NFPA Research Foundation Launches Data Center Project
As the equipment housed in these centers places more demands on their HVAC systems, engineered-airflow solutions are being introduced. The Fire Protection Research Foundation wants to find out how they affect the transport of fire suppression agents.
NFPA's Fire Protection Research Foundation announced it has begun a new project focused on modern IT/telecom data centers. The equipment these facilities house has changed dramatically in recent years, putting greater demands on their HVAC equipment, which has caused engineered-airflow solutions to be introduced. The foundation's project will study how these systems affect the transport and concentration of gaseous and vaporizing fire suppression agents.
The project summary says the project "will focus on the behavior of gaseous agent dispersion from nozzles in the presence of high airflow."
Two NFPA standards contain requirements for gaseous agent fire extinguishing systems: NFPA 75, Standard for the Fire Protection of Information Technology Equipment, and NFPA 76, Standard for the Fire Protection of Telecommunications Facilities.
A final report for the project will be published on the foundation's website in August 2015, according to the summary.