Argonite Fire Extinguishing Agent
Argonite Overview
Argonite® Fire Protection Systems are clean agent, automatic extinguishing systems that use Argonite (IG-55) and consist of four basic components and their associated accessories:
Completer Kits
The Completer Kits provide all the basic components necessary to operate the Argonite cylinders.
The kits consist of hoses, connection fittings, pressure gauges, actuation devices required to operate the cylinder valve and warning signs to be displayed in the area(s)protected by an Argonite fire extinguishing system .
Control Panels
The Control Panels vary in features and complexity but in all cases are used to monitor the detection, actuate the alarms, initiate the agent discharge and control auxiliary functions such as shut down of vital equipment and ventilation dampers.
Detection and Alarm Devices
The Detection and Alarm devices provide fire detection by means of thermal or smoke detectors, audible and visual pre-alarm warnings and annunciation of the Argonite discharge.
Argonite is an inert gas mixture, in equal parts, of Nitrogen and Argon. Both substances are naturally occurring and present in the atmosphere. Argonite is safe for use in occupied spaces and poses no threat to the environment.
Argonite - How it works
The Argonite system extinguishes fire by reducing the oxygen content. Argonite is a mixture of 50% pure Nitrogen and 50% pure Argon. Argonite contains only naturally occurring substances, and as such, has no ozone depletion potential and no direct global warming potential. Argonite extinguishes by means of reducing the oxygen content within a room to the point at which fire can no longer burn, but without compromising the safety of individuals present.
There are no toxicological factors associated with the use of Argonite. Argonite will not decompose or produce any by-products when exposed to a flame from a fire condition.
Argonite Benefits
- Fast acting
- No environmental impact
- Low life cycle cost
- Electrically non-conductive
- Zero breakdown products
- No risk of consequential damage
- VdS approval
Argonite Applications
- Computer suites
- Telecoms facilities
- Archive stores
- Petrochem facilities
- Offshore
- Gas turbines
- Power generation
Service and Maintenance
In order to optimise the performance of any fire suppression system, it is essential that service and maintenance should be carried out by a competent engineer in accordance with the relevant standards, this includes F Gas trained engineers for any work carried out on FM-200 fire extinguishing systems.
Automatic Protection Limited are able to offer a full a “24/7” maintenance and call out facility as well as in house integrity testing. We can also service and maintain the detection content of the protected area, aspirating systems and leak detection, this allows us to ensure that all of the related equipment within the protected area - detection, cylinders, solenoids etc. are serviced, operate as intended and are left in good working order.
British Standards recommend that the systems are serviced twice per annum with a room integrity test (where applicable) carried out once per annum. A full service report is given after each visit, this will highlight any aspect of the system that will be due for service exchange e.g. cylinders reaching 10 years old and requiring hydrostatic testing. This will allow companies to plan for this and allow for the additional costs within their budgets.
Inerting Gases (Remove Oxygen from air to support life but not fire). Argonite is a mixture of Argon and Nitrogen.
IG-55 - i3 - Proinert - C60 - Ginge Kerr are all associated with Argonite.
Inergen is similar to Argonite but is a mixture of Argon, Nitrogen and CO2
IG-541 - Tyco - Ansul - Wormald
