FM200 gas is a colorless, odorless and electrically non-conductive clean extinguishing gas developed as an alternative to the Halon 1301, which has been prohibited for use by the Montreal Protocol due to its harmful effects on the ozone layer. FM200, which consists of Carbon, Fluorine and Hydrogen compound (CF3CHFCF3) and identified with the code HFC-227ea, is an extinguishing gas approved by many standards and organizations around the world such as UL, FM, LPCB and VdS.
FM200 Gas Suppression systems contain fire with their cooling and physical effects without affecting the amount of oxygen in the area. FM200 gas that was recognized by the environmental protection association to be non-harmful for the ozone layer can be breathed at the required design concentration, and does not cause any harm to human health. Here NOAEL (no observed adverse effect level) and LOAEL (lowest observed adverse effect level) should be taken into consideration. The NOAEL level for FM200 gas is 9% and the LOAEL level is 10.5%. The maximum time that a person can bepresent in a room where FM200 gas is discharged is 5 minutes.
FM200 Gas Suppression systems, which are designed as defined in the TS EN 15004 -5 () or NFPA 2001 standards, contain Class A, B and C fires in less than 10 seconds. This duration is required to be confirmed through the hydraulic calculation to be made with the supplied licensed software of the brand. For Class A surface fires with a safety factor of 30%, the FM200 gas concentration of 7.9% is assumed. FM200 gas concentration is 8.5% for environments with high Class A and high cable density.
The advantage of FM200 Gas Suppression systems over the Inert Gas Suppression systems is that they occupy less space and do not leave any residues after extinguishing, thanks to the use of low amount of gas. They can be designed as single or multi-cylinder systems. It is required that the cylinders are kept outside the protected room.
The most important disadvantage of FM200 gas, which is widely used today and offers many advantages, particularly quick suppression effect, is that it can stay in the atmosphere for 36.5 years. This means that FM200 gas has a greenhouse effect and contributes to global warming.
The rooms to be protected with the FM200 and similar chemical gas systems must be impermeable to maintain the extinguishing concentration. Therefore a Room Integrity Test, which is mandatory according to the TS EN 15004, must be conducted immediately after the installation of the system and must be repeated at least once per year.
FM200 Gas Suppression systems can be installed locally or as part of an entire system. EDWARDS fire detection systems, which are among the most important products offered by our company, can be integrated with the FM200 Gas Suppression systems. With the approved suppression control units installed on the detection line, multiple FM200 Gas Suppression systems can be monitored and managed from a single center.
