Experts in fire protection

Advantages

With conventional oxygen reduction systems, an air compressor, compressed air preparation, and a nitrogen generator are required to permanently lower the oxygen level in the protection zone. This results in ongoing costs that can exceed the original investment in just a few years. 

The hydrogen-based fuel cell technology Oxeo EcoPrevent FC is significantly more economical. It is the first fire prevention system to protect vulnerable protection zones from fire with an emission-free and thus climate-friendly solution whereby the nitrogen-rich exhaust air from a hydrogen-based fuel cell is fed into the room in order to create a “fire-safe” atmosphere and thus actively prevent open fires.

The high degree of efficiency ensures that the fuel cell can not only create sufficient quantities of nitrogen for fire protection using small quantities of hydrogen, but it also generates power and heat which can be used for profit. The weatherproof, durable and easy-to-maintain design reduces operating costs and thus further increases the cost-efficiency of the Oxeo EcoPrevent FC.


Advantages at a glance

  • Delivers fire protection for areas such as compact storage facilities or deep-freeze warehouses, which are very expensive to protect with conventional fire prevention systems.
  • Prevents interruptions due to fire damage and thus ensures availability of goods
  • With an efficiency level in excess of 90%, it delivers outstanding performance and high energy efficiency
  • Reduces CO2 emissions by hundreds of tonnes each year compared to conventional oxygen-reduction systems
  • Reduces dependence on network operators and fluctuating energy costs

This is how Oxeo EcoPrevent FC functions:


Safety plus return on investment

Oxeo EcoPrevent FC delivers fire protection and a return on invest! Energy and heat produced by the fuel cell can be used to operate other systems, which offers a range of benefits for the operator: As well as saving money, they also become less dependent on network operators and fluctuating energy prices. In addition, the warm water can also be fed into the heating circuit, which can lead to further cost savings. Fire protection is ensured at all times, even during a power cut, because in isolation operation, the fuel cell can also work as a standby generator.

Oxeo EcoPrevent FC also sets standards for installation and commissioning. The weatherproof container design means that the system can also be positioned outdoors, thus reducing procurement costs and enabling valuable inside space to be used for other purposes. The plug-&-play design of the fuel cell also enables quick commissioning and minimizes operational interruptions during installation.

Oxeo EcoPrevent FC eases the budget and protects the climate. With its emission-free operation, the system saves hundreds of tons of CO2 each year compared to conventional oxygen-reduction systems and supports decarbonization of the business. The prevention of open fires also stops harmful substances escaping into the environment in the event of a fire.

Fire prevention, even in large protection zones – Oxeo EcoPrevent FC/PG

With the Oxeo EcoPrevent FC/PG hybrid system Minimax delivers an efficient and, at the same time, climate-friendly solution which can cost-effectively protect even very large buildings such as, for example, high rack or deep-freeze warehouses. It combines the efficiency of the fuel cell with the proven high performance of nitrogen-generation systems that use PSA technology. The energy for the entire system comes from the fuel cell so that it can be operated cost efficiently and is independent of an external energy supply. The increased production capacities do not just provide significantly more nitrogen, but they can also ensure a “fire-safe” atmosphere, even in large buildings. The large quantity of warm water from both systems can also be used even more efficiently for heating.

Construction of Oxeo EcoPrevent FC

Minimax makes the difference

  • First fire prevention system with a hydrogen-powered fuel cell*
  • The hybrid system effectively protects even large safety zones from fire
  • Emission-free fire protection thanks to sustainable system design
  • Enables cost-effective operation with the profitable usability of energy and heat



* The fuel cell and its use of electricity and heat are not part of Minimax GmbH‘s scope of services

Applications

High rack storage
High rack storage

Protection zone

High rack storage shelves are up to 50m high and are mostly designed for the intake of Europallets. Their capacity ranges from a few thousand to several hundred thousand pallet storage positions. On a very small surface area they offer space for extremely large quantities of goods and products. Between every two rows of storage shelves there is an alley in which rack feeders move up and down.

