Protecting Tricorn House with an AF-X Fireblocker aerosol fire suppression system

 

In October of this year, our fire safety team at Midland Fire was contracted to design and install an AF-X Fireblocker aerosol suppression system at Tricorn House, a highrise office block in Birmingham. As an environmentally friendly, socially responsible equivalent to traditional gas systems, our team was happy to share the benefits of AF-X Fireblocker with our client.

This project came about when Tricorn House’s building insurance demanded that they need a fire suppression system in place to satisfy their validity requirements. The fire suppression system was needed in the comms room of the block and it was important to our client that we get the work done without needing to close the building and without disturbing the people working there.

An AF-X Fireblocker aerosol fire suppression system was a great choice for this project as it’s a compact system, ideal for small and high-risk spaces. Another option would have been a gas suppression system, but compared to this the AF-X Fireblocker system is more environmentally friendly with a low impact on global warming, and the oxygen content of the room would remain unchanged with no need for pressure relief venting.

Our team completed the install in four days with minimal disruption, achieving full compliance with fire safety requirements and successfully meeting our client’s insurance requirements.

Tricorn House

Tricorn House prides itself on being home to a diverse business community just a stone’s throw from Birmingham City centre. It offers a mix of open-plan offices and flexible workspaces, as well as a gym, wellness centre and cafe.

At the heart of the building is a critical communication infrastructure – in other words a comms room, which serves as the central hub for each company’s data and houses all the building’s networking and telecommunications equipment. These rooms pose a high fire risk for obvious reasons, which makes it crucial to properly kit them out with fire safety equipment in order to protect the whole building. Our team was happy to step in and help.

AF-X Fireblocker aerosol installation for Tricorn House

The project

As we mentioned, we were approached by our client at Tricorn House when they were informed by their insurance company that they needed to install a fire suppression system in their comms room to improve the overall fire protection of their building.

The fire suppression system needed to be compact, clean and installed quickly with minimal disturbance to daily operations. An AF-X Fireblocker aerosol fire suppression system ticked all the boxes.

Automatic fire suppression system installation process

For this project, our engineers completed the following:

• Site survey and bespoke system design
• Full risk assessment & method statement
• Supply and installation of AF-X Fireblocker extinguishing generators
• Electrical connection and interfacing to existing control equipment
• Commissioning and system testing
• Staff handover and training

We installed three AF-X Fireblocker Nano BM Boxed Generators which are controlled by both automatic and manual activation. The generators were linked up to a two-zone automatic fire detection and extinguishing panel interfaced into the house fire alarm panel, and the entire system was integrated with the house fire alarm system.

Results & benefits

Primarily, the result of this project was a fully fire-protected office building that satisfied all its insurance requirements as well as UK fire safety regulations.

The AX Fireblocker provided a solution that worked perfectly for a smaller room, using a non-pressurised, non-toxic, environmentally friendly agent that crucially provides great fire protection, with the added bonus of a long shelf life (typically around ten years).

The client was also happy as our team completed the work quickly and on time with limited noise or loud drilling, with no interruption of business operations, as requested.

Benefits of the AF-X Fireblocker aerosol system

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, let’s have a closer look at the AF-X Fireblocker system. In a nutshell, in slightly larger spaces like the comms room at Tricorn House, this suppression system uses wall mounted aerosol units which work in sync with the client’s choice of fire detection type and control panel.

When a fire has been detected, the aerosol technology is activated and a dry extinguishing agent is released. This agent converts to an aerosol cloud of nanoparticles which block the fire reaction at the molecular level.

The benefits? They’re extensive:

• Speedy fire suppression: When a fire breaks out, AF-X Fireblocker is automatically activated and flames are put out immediately.
• No damage and minimal clean-up: Very little extinguishing agent is needed for each activation, preventing any equipment damage or closure for clean up.
• Non-toxic & eco-friendly: The AF-X formula is completely non-toxic, and safer for people and the planet than gas.
• Fully electrical: Uses no high-pressure pipework or water pumps, and a solid compound means no pressure leaks or space needed for gas bottle storage.
• Flexible installation: The system uses standard fire rated cable, which is quick to install and easily adapted if the room space changes.
• Protects hard-to-reach areas: Aerodynamic nozzles and low outflow temperature makes aerosol projection fast, reaching all target areas.
• Trusted worldwide: AF-X Fireblocker is used by emergency services, businesses and homeowners around the world and has a proven track record of reliability.

Here are the system specs for our project at Tricorn House:

Looking for fire suppression installation in Birmingham and the Midlands?

We offer fire suppression system installation for businesses across Birmingham and the Midlands, and our experienced engineers can assess your site to decide which system type is best for you.

At Midland Fire, we’ve been providing reliable fire and life safety solutions for 25 years and we’re a BAFE-accredited contractor. At Midland Fire WE PROTECT.

For a free consultation or to discuss protecting your business with AF-X Fireblocker technology, contact Midland Fire Security Services Ltd today.

 

Photo Credit: Roger D Kidd for Geograph