Applications
Data Center Fire Protection with Clean Agents
Data centers run around the clock, and even a small fire can stop critical services. Clean agent systems put out fires in seconds without harming the equipment they protect.
Fire Risks in Data Centers
Most data center fires are electrical: overheated cables, failed power supplies, UPS batteries and overloaded racks. They start inside closed cabinets, spread through cable trays and raised floors, and produce smoke that can damage electronics long after the flames are gone.
Water sprinklers are a poor fit. Water conducts electricity, ruins servers and storage, and the clean-up can keep a facility offline for days. The real cost is not the fire itself but the downtime and data loss.
Why Clean Agents Are the Right Choice
Clean agents are electrically non-conductive gases that leave no residue. They reach every corner of the room, including inside racks, and extinguish the fire within about ten seconds of discharge. Servers can often keep running and the room returns to service as soon as it is ventilated.
At normal design concentrations FK-5-1-12 and HFC-227ea are below their NOAEL levels, so people in the room are safe during the short time needed to evacuate.
Recommended Products
FK-5-1-12 is the low-environmental-impact choice for new systems, with the widest safety margin. HFC-227ea (FM-200) is the proven, cost-effective agent used in thousands of existing data centers.
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Technical Points and Design Reference
Typical design concentrations are about 4.5–6 % for FK-5-1-12 and 7–8 % for HFC-227ea, based on a cup-burner value plus the safety factor required by NFPA 2001 or ISO 14520. As a rough guide, FK-5-1-12 needs around 0.7–0.8 kg per cubic metre and HFC-227ea around 0.55–0.65 kg per cubic metre at 20 °C; the exact quantity must be calculated by the system designer for room volume, temperature and altitude.
Rooms should be reasonably airtight so the concentration is held for at least 10 minutes. Combine the system with early smoke detection and automatic shutdown of air handling.
Frequently Asked Questions
FK-5-1-12 or HFC-227ea — which is better for a data center?+
Both protect IT equipment well. FK-5-1-12 has a very low global warming impact and a larger safety margin; HFC-227ea is lower in cost and widely used for refilling existing systems.
Will a clean agent discharge damage servers?+
No. Both agents are non-conductive and leave no residue, so equipment does not need cleaning after discharge.
Is it safe for people in the room?+
Yes, at design concentrations below the NOAEL. Occupants should still leave the room when the alarm sounds.
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