Risks

  • Rapid spreading of fire in a vertical direction due to stacked pallets
  • Chimney effect, i.e. flames and fire gases are drawn upward through the shafts

Fire Protection

Sprinkler systems have been proven to work well in high rack storage facilities. In the conventional version, sprinklers are installed both under the ceiling and in the shelves. However, the installation of shelf sprinklers is rendered unnecessary if ESFR (Early Suppression Fast Response) sprinklers, which are installed only in the ceiling, can be deployed. Fire detection systems for the early detection of fires are also used to supplement sprinkler systems in high rack storage facilities. In these cases, Minimax recommends the use of HELIOS AMX5000 aspirating smoke detectors with a vertical installation of the suction lines in the shelves and mounting the evaluation units in easily accessible locations. The advantage of such a solution over punctiform smoke detectors is, for example, that they can be serviced very easily without having to interrupt business operations.

Paper roll depots
Paper roll depots

Protection zone

As a rule, paper rolls are stored in block storage facilities. Some warehouses are equipped with mechanical gripping systems - in other words, automatic paper roll depots.

Risks

  • Chimney effect through shafts between the paper rolls
  • The use of water as an extinguishing agent is impeded in cases where absorbent sanitary paper is stored.

Fire Protection

In principle, the same fire protection systems described for block storage facilities can be used in these cases too. Protection concepts based on ESFR sprinklers or – in the case of warehouses with greater heights – a carbon dioxide extinguishing system are viable alternatives for situations where the storage of absorbent sanitary paper prevents the use of water-based fire extinguishing systems. In this case, too, carbon dioxide has the advantage – compared to other extinguishing gases – that it is also suitable for fighting deep seated smoldering fires. In large-dimension storage areas that require large quantities of carbon dioxide, we recommend storing the extinguishing agent in low-pressure containers for reasons of cost. For automated paper roll depots, Oxeo Prevent fire prevention systems are a viable alternative. The system is triggered by a fire detection system, HELIOS AMX5000 aspirating smoke detector, to allow for early detection.

Refrigerated storage
Refrigerated storage

Protection zone

Refrigerated storage is widespread especially in the food industry and in the related, downstream commercial operations. The goods and products are stored for purpose at temperatures of up to -40 °C. The necessary heat insulation often consists of non-flammable or flammable insulation materials with varying fire performance, often in the form of sandwich elements. Rack storage is predominant in refrigerated storage facilities

Risks

  • Dry air promotes the rapid spread of fire
  • Additional fire loads when using flammable insulation material
  • Extinguishing water without antifreeze additives will freeze over very quickly.

Fire Protection

Oxeo Prevent fire prevention systems are the ideal solution for refrigerated storage facilities, since the conditions for their use — no permanent presence of people in the storage facility, a well-sealed building shell and very low infiltration of fresh air caused by bringing in and removing goods — are also required to maintain the desired temperature level. Moreover, they offer perfect protection for the storage of foodstuff that is sensitive to smoke and temperatures. Oxeo Prevent fire prevention systems are mostly used in combination with HELIOS AMX5000 aspirating smoke detectors with a highly sensitive setting to ensure earliest fire detection. Heated aspirating outlets ensure their proper operation in refrigerated areas. Though Oxeo Prevent can only prevent a smoldering fire from turning into an open fire, the fire and the cause of fire would remain permanently undetected in the absence of an earliest fire detection system. Alternatively, sprinkler systems can be installed in such conditions — here ideally fitted with ESFR sprinklers. If there is a sufficiently spaced, frost-free intermediate area above the ceiling available, we recommend pendent Viking ESFR dry sprinklers. Combined with a Minimax PipeGuard Antifreeze system, sprinkler systems can be used in refrigerated storage facilities at a temperature of up to -40 °C.

Server rooms
Server rooms

Protection zone

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.

Risks

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

Fire Protection

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.

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