Automotive

The necessary forces for the pressing process are generated in the hydraulics rooms. This requires hydraulic power units, which consist of hydraulic oil tanks, drive motors and pumps. Such facilities are generally located in an enclosed hydraulics chamber below the press.

• Leakage in oil pipelines or shaft seals
• Hot surfaces of the power units
• Igniting oil deposits

Minifog ProCon water mist extinguishing systems provide reliable fire protection for hydraulic power units. If the area contains sensitive electronic equipment, carbon dioxide extinguishing systems offer residue-free extinguishing of a fire as an alternative. Detection of fires and triggering of Minifog ProCon water mist extinguishing systems and carbon dioxide extinguishing systems is via a fire detection system equipped with UniVario flame and heat detectors.

Hydraulic presses are often used for metal forming. In the process of press hardening, the units that are to be compacted are covered with an oily film before pressing, heated up to the required forming temperature and then pressed into the desired form using a stamp and a die. This creates high friction heat. Hence the units to be compacted must subsequently be cooled down in a controlled manner in open oil hardening basins.

• Leaks in oil pipelines
• High friction heat when pressing
• Highly flammable oily film on the units to be compacted

The water-saving Minifog ProCon water mist extinguishing system is ideally suited for fire protection. Minifog ProCon impulse nozzles positioned at the press generate a fine spray mist that reaches the fire even in the event of the press having complex geometries. A fire detection system triggers the extinguishing system through UniVario flame and heat detectors.

Filter systems are used whenever the production process generates fumes, or when dusts are released through abrasion. Fine dusts occur for example, when milling or cutting plastics or when processing other materials.

• Explosive atmosphere
• Highly flammable dust in the filter bags

Carbon dioxide extinguishing systems are ideal for protecting filter housings against fires. In the case of metal extraction, however, the Oxeo extinguishing system using the argon extinguishing agent is the right choice to preclude interactions of the extinguishing agent with combustible metal. A fire detection system will trigger the extinguishing system.

Server rooms are important, sensitive areas. In these rooms, data of high importance for business operations is stored, managed and exchanged over the network. The irretrievable loss of this data through a fire may have considerable economic consequences for productivity or even the future of a company.

• Overheating of technical equipment
• Defects such as short circuits
• Considerable damage even in the case of small fires

For small and medium-sized server rooms, the MX 1230 extinguishing system is the ideal solution. It gives residue-free extinguishing using the innovative FK 5-1-12 extinguishing agents and requires very little space. Oxeo inert gas extinguishing systems are ideal for large server rooms. The MX 1230 extinguishing system and Oxeo inert gas extinguishing systems are triggered, and fires are detected, by a fire detection system using a HELIOS AMX5000 smoke aspirating system.

Offices, conference rooms and dining rooms are generally used by staff and guests. In addition, staff members may also retire to break rooms or smoking rooms and to kitchens during work. Corridors run through the entire building, serving as a main traffic route.

• Defective electrical devices such as projectors and computers
• Overheating of the lighting
• Short circuits at vending machines

Minifog EconAqua water mist extinguishing systems offer space- and water-saving protection and can be connected to an existing sprinkler system. In areas with higher ceilings, sprinkler systems provide reliable fire protection. 

Tires are generally stored in bulk storage on specially designed transport pallets. Those depots are directly connected with production plants through transport facilities.

• Defective storage equipment or small appliances
• High fire load due to high density of many tires in a confined space.

In view of the limited ability to wet the tires and the risk of a very fast development and spreading of the fire, this fire risk is best addressed with a deluge system with a film-forming foaming additive or, alternatively, a foam extinguishing system. In this regard, Minimax offers a variety of protection concepts tailored to the individual storage conditions in place, e.g. using open large-drop sprinklers. The extinguishing system is triggered by a fire detection system using UniVario flame and heat detectors.

Production and assembly halls are typically extensive multi-story buildings that offer the necessary space for machinery and systems. Such halls are often not structurally subdivided, and the individual areas are interconnected by fully-automated conveyor systems.

• Technical defects, such as short circuits at production facilities
• Highly flammable materials
• Rapid spreading of fire due to open spaces and interconnecting conveyor systems

Sprinkler systems are often the ideal solution for production and assembly areas. Their basic concept of selective extinguishing satisfies the applicable requirements. In case of activation, the water is not dispersed throughout the entire production and assembly hall.

Paint storage areas are subject to the special laws and regulations applicable to hazardous substances areas. Those laws and regulations require i.e. secure storage, floor protection provided by sumps and extinguishing water retention systems. Often a paint mixing room with a dosing unit forms part of a paint storage area.

