Fire Suppression Systems
Whenever grease is produced in a cooking environment, then a fixed type fire protection system should also be installed. Most kitchen fires originate under the extract canopy and unless suppressed, will spread through the extract ducts to the rest of the building. The three components that need to be addressed are oxygen, heat and fuel, and this suppression can be achieved by using one of the following methods:
Dry Chemical - Only attacks the oxygen element of the fire, and difficult to
clean up.
Wet Chemical - Smothers the fire by chemical reaction called "saponification".
Carbon Dioxide - Not generally used due to high initial cost and no cooling capability.
Water Sprinkler- Plentiful supply of suppressant and less down-time after a fire.
DPL offer with their range of canopies the Ansul
R-102 fire suppression system.
ANSUL
The Ansul R-102 fire suppression system employs a wet chemical in
a pre-engineered group of mechanical and electrical components to be installed
by an authorised installer such as DPL. The basic system consists
of a regulated release assembly which includes a release mechanism and a liquid
agent storage tank housed in a single enclosure. The system can be actuated
either automatically or manually through a remote pull station. The fuel to the
cooking appliance should also automatically be shut down when the system has
been activated.
The R-102 system suppresses the fire by spraying the cooking surface, the canopy
plenum and the exhaust duct with a pre-determined quantity of suppressant which
cools the grease surface, reacts with the hot grease forming a layer of
soap-like foam on the surface of the fat
(saponification). This
prevents the escape of combustible vapours. The exhaust fans should be left
running to assist in the cooling process of the duct and plenum, but should
there be a supply system to the canopy, then the supply fan should be shut down
on activation.