SAFETY
“ The product is far more effective than traditional fire extinguishers , which must be operated manually to be effective . In addition , fire extinguishers have no firealert activation to warn any bystanders , and are bulky devices that weigh 10kg to 15kg on average .”
DAFO and FirePro
Another company to embrace the heat dispersion and cooling aspects of fire suppression is Booyco Electronics , which recently added fire suppression technologies to its product offering to help customers manage their health and safety risk .
This follows the company ’ s appointment as preferred distributor for Advanced Automation Systems ( AAS ), the exclusive marketer of the DAFO brand of vehicle fire protection and FirePro aerosol-based extinguishing systems in South Africa . “ It was a natural extension of our business to move into fire suppression ,” says managing director , Anton Lourens . According to Lourens , the effectiveness of fire detection and suppression systems is becoming a more urgent issue for mines as new SANS standards are formulated for fire detection and suppression systems on heavy-duty mining machines .
The technological advances built into the DAFO and FirePro products are particularly important given the ongoing quest for more effective technical and bottom line performance . The DAFO products , which hail from Sweden , include a wet chemical-based system engineered to inhibit the chemical reaction of the fire while extensively cooling the hot surface and creating a film to prevent further re-ignition . “ Cooling is vital if the fire is to be completely extinguished and for no possibility of reignition to exist ,” says Lourens .
The use of a wet chemical system rather than dry chemical powder also reduces maintenance requirements , as it is not affected by the vibration of the machine and is non-corrosive , nontoxic , environmentally friendly and water soluble . The system can be used on load-haul dumpers , utility vehicles and other underground machinery , as well as surface shovels and haulers . It is also suitable for conveyors and other materials handling equipment .
FirePro Systems is also a global brand , with installations in more than 110 countries . In contrast to traditional methods , FirePro aerosol extinguishes fire by inhibiting the chain chemical reactions present in combustion on a molecular level – removing the flame free radicals and extinguishing fire without depleting oxygen . The aerosol is stored as a solid and under no pressure which gives the product an extended life span with virtually no maintenance requirements . The FirePro products are non-corrosive , non-conductive , non-toxic and environmentally friendly .
These systems can therefore protect enclosures of any volumetric size , from less than a cubic metre to thousands of cubic metres . This makes them suitable for equipment such as motor control centres , electrical panels , substations , mini-substations , e-houses and electrical mining skids .
“ Both the DAFO and FirePro offerings come with environmental advantages , which will be required by the new standards on fire suppression ,” says Lourens . “ The standards also include a performance test , to ensure that the technology offered is fit-forpurpose and reliable before it can be approved .” ■
Rimex
The DAFO wet chemicalbased system distributed by Booyco Electronics can be used on a variety of surface and underground machinery .
QUARRY SA | JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2018 _ 31