Guidelines for Fire Extinguishing Systems Planning and Installation Content 0 Foreword... 10 0.1 Application of the VdS guidelines... 10 1 General... 10 1.1 Scope... 10 1.2 Aims... 11 1.3 Description... 11 1.4 Effectiveness and application... 12 1.5 Alarm organisation... 13 1.6 Approval... 13 1.6.1 VdS-approved installers, components, and systems... 13 1.6.2 Completion... 14 1.6.3 Periodical inspections... 14 1.7 Normative references... 14 2 Definitions... 17 3 Contract planning and documentation... 23 3.1 General... 23 3.2 Initial considerations... 23 3.3 Preparation stage... 23 3.4 Planning stage... 23 3.4.1 General... 23 3.4.2 Layout and design... 24 3.5 Start of installation... 25 3.6 Installation certificate... 25 4 Life safety... 26 4.1 General... 26 4.2 Operating party's obligations... 26 4.2.1 Danger zone... 26 4.2.2 Ventilation concept... 27 4.2.3 Coaction of equipment parts as specified... 27 4.2.4 Organisational measures... 27 4.2.5 Provision of pressure gas tanks for fire extinguishing purposes... 28 3
5 System design... 28 5.1 Units... 28 5.2 System type and structural requirements... 28 5.2.1 Openings outwards... 29 5.2.2 Smoke and heat exhaust ventilation systems... 30 5.3 Design quantity... 30 5.3.1 Minimum design quantity... 30 5.3.2 Design quantity including the surface area... 31 5.3.3 Maximum design quantity... 31 5.3.4 Height and temperature correction of the design quantity... 31 5.3.5 Additional requirements... 32 5.4 Supply quantity... 35 5.5 Reserve quantity... 35 5.6 Storage of extinguishing agent... 35 5.6.1 CO 2 High pressure... 36 5.6.2 CO 2 Low pressure... 36 5.7 Storage area of the extinguishing system... 36 5.8 Hydraulic calculation... 38 5.9 Discharge times... 39 5.10 Hold time... 39 6 Distribution pipework... 40 6.1 Pipes... 40 6.2 Pipe supports... 44 6.3 Selector valves... 47 6.4 Nozzles... 47 6.5 Certification and testing... 48 7 Fire detection... 49 7.1 Selection criteria for fire detection elements... 49 7.2 Fire detection elements... 49 7.2.1 Mechanic and pneumatic fire detection elements... 50 8 Triggering and actuation... 51 8.1 Delay device... 51 8.2 Manual triggering... 51 8.3 Disable device... 52 8.4 Electrical locking... 52 8.5 Emergency stop device... 52 8.6 Secondary flooding... 53 8.7 Alarm... 53 8.8 Wiring... 53 8.9 Pneumatic pilot lines... 54 8.10 Control container... 54 8.11 Shutdown of equipment... 54 8.12 Power supply of electrical installations... 55 9 Initial inspection and revision inspection... 55 9.1 Full discharge test... 55 9.2 Partial discharge... 56 9.2.1 CO 2 High pressure... 56 9.2.2 CO 2 Low pressure... 56 9.3 Explosive atmosphere... 56 4
10 Maintenance of operational readiness... 57 10.1 General... 57 10.2 Instruction and training of personnel... 57 10.3 Controls... 57 10.3.1 Daily controls... 58 10.3.2 Weekly controls... 58 10.3.3 Monthly controls... 58 10.4 Log book... 58 10.5 Modifications... 59 10.6 Shutdown... 59 10.7 Maintenance... 59 11 Monitoring of extinguishing systems... 59 11.1 General... 59 11.2 Disable and triggering devices and selector valves... 60 11.2.1 CO 2 High pressure... 60 11.2.2 CO 2 Low pressure... 60 11.3 Quantity of extinguishing agent... 60 11.3.1 CO 2 High pressure... 60 11.3.2 CO 2 Low pressure... 60 11.4 Pressure... 60 11.5 Electrical lines... 61 11.6 Electrically operated components of the extinguishing system... 61 11.7 Indicator and control groups... 61 11.7.1 Fault indicator group... 61 11.7.2 Monitoring of disable devices... 61 11.7.3 Control groups... 61 11.8 Control and indicating equipment... 62 11.9 Indication of faults and blockings... 62 11.10 Power supply of the monitoring system... 62 11.11 Requirements for components of the monitoring equipment... 62 5
Annex A Protection of zones of special type and use... 64 A.1 Concept for fire protection systems of rolling mills... 64 A.1.1 General... 64 A.1.2 Protection objective... 65 A.1.3 Requirements... 65 A.1.4 Fire detection system... 66 A.1.5 Extinguishing system... 68 A.1.6 Miscellaneous... 70 A.2 Concept for fire protection systems of hardening plants... 71 A.2.1 General... 71 A.2.2 Protection objective... 72 A.2.3 Requirements... 72 A.2.4 Fire detection system... 74 A.2.5 Extinguishing system... 75 A.2.6 Miscellaneous... 76 A.3 Concept for fire protection systems of deep fat fryers and the corresponding extractor hoods... 77 A.3.1 General... 78 A.3.2 Protection objective... 78 A.3.3 Requirements... 78 A.3.4 Fire detection system... 78 A.3.5 Extinguishing system... 78 A.4 Concept for fire protection systems of rotogravure web fed presses... 79 A.4.1 General... 79 A.4.2 Protection objective... 79 A.4.3 Extinguishing system... 79 A.5 Concept for fire protection systems of coating plants featuring spraying of ignitable substances... 80 A.5.1 Scope... 80 A.5.2 Normative references... 80 A.5.3 General... 80 A.5.4 Protection objective... 81 A.5.5 Requirements... 81 A.5.6 Particularities... 83 A.5.7 Operation... 84 A.6 Protection concept for fire protection systems of electrostatic coating plants (local protection)... 84 A.6.1 Scope... 84 A.6.2 Protection objective... 84 A.6.3 Requirements... 84 A.6.4 Fire and extinguishing tests at electrostatic spraying devices for powders and paints... 87 A.7 Concept for local protection of electric and electronic equipment... 92 A.7.1 Scope... 92 Annex B Physical properties of extinguishing gases... 95 B.1 Purity requirements... 95 B.2 Physical properties... 95 Annex C K B factors... 96 C.1 General survey... 96 Annex D Block diagram for extinguishing gas systems... 99 6
