Protecting automated controls to enhance fire safety
CONTROL & AUTOMATION CONTROL SYSTEM PROTECTION
SPELSBERG
Protecting automated controls to enhance fire safety
Sprinklers are an essential component of a building ’ s fire protection system . Automation can enhance safety , as well as ease of use , but this means that the control system requires its own protection . Grifen Sprinkler Solutions requested Spelsberg UK to provide high durability enclosures that could withstand the demanding environment . The service required digital printing as well as CNC machining , but it was essential for this customisation to maintain the integrity of the enclosure .
To protect from the threat of fire , sprinkler system design and manufacture is governed by strict standards . Though these regulations are highly robust , some sprinkler system manufacturers say that standards can be extended further .
Spelsberg ’ s high-durability industrial enclosures , manufactured from polycarbonate .
“ Key aspects of protecting a sprinkler system ’ s backup and maintenance , for example , are not completely included in the regulations , but ensuring the longterm electrical reliability of the system is important to optimise safety ,” says Gary Noble , Managing Director of Grifen Sprinkler Solutions .
In the event of a water leak in the sprinkler system ’ s supply , the resulting pressure drop would typically cause the pump ’ s motor to temporarily kick in , as if it were reacting to the activation of the sprinklers . These motor re-starts would happen continuously , drawing repeated high current and damaging the motor ’ s windings . Instead , Grifen ’ s Asset Protect functionality upholds long-term reliability by putting the system into safe mode and generating an alert , enabling rapid maintenance .
The system ’ s electronics need a high level of protection . In the event of a fire , the enclosure must be able to withstand the initial heat .
Optimising protection Features like Asset Protect are the result of Grifen ’ s holistic focus on fire safety . The company supplies sprinkler system contractors in the UK and Ireland , with systems designed for domestic , industrial , and commercial buildings . This ranges from Category 1 residential dwellings through to Category 4 tower blocks above 18m , including the highest EN 12845 standard .
Even Grifen ’ s sprinkler systems for individual residences are electronically controlled by an industrial PLC , with logic control and software functions authored in-house . At the other end of the scale , Grifen ’ s fire sprinkler systems for Category 4 commercial properties include remotely controlled testing on a weekly basis . This optimises safety by providing more regular tests than the regulations require and reduces the resources necessary for on-site inspection .
Automation enhances safety The system ’ s electronics need a high level of protection . In the event of a fire , the enclosure must be able to withstand the initial heat . Then , the unit has to prevent water ingress when the sprinkler system is activated . The enclosures also have to be sufficiently durable to protect the electronic
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