Farmers Review Africa Sept/Oct 2018 FRA - September - October 2018 digital 5 | Page 20

FEATURE FIRE-SUPPRESSION FOR SUNFLOWER AND SOYA-SEED PROCESSING FACILITIES (Press release) Leading fire detection and suppression solutions provider ASP Fire has completed rational designs for two solvent extraction plant clients operating sunflower and soya-seed processing facilities in the North West Province and Mpumalanga respectively, as well as meeting the challenge of installation in existing and functioning structures. ASP Fire not only installs best-of-breed systems, but ensures compliance with national and international fire safety standards, as well as sign- off from insurance companies and local authorities to safeguard people and property. “In creating a bespoke system for any new or operational businesses, we look at each risk area, and ask what it is we need to do to mitigate this particular risk,” CEO Michael van Niekerk explains. In some cases, ASP Fire will deploy 18 |September - October 2018 sprinkler systems, while in others it will opt for foam or gas systems that deploy precisely what is needed to combat the fire most likely to occur in that particular area. In the case of these two clients, a number of different types of fires could occur, given the presence of both flammable and combustible products on-site. Both clients extract oil from seeds by creating an initial mash, and then extracting the oil using hexane, a highly-flammable solvent that separates the oil content from the meal. From there, the hexane has to be removed from the oil by means of a drying process. “During these processes we have heat, pressure and flammable liquid – not a combination anyone can take lightly,” van Niekerk cautions, adding that even while the heating is indirect, the vapours that arise from the mix can ignite again. The two major risk areas are the preparation and solvent plant buildings, each around six storeys high, which makes escape for any occupants in the event of a fire a massive challenge. When the product starts to burn, it does so rapidly, which calls for fast-acting fire suppression. “In the solvent plant where hexane is used, you have a volatile product that loves to burn, as well as flammable vapour that can explode, so this area requires extremely careful management,” van Niekerk highlights. The last part of the process is the storage of the dried meal, where there is a significant quantity of dust. The risk with airborne dust is that it creates an explosive atmosphere that can be ignited by a single spark, implying a far greater fire risk than the hexane plant itself. There’s also crude oil storage to take into consideration, which is not flammable but combustible, so this