Protecting Data Assets

Frank Savino, president, United Fire Protection Corp. in Union, New Jersey, a leading New York/New Jersey metro area provider of life-safety systems for mission-critical facilities, uses laser smoke detectors in tandem with a Notifier® panel to protect large data centers for national telecommunication companies, major financial institutions, and other customers with high value asset facilities.

“We install the Notifier VIEW® system in any place where there is high-asset value concentration, especially when you have high amounts of air flow and air changes in a room,” Savino says. “To air condition data and telecom centers, the HVAC system generates a lot of air turbulence.”

These types of environments are different than a static-air environment where fire generates smoke that rises to the ceiling in a concentrated form. In a data center, the high air flow causes air mixing and smoke dilution. That makes detection by means other than high-sensitivity detection slow and less responsive.

Savino says that despite the high level of sensitivity, the VIEW system, an acronym for Very Intelligent Early Warning, does not create a false-alarm problem. The reason is because its operation is guided by a set of sophisticated logic algorithms that screen out false alarms.

“If a piece of dust enters a laser smoke detector’s sensing chamber, the detector will check with others in the system to see if they are registering the same stimulus,” explains Savino.“If no other detector within that area is sensing the same increase in stimulus level, then the system panel will generate a trouble-condition signal to alert that the first detector requires service. In a real fire scenario, when the first laser smoke detector senses smoke, it goes into a holding pattern until it can verify with another detector in the area that it sees smoke as well. With the verification, the detector delivers pre-alarm, early-warning output.”

Chain of Events

During a fire scenario, a fire-control panel is programmed with a series of output control functions. These include remote notification, equipment shutdown or fire-suppressant release.

For example, when a laser smoke detector outputs a pre-alarm early warning, typically, this does not call the fire department or actuate an extinguishing system to operate. Instead, notification is given to local personnel that the area should be investigated. In contrast, when a laser smoke detector is in full alarm, having detected smoke levels at 2 percent-per-foot obscuration, the panel performs a cross-zone check, meaning that although one detector is registering a full-blown alarm and signaling the fire department, it is still not activating any extinguishing systems. However, if a second detector in the zone goes into full alarm, this provides verification to the first signal, typically providing a 30-second time delay before the extinguishing agent is released. During that 30 seconds, another notification signal alerts the panel that the extinguishing system is in countdown mode. Most extinguishing systems also have abort stations to stop or delay the discharge. This gives responders the chance to manually stop the extinguishing release if the situation warrants.

“As far as pre-action sprinklers are concerned, in the same scenario, all you are doing is loading the pipe with water. You still have time because the water is not flowing out of the sprinkler until the sprinkler head melts at 165 degrees at the ceiling,” says Savino.“The lag from the initial alarm to extinguishing system release could be a significant amount of time because most data-center fires start small — like an overheated cable or printed circuit board that malfunctioned — and do not create a lot of heat. If you have an early-warning system, you can alert personnel to inspect the area. Sometimes, the solution may be as simple as shutting off a piece of equipment.”

The Value of VIEW®

In addition to providing early warning notification, the laser smoke detector also acts as a  standard smoke detector that will go into full alarm if higher thresholds of smoke are present. “To me, that’s why I think laser smoke detectors are a tremendous value because the main cost of a detection system in a data center is the installation labor. That represents about 80 percent of the cost,” Savino says. “Even though the equipment costs more than some other detectors, it only adds about 10 percent to the overall cost of the detection system. However, it adds a significant enhancement by being able to provide early warning at .02 percent-per-foot obscuration and also go into full alarm at 2 percent-per-foot obscuration, satisfying the need for regular detection in addition to the early warning. What you really get is two detectors for the  price of one.”

Savino was also quick to point out that aspirating systems, which are comprised of a network of tubes that draw air to be sampled in a sensing chamber, have a place in fire protection as well.

“With an aspirating system, you can protect very large spaces — 10,000 to 20,000 square feet — and you do not have to run cabling or conduit and make wiring terminations to each detector every 16 feet,” says Savino.“But then don’t forget, you only have early-warning detection in the space, not a standard detection system that can also perform fire-extinguishing system release. Very often, the system needs a standard detection system too because you may have a pre-action sprinkler system or a waterless system in place. To activate these, you need to have a standard spot-detection system because aspirating systems usually are not recommended for releasing fire-suppression systems.”

According to Savino, United Fire Protection Corp.’s philosophy dictates that each project be evaluated to find the best possible fire solution for his customers.“Our goal is to provide the best protection for the value dollar spent,” says Savino.“Sure, you can create a Fort Knox-type of environment anywhere, but at what cost? You have to do a risk assessment by asking: What are you protecting? What are the chances that something is going to happen? What are the possible solutions and counter measures? What are the costs of the various options? It all has to balance out. Risk, cost, value and meeting objectives must be considered together.”

For United Fire Protection Corp., finding the right solution also means looking at the operation and maintenance costs.“We take a long-term look because there are not only upfront installation costs, but long-term inspection and maintenance costs,” says Savino. “For that reason, I feel that the laser smoke detectors are an under-utilized product because very often, when you’re putting in an aspirating system, you have to back it up with another detection system, which is another system to maintain. You may as well put your money toward a single system and spend a few more bucks up front. That way, you get the best of both worlds for the price of one.”

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Tags: A/V Notification, HVAC, Smoke detection

Posted in Audible/Visible Notification, Commercial, Cover Features, Intelligent Detection, Spring 2007

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