Wind Turbines

Wind Mill Hazards
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Most of a wind turbine’s fire hazards occur within the nacelle, the housing which includes the generator, brake assembly, gearbox, drivetrain and more. Mechanical failure such as misaligned bearings may create overheated surfaces or sparks and lead to difficult-to-reach fires. Traditional fire protection systems are largely ineffective due to high airflow and high-voltage electrical systems within these environments.

Wind Turbine
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Air Sampling is positioned near the generator, brake and blade areas, each of which have bearings that may become misaligned and create a fire hazard. With its ability to identify smoke particulates in the air, indicating the very early stages of combustion, VESDA is often the ideal detection solution in these high-airflow environments.

Wind Turbine
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Due to the volume’s relatively small space, a total flood of chemical agent (3M™ Novec™ Fire Protection Fluid, FK-5-1-12, ECARO-25® or FM-200™) is the most common method of suppression and requires just one 60 or 100lb cylinder. CO2 fire suppression systems have also proven effective at performing localized application directly onto the fire, usually focused on the bearings.

Wind Turbine
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Fike Small Space Suppression may be used to protect the interior of the controller, which houses high-voltage electronics. A flexible heat-reactive tube is routed throughout the controller. A fire occurring within the controller will melt a hole in the tube, releasing 3M™ Novec™ Fire Protection Fluid directly onto the fire.

Wind Mill Control Room - 1300x540
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Located at the ground level of the wind turbine, control rooms are often protected with VESDA air sampling to detect any smoke particles from switch cabinets and other electronics. Once a fire is detected, power may be shut down and clean agent suppressions systems may be activated.

Wind Turbine Energy Storage

Wind MIll BESS - 1300x540
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The power generated from wind turbines is usually collected in a Battery Energy Storage System. A malfunctioning lithium ion battery may go into “thermal runaway,” as its internal temperature quickly exceeds its normal operating range and begins to burn and release explosive gases. The overheated battery may then cause a chain reaction into other adjacent batteries, resulting in an extremely hazardous environment.

BESS remote spot detection
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Spot detectors may be installed to monitor the smoke of a burning lithium ion battery. The connected fire panel identifies the hazard, may open ventilation to flush explosive gases, and alerts the closest fire department. While spot detection is the slowest method of detecting thermal runaway, it may be sufficient for remote BESS units.

Remote BESS - 1300x540
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Gas detectors may be used instead of spot detectors to provide early warning of explosive off-gassing from a malfunctioning battery. Li-Ion Tamer offers the earliest detection, as sensors are applied directly onto battery racks, while Sensepoint XCD is installed along the ceiling of the storage unit. Gas detectors are ideal for non-remote BESS units, or when the preservation of the unit is required.

BESS remote Micromist
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In the battery rack area, a water mist system removes combustible particulates and provides prolonged cooling to inhibit the transfer of heat from one cell to another. Fike DuraQuench® connects to the water main or a reservoir for unlimited discharge, while Fike Micromist® is a self-contained water mist system ideal for remote locations.

BESS remote Explosion Venting
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If fire suppression systems and active ventilation systems are not installed on the BESS unit, explosion vent panels should be installed on the roofs so if a deflagration were to occur, the pressure will force the vents open and safely relieve the pressure and flames upward into the atmosphere.

Power Plants

Coal, Nuclear Fision, Natural Gas

With their various equipment, fuels and methods of conveyance, power plants are among the most complex industries for fire protection.

Storage

Fuel such as coal or biomass is stored in bulk where deep-seeded, obscured fires may occur. Thermal imaging cameras can identify hotspots within these storage bins, notify personnel and shutdown power before the smoldering product is conveyed further downstream into more combustible atmospheres. Furthermore, if a coal mill is used to crush the fuel, an explosive combustible dust hazard may also be created which would likely require an explosion suppression and isolation system.

Transportation

Conveyors transport fuel such as coal into the boiler. Misaligned bearings on the conveyor may create sparks or overheated surfaces, which could cause the fuel to burn prematurely. Thermal imaging cameras can be applied to monitor surface temperatures or malfunctioning equipment, or linear heat cables can be run along the conveyor to detect abnormal heat. Upon detection, a fire control panel can shut down power to the conveyor or activate suppression systems.

Hazard

A steam turbine’s lubrication oil system is the most likely fire hazard, as various malfunctions can result in smoldering fires or even spray fires. Similar fires may occur from the lube oil skids themselves. Fike flame detectors are ideal for these applications because of their ability to detect fires from up to 230 ft away in mere seconds. Once detected, a Fike Micromist system may discharge to suppress the fire and provide a prolonged cooling effect to ensure the fire doesn’t reignite.

