Is FM 200 Fire Suppression System Safe and Useful
A misconception among the public is that FM 200 reduces oxygen in the area where it is released. This is not true as it is a synthetic chemical fire suppression gas. It works in a fashion that extinguishes fire by killing the heat elements from the fire triangle oxygen, heat and fuel. A typical FM 200 concentration in a fire suppression system is between 7.9% - 8.5% which is a standard set by ISO 14520 standards. This is a simple proof that this gas is completely safe for usage in areas where living beings are present as they will not be put to any huge danger if they inhale it or it falls on them.
Since many chemically produced gases are toxic and can cause real harm to living beings, people are skeptical of every gas commercially sold. The FM 200 is also a chemically produced gas but it is found to be safe for indoor use. Hence the FM 200 fire suppression system is not only safe to use but very useful too. Using water sprinklers can be a problem because after the spray there is a lot to hang out to dry and a lot of cleaning required. Water wets everything including fire and it is the way it works. After it has been sprayed all the carpets, hangings and everything present inside the premises are damaged by water even if they survive the thermal damage.
Just like every other commercially supplied gas it is also inserted in single skinned containers made of a reliable alloy that does not react with it. Thus the gas inside remains safe from any reaction and comes out just the way it was packed. The containers are specially designed keeping in view the materials that will be filled in them. It s made sure that the alloy is harmless to its content as the gas, upon reaction can become useless at the time of need. If the gas loses its ability to break the thermal chain, it would be a disaster.
When the gas is injected in the container there is no way you can measure it then. Since there is no opening but only one and it is also sealed, the human eye can never judge how much is present inside. With the passage of time gases are known to become less reliable and may lose their intensity. At such a point they lose pressure and can be unresponsive at the time of need. Hence with the help of the ultrasonic liquid level indicator the pressure can be checked and it would be known before hand if a refill would be needed or not.