Annex E Components, systems, and calculation method... 100 E.1 Components... 100 E.2 Systems... 100 E.3 Calculation method... 100 Annex F Test procedure to determine the extinguishing concentrations of combustible liquids and gases by means of cup burner test... 101 F.1 Principles... 101 F.2 Apparatus... 101 F.3 Test procedure for combustible liquids... 101 F.4 Test procedure for combustible gases... 102 F.5 Calculation of design concentration... 103 Annex G Test procedure to determine the extinguishing concentrations by means of room tests... 104 G.1 General... 104 G.2 Extinguishing system... 104 G.3 Test room... 105 G.4 Extinguishing concentration... 105 G.5 Cold discharge test... 105 G.6 Measuring equipment... 107 G.6.1 Requirements... 107 G.6.2 Measurement of oxygen concentrations... 107 G.6.3 Nozzle pressure... 107 G.6.4 Room temperature... 107 G.6.5 Video / observations... 108 G.6.6 Measurement of extinguishing concentration... 108 G.6.7 Quantity of extinguishing agent... 108 G.6.8 Atmospheric pressure... 108 G.6.9 Positioning... 109 G.6.10 Data recording... 110 G.7 Documentation... 110 G.8 Wood crib test... 111 G.8.1 Ignition source... 111 G.8.2 Description of the burning object... 112 G.8.3 Data recording... 114 G.8.4 Documentation... 114 G.9 Heptane pan test... 114 G.9.1 Ignition source... 114 G.9.2 Description of the burning object... 114 G.9.3 Test method... 115 G.9.4 Determination of the design concentration of extinguishing agent... 115 G.9.5 Data recording... 115 G.9.6 Documentation... 115 G.10 Plastic sheet fire tests... 116 G.10.1 Ignition source... 116 G.10.2 Description of the fire object... 116 G.10.3 Test method... 117 G.10.4 Determination of the design concentration of extinguishing agent... 118 G.10.5 Data recording... 118 G.10.6 Documentation... 119 7
Annex H Structural separation of the enclosure... 120 H.1 Example... 121 H.2 Permissible exceptions for protection objective 1... 121 H.3 Information on selection of the protection objective and the enclosures... 121 Annex I Calculation formulae for pipework... 123 I.1 Pressure drop along the pipe system... 123 I.2 Local phase change... 123 I.3 Working pressure in the container... 124 I.4 Universal calculation set-up for the nozzle pressure drop... 124 Annex J Pressure relief openings for the enclosure of rooms protected by extinguishing gas... 127 J.1 Equation for the calculation of the pressure relief openings... 127 J.2 Derivation... 127 Annex K Requirements for pressure relief devices... 130 K.1 Basic requirements for pressure relief devices... 130 K.2 Types of drives and pressure relief devices... 131 K.2.1 Pressure relief device independent of external power supply... 131 K.2.2 Pressure relief devices depending on external power supply... 131 K.3 Requirements for the structural quality of pressure relief devices... 131 K.3.1 Fire protection system requirements... 131 K.3.2 Requirements for the structural design of pressure relief ducts... 132 K.4 Calculation procedures for pressure relief devices... 132 K.4.1 Pressure relief directly into the open... 132 K.4.2 Pressure relief through ducts... 132 K.4.3 Pressure relief through secondary rooms... 132 K.4.4 Distribution of extinguishing gas in the secondary room... 134 Annex L Door fan test to determine the hold time... 137 L.1 Scope... 137 L.2 Test methods to determine the hold time... 137 L.2.1 Principle... 137 L.2.2 Test facility... 137 L.2.3 Calibration and accuracy of apparatus... 138 L.2.4 Preparation... 138 L.2.5 Evaluation of the test room... 139 L.2.6 Measurement of the test room... 139 L.2.7 Test procedure... 140 L.2.8 Calculation... 143 L.3 Treatment of test rooms with theoretical hold times less than the recommended value... 147 L.3.1 General... 147 L.3.2 Leakage areas... 148 L.3.3 Sealing of the test room... 148 L.3.4 Quantification and location of leaks... 148 L.3.5 Final calculation of the hold time... 149 L.4 Report... 149 Annex M Requirements for material and fire resistance classes and their classification in accordance with DIN 4102 and DIN EN 13501... 150 M.1 Principles... 150 M.2 Combustibility of building materials... 150 M.3 Fire resistance of components... 152 8
Annex N Purge certificate... 156 Annex O Sample form: Instruction document... 157 Annex P Sample form: Handover and/or approval document... 159 Operating party Name of representative Date, signature... 160 List of tables... 161 List of figures... 162 Index... 163 9