Identification Of Elevated Temperatures

The bearings on a generator may become misaligned and cause friction, creating sparks or hot surfaces. Thermal imaging cameras may be used to proactively identify elevated temperatures, which may indicate the need for maintenance. In an emergency situation, thermal imaging cameras may alert personnel, discharge sprinkler or suppression systems, and shutdown power to the generator.

Detection Of Fire

High-voltage transformers are at risk of experiencing devastating fires, so quick detection is required in these environments. Linear heat cables may be fastened throughout the space to detect abnormal temperatures. When a fire is detected, power will be shut down to the transformers and safety personnel will be notified.

Coal Storage Coal Conveyance Coal Plant Boiler Steam Turbine Generator High Voltage Transformer

Hydroelectric Power Plants

Coal, Nuclear Fision, Natural Gas

Much of a hydroelectric power plant’s equipment and components are located underground, making the detection and suppression of these obscured fires particularly important. For example, in 2012 at the 84-MW Ronald B. Robie (Thermalito) Pumping-Generating Plant in Oroville, CA, a fire occurred which burned for 48 hours. The cause: a cable tray which went undetected for long enough to result in hundreds of millions of dollars in damages.

Generators & Oil Rooms

Generators and Oil Rooms - The bearings on a generator may become misaligned and cause friction, creating sparks or hot surfaces coated with flammable oil. Flame detectors are ideal for quickly identifying fires, or thermal imaging cameras may be used to proactively identify elevated temperatures or misaligned parts. Once detected, a Fike DuraQuench system may discharge to suppress the fire and provide a prolonged cooling effect to ensure the fire doesn’t reignite.

Control Room

Control rooms are often protected with inert gas because of its ability to quickly suppress fires which may be found in these environments and in a way that is safe for people. Depending on the size of the control room, VESDA air sampling or basic spot detection may be used. Finally, to protect any electrical cabinets in the control room or throughout the facility, Fike Small Space Suppression may be used. Any fire that occurs inside the cabinet will melt a hole in the system’s heat-reactive tubing, which will then release chemical agent directly onto the fire.

Cable Trays

Cable trays are particularly concerning because they are often obscured from view and may result in a fire for several minutes or even hours before being detected. Linear heat cables may be run alongside cable trays to quickly identify the location of an electrical fire, which may then alert personnel and activate any number of appropriate suppression systems.

Tunnels & Subfloors

Some underground environments have ceilings intended to shed water and are therefore unable to be penetrated by spot detectors or air sampling pipes. In these situations, flame detector cameras equipped with Fike Video Analytics may be installed on the walls to provide early warning detection of smoke or flames.

hydroelectric generator room control rooms cable trays tunnels

Solar Farms

Solar Farm BESS - 1300x540
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Because they are often located in rural areas or on farmland, solar farms rarely pose a fire hazard which could harm people. However, solar farms still do require fire protection to ensure a small fire doesn’t go unnoticed and turn into a serious situation, resulting in damage to nearby buildings or in wildfires.

Solar Farm BESS - 1300x540
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Battery energy storage systems collect the power generated from solar farms. A malfunctioning lithium ion battery may go into “thermal runaway,” as its internal temperature quickly exceeds its normal operating range and begins to burn and release explosive gases. The overheated battery may then cause a chain reaction into other adjacent batteries, resulting in an extremely hazardous environment.

Solar Farm BESS - 1300x540
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A distributed temperature sensing cable may be routed throughout each rack of lithium ion batteries to provide the earliest detection of thermal runaway possible. If one of the cells becomes overheated, the cable will identify its precise location and can shut down power, release suppression systems and notify safety personnel.

Solar Farm BESS - 1300x540
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Gas detection devices, such as Li-Ion Tamer, may be applied directly on the battery rack to detect hydrogen offgas from a malfunctioning battery. Once offgas is detected, the accompanying fire control panel can shutdown power to both the BESS unit and the wind turbine and activate suppression systems.

Solar Farm BESS - 1300x540
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A Fike DuraQuench® water mist system is often used in BESS units not only because of its ability to remove combustible gas and particulates from the volume but also because of its prolonged cooling effect to help inhibit the transfer of heat from one cell to another. Otherwise, chemical agents are also effective in these applications.

Solar Farm BESS - 1300x540
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The combination of explosive gasses and extreme heat within an enclosed environment can produce a devastating explosion. Therefore, Fike recommends that explosion vent panels are installed on the roofs of all BESS units. If a deflagration occurs, the pressure within the volume will rise; once the vent panels’ static burst pressure is reached, it will open and safely relieve the pressure and flames upward away from other units or nearby buildings.

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