because they deliver a large quantity of water all at once, they offer the best protection in the event of a fire in these types of facilities. 

Water surge or water hammer is a pressure wave in a piping system caused when a fluid in motion is forced to stop or change velocity or direction suddenly. Pressure surges in fire water systems can be caused by a number of different factors, such as a valve closing or opening too quickly or a pump starting or shutting down suddenly. This momentum change can create a significant and potentially damaging pressure rise.

When firefighters get called in, the last thing they want to deal with is a clogged nozzle. The consequences may be tragic if a fire does occur and the fire sprinklers don’t turn on. These malfunctions are key indicators of a vulnerable fire protection system. And unfortunately, you may not become aware of the problem until it’s too late.

In municipal fire pump applications, a water booster pump system is often used to take water from a public service main or private use water system. The booster pump serves the purpose of increasing the existing water pressure to one suitable for the fire protection system. When designing or installing such a water booster pump, it is important to consider certain critical issues specific to water booster pumps.

This video presents the basic installation and the initial priming instructions for a BERMAD 7BM pre-action valve from the time you receive it, through to the installation and initial operation.

Deluge valves, together with the reservoir and pumps, are a critical part of many industrial fire protection systems and are often seen as “the heart of the system”. For this reason, it is essential that deluge valves function properly.

Water is the most efficient, cheapest and most readily available medium for extinguishing fires of a general nature. It is used by the Fire Service in one form or another in the majority of fire protection situations.

Even more than most industrial fittings, fire protection valves require the utmost in reliability throughout their service life. Every part of the valve must be designed with this in mind, including the valve body itself.

The American Petroleum Institute (API) standards are widely used safety and quality specifications for the Oil & Gas industry. While a number of their standards apply to industrial process valves, API 598 in particular governs valve inspection and testing, including testing for valves with a pressure rating of ANSI 1500 or higher.

From an engineering point of view, almost all valves leak by some measure. Valves may be said to be "bubble tight" or "zero leakage,” but in actuality most standards will let small amounts of water through. Every fire protection valve is subject to regulation by government, corporate, and/or other agencies. Valves must comply with safety standards as defined by established safety organizations such as the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) or UL (Underwriters Laboratories).

A critical thing to know about any piece of equipment is its mean time between failures (MTBF). MTBF is the measure of time it takes between installing the equipment and when it can reasonably be expected to fail. In other words, it is a measure of reliability.

Fire presents a significant and ever-present danger in power plants of all types. Regardless of whether you are dealing with a fossil fuel, nuclear, or hydro plant, it is essential to have the right kind of fire protection in place. Depending on the area of the plant in question, fire protection systems for power plants may incorporate a number of tactics, including both passive (building features such as firewalls) and active (suppression) fire protection measures. 

Seawater is often used as a fire protection fluid, both in offshore applications and for on-shore sites located close to the ocean, due to its ready availability and low cost. However, seawater does present challenges due to its corrosive nature.  

Industrial fire protection valves are designed to be robust, but even the toughest valve body can crack or break when subjected to the pressure exerted upon it from inside by the expansion of water as it freezes. In environments where freezing temperatures are likely or even possible, it is important to protect your deluge valves from this possibility. A number of solutions exist to protect deluge valves from freezing. Let’s explore the pros and cons of each.

Deluge valves are a critical part of many industrial fire protection systems, and often referred to as ''the heart of the system'', as they take a major role in protecting life and property.

A fire event can cause untold damage to property. But sometimes the extinguishing water can do as much damage to protected items as the fire itself. This includes such places as computer rooms, film archives, museums and other moisture-sensitive areas. In such areas where a false alarm can be catastrophic and the deployment of water should be restricted to the fire area alone, rather than the whole building or room, it can make sense to use a preaction fire protection system.

There are many ways to put out a fire. Depending on the situation, a fire protection system can be designed to work with various fire suppression agents. Plain water is commonly used because it is easily available and effective in many cases. However, water is not always the best choice. Other options include inert gases, dry or wet chemical agents, and different types of fire suppressing foam. In this post, we will discuss foam applications.

