BERMAD Fire Protection

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.

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.

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.

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.