EXPERT RESPONSE
FM-200 has been the primary Halon replacement fire suppressant for use in
these type of applications for around 13 years now. The market has
developed FM-200 into the leader in this area. There are other options
available but FM-200 is the predominant choice of most data center
professionals.
You may be asking 'why use a clean agent' in general. The answer to this
includes several different elements. First and foremost, these systems put
out fires well before the smoke, fire or ensuing water based system
(sprinklers) would cause any damage to the facility. Many times, owners
and specifiers are not only looking for reliable fire protection, but also
protection to make sure the sprinklers are not discharged unless absolutely
necessary. Also, these systems are completely safe for the occupants of
the room. In some cases, local authorities or insurance companies will
require systems like this to be installed.
Size of the data center can be one of the decision making criteria, but
more commonly, the value of the assets to be protected is used. As the
size of the facility increases, typically the value of the contents and
operations also increases. The need for waterless fire protection, like
FM-200, becomes greater. You may conclude from this, that smaller
facilities do not require a clean agent.--but not true! Again, it's the
value of the contents, both financially and operationally, that should be
considered when determining the appropriate spaces to protect.
When considering the use of FM-200 in the sub-floor vs. the above floor,
again, I would consider the value of the contents (operational value will
be most prevalent in the underfloor, as loss of cabling can lead to loss
of power, leading to significant downtime). Also, you may want to consider
the hazard level within these spaces. In some cases, the sub-floor area is
not heavily occupied by cabling or other potential combustibles. In such a
case, I would not include an extra level of protection for the sub-floor.
In other cases, the data center owner my feel the cables and the power/information they bring through the underfloor are by far the most critical
hazard in the space, the sub-floor is the only space protected. Most
commonly, both subfloor and above floor are protected by FM-200. In this
case, the same cylinder (or multiple cylinders manifolded together) can
protect both spaces, by engineering the system piping network.
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