One of the many choices to be made in designing an industrial fire protection system is to determine the deluge valves operation philosophy in the event of a fire - manually or automatically. The next designing step for an automatic operation is how the pilot sprinklers with fusible plugs will be activated, pneumatically or hydraulically. The advantage of an automatic operation is that it takes place immediately in response to triggering conditions such as heat or flame, without need for human interference or decision making. This enables fast system response even in remote or unmanned locations.

When selecting a deluge valve for your fire protection system, one of the most important things to consider is flow capacity with low head loss. In a fire protection situation, every second is critical. It is essential for water/foam to reach the fire as soon as possible after the detection system is activated . Even a short delay can be catastrophic, especially where flammable materials are present. A valve’s specific design will affect both the volume and speed with which fluid can pass through the unit. These in turn have a significant effect on system performance, and on the eventual outcome should a fire event occur.   

They say knowledge is power. And that is certainly true in fire protection. Knowing exactly what is going on in your fire protection system at any given time gives you vastly greater control. Reliable indication of the state of a valve can help diagnose problems, reduce system maintenance time, and improve performance and response time during a fire event.

The Sakhalin project is a two-phase, on- and off-shore oil and gas development on Sakhalin Island, Russia, located in the Okhotsk Sea. The project is owned and operated by Exxon Neftegas Limited (ENL). Combined, the Sakhalin phase 1 and 2 reserves contain an estimated 1,200 million barrels of crude oil. The project includes Russia’s first LNG plant, and is expected to contribute billions of dollars to the Russian economy. The first Sakhalin 1 well was drilled in 2003.

The Tempa Rossa project is a newly developed oilfield situated in the Sauro Valley of the Basilicata region of southern Italy. The project is jointly owned by Total E&P Italia, Shell, and Mitsui E&P Italia. It was discovered in 1989 and brought into production in 2016. The oilfield is estimated to contain total reserves of 200 million barrels of high quality crude oil, with an anticipated peak daily output of 50,000 barrels. Natural gas, LPG, and sulfur are also being produced.

During a fire event, the need for efficiency in a fire protection system is absolute. Time is of the essence; even a slight delay in fire water delivery could spell the difference between a contained event and one that spirals out of control.  

A fire event is a crisis that calls for fast and forceful response from both human and mechanical defenses. Unlike a conventional water works or irrigation scenario where there is plenty of time to start a hydraulic system up slowly, a fire emergency calls for rapid and immediate engagement of the system.

Use of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in the modern economy is growing strongly, with LNG production expected to reach 10% of the global crude production by 2020. Like all fuels, LNG is highly flammable, making your fire protection system a critical consideration when developing new LNG infrastructure.

Thankfully, tunnel fires don’t happen very often. But when they do, they can be catastrophic.

Fires can occur inside a tunnel, or be brought into the tunnel by a vehicle (for instance, due to friction, faulty electrical connections, or spontaneous combustion of cargo.) Tunnels are also sensitive to terrorist sabotage. Both roadway tunnels and train tunnels present the ideal conditions for a fire to get dangerously out of hand:

Fire protection systems play a critical role in preserving safety at oil and gas facilities. Deluge systems are classified as active fire protection measures and are commonly used in a wide range of offshore O&G installations, including floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels, floating production systems (FPSs), and fixed platforms.

For the first time BERMAD Fire Protection hosted a stand at this year’s ADIPEC. Our stand was located in the UK pavilion alongside many other participating UK companies. It was a fantastic opportunity to meet with many Regional End User’s, EPC’s, Integrators and suppliers (far too many to mention here).

Communicating about industrial fire protection equipment can be challenging, because so often the visual element is lacking. Often, concepts that are simple in theory can be very difficult to convey and learn when the only vehicles to communication are wordy descriptions and a few simple diagrams.

For 50 years, BERMAD has been the recognized pioneer and world-leading provider of high quality hydraulic control valves. Today, we’re announcing our new website and blog as a way for us to share high value content and information with you.