• Technical defects in storage equipment or a dosing facility
• Overheating of lighting equipment
• High fire load due to the large quantity of flammable paints

Sprinkler systems with foam admixture provide reliable protection in paint storage areas. Alternatively, carbon dioxide extinguishing systems allow for residue-free extinguishing of fires. Fires are detected and the extinguishing system is triggered by a fire detection system equipped with UniVario flame and heat detectors.

In wet paint-spray systems, primers, base and cover coats or clear paint coats are often applied electrostatically using paint robots on car bodies or larger workpieces. Paint-spray systems typically consist of devices for the preliminary treatment of the vehicles, paint booths with paint robots, cooling zones and drying areas, filter equipment and various work booths for inspection and repairs. Ventilating and aerating systems ensure the necessary atmospheric environment in the paint-spray and work booths.

• Technical defects in the power supply
• Highly flammable, solvent-based paints
• Sparking
• Paint deposits in the drying furnaces

Sprinkler systems are often the preferred choice for paint booths, paint dryers and manual work booths. Paint driers operating at temperatures in excess of 100 °C require a sprinkler system with a dry pipe system. If the paint booth’s technical facilities - e.g. filter systems - are particularly sensitive to water, water-saving Minifog ProCon water mist extinguishing systems offer a good alternative. For paint robots, Minimax offers a special solution based on a carbon dioxide high-pressure extinguishing system. Special, quick-response FMX flame detectors detect ignition sources and transmit signals to the fire alarm control panel. This control panel sends command impulses for shutting down robots, conveyor systems, the supply of paint, air and solvents and triggers the extinguishing system. The control air of the paint robot is deactivated and, instead, carbon dioxide is emitted aiming specifically at extinguishing the fire.

In a powder coating system, powdered paint particles are applied on to the work pieces to be painted, usually with a spray gun, and subsequently burnt on to the surface. A typical powder coating system consists essentially of a powder booth, a powder enameling furnace and filter systems. In addition, in larger systems, powder recovery systems with ventilation ducts are used for the recycling of excess oversprays

• Sparking
• Paint deposits
• Often explosive atmospheres

Powder booths and enameling furnaces are reliably protected by sprinkler systems. The fire alarm control panel allows for an alarm to be issued even earlier and may issue control impulses to shut down individual system components, e.g. the powder supply, high voltage and exhaust air. A carbon dioxide extinguishing system is ideal for the protection of powder recovery systems. Carbon dioxide extinguishing nozzles are installed upstream of the cyclone and filter to suppress the spreading of a fire in the ventilation ducts. Special spark detectors respond to even the slightest infrared radiation and transmit a signal to the fire alarm control panel, which in turn activates the extinguishing system.

Test stands are used in car manufacturing plants for various purposes. Motor test stands serve to study the basic parameters of an engine; simulation test stands reflect external influences, such as special temperature fluctuations or vibrations, on individual components, while manufacturing test stands regularly check the quality of the cars.

• Extreme loads applied to test units
• Accidental overheating

Carbon dioxide extinguishing systems extinguish fires on manufacturing test stands with a cooling effect and without leaving any residues. Motor test stands can be reliably protected with Minifog ProCon XP water mist extinguishing systems. To detect fires and trigger carbon dioxide extinguishing systems and Minifog ProCon XP water mist extinguishing systems, fire detection systems with intelligent UniVario flame and heat detectors or HELIOS AMX5000 aspirating smoke detectors are used.

Control rooms are very sensitive and high-quality facilities which control fundamental production processes. They contain electric switching and control equipment plus false floors with extensive cabling. Even minor defects may cause substantial operational failures.

• Short circuits
• Highly flammable materials

Oxeo inert gas extinguishing systems offer reliable protection in control rooms. For smaller control rooms, MX 1230 extinguishing systems offer an economical alternative. The extinguishing system is triggered by a fire detection system using punctiform smoke detectors or HELIOS AMX5000 aspirating smoke detectors.

Representative distribution centers in the car manufacturing industry are often designed as a multi-level, fully automated parking system. The functional principle of operation and control logic are inspired by an automated storage/retrieval system: the vehicles are driven on to a mobile parking platform and parked automatically in a vacant parking bay using a conveyor system combined with shift unit.

• Short circuits in the vehicle electronics
• Rapid spreading of fire due to the chimney effect of the vertical shafts

Sprinkler systems with rapid-action sprinklers have in particular proven to be effective for protecting a fully automated distribution center. The sprinklers are installed both under the ceiling and in the parking areas. Fire detection is provided by HELIOS AMX5000 aspirating smoke detectors.