What Is a Clean Agent Fire Suppression System?

How can you guarantee your fire suppression system will suppress fires without causing further damage to machinery, equipment or assets? By using a clean agent.

Clean agent fire suppression systems combat fires using specially formulated gases that leave no residue, ensuring that precious electronics, documents, and machinery remain safe and operational.

In this article, we’ll explore what clean agent fire suppression systems are, how they work and where you should use them.

What is a clean fire suppression system?

A clean agent fire suppression system is a specialised system that uses non-toxic agents, free of ozone-depleting substances, to suppress fires.

The agent is stored as a liquid and released as a gas. Unlike other suppressant agents, including water, foam, dry powder or wet chemicals, clean agents evaporate after suppression, leaving no residue.

Clean agent fire suppression systems work by rapidly releasing an inert gas agent, which inhibits the fire’s ability to sustain itself in one of three ways:

• Reducing oxygen levels to below the amount needed to support combustion
• Removing heat from the fire, cooling flames below ignition temperatures
• Interrupting the combustion’s chemical chain reaction

Regardless of the suppression method, clean agents will suppress fires in less than 10 seconds. 

What are the benefits of clean agents?

Clean agents have several advantages over other agents, including the following:

• No residue. Clean agents leave little to no residue, making them safe to use on electrical and mechanical equipment. 
• Rapid suppression. Clean agent systems are fast-acting, suppressing fires in under 10 seconds. The agent prevents escalation, reduces heat and minimises damage. 
• Environmentally-friendly. Most clean agents, including Novec 1230 and our own Reacton 1230, are non-ozone-depleting. 
• Minimal downtime. Because there’s no major cleanup and machinery should remain undamaged, assets can be back in operation quickly.

These benefits make clean agent fire suppression systems an indispensable choice for protecting sensitive environments where both rapid fire control and preserving delicate assets are paramount. 

They are a practical choice to protect electrical systems, shown in the image above. We’ll discuss the other best places to install a clean agent system next.

Where should you install a clean agent fire system?

Clean agent systems are an excellent choice for small to medium areas where traditional suppression methods could cause collateral damage.

Typical installation sites include:

• Manufacturing facilities
• CNC machinery
• Production plants
• Food production facilities
• EV charging station

For clean agent systems to be successful, you must install them in relatively small, enclosed spaces. This lets the agent fill the space effectively.

Systems can be installed inside equipment, like a control panel, as shown in the image above, or within the room itself.

What makes Fireward’s clean agent systems different?

Here at Fireward, our clean agent systems use Reacton™ 1230 Fire Protection Fluid and FM-200™, instead of the more common Novec 1230 clean agent.

• Reacton™ 1230 is a fluorinated ketone that our systems store as a liquid and discharge as a gas. It is electrically non-conductive and leaves no residue after discharge.
• FM-200™, sometimes referred to as HFC-227ea, is the most tested liquefiable clean agent of all time. It’s an electrically non-conductive, odourless and colourless gas.

All of our clean agent solutions, including our electrical panel fire suppression system and CNC fire suppression system are direct release. As you can see in the image below, Fireward solutions use strategically placed tubing near the asset, which will automatically rupture in the event of a fire, releasing the agent.

Such a quick response will protect your valuable assets and prevent further damage by limiting the area in which the suppressant is released. 

Protect your equipment with Fireward

Clean agent fire suppression systems are an innovative, efficient and environmentally-friendly way to protect equipment and assets from fire. Their rapid action and clean discharge make them particularly suitable for computer and electrical environments where water and other traditional suppression methods are impractical. 

As the UK’s market leader in fire suppression, you can trust Fireward to protect your equipment with an exceptional clean agent solution and unrivalled service. We give you complete protection thanks to the following benefits:

• Ultra-fast detection. Our clean agent systems are some of the fastest-acting on the market and offer exceptional protection.
• 24/7 protection. All our systems are pressurised and require no power, meaning your equipment is protected without manual intervention.
• Extreme conditions. Our fire suppression systems are tested to work in the most demanding conditions, including temperatures as low as -20°C.
• Fully approved and certified. All our systems are accredited to the highest standards and third-party certified to UL 2166 (direct release), UL 2166 (indirect release) and LPS 1666.
• Three-year warranty. We offer all customers a three-year parts and labour warranty as standard.

Get in touch with a member of our team to request a brochure or get a free quote today. 

Protecting People and Assets 24/7

Call: 0800 151 0249
Email: sales@fireward.co.uk.