The advantages of water mist include:
So what is water mist?
A water mist system is a fixed fire protection system that discharges a fine spray of small water droplets. Water mist systems propel water through a specially designed nozzle, breaking the water up into hundreds of micro droplets which produce the mist.
In the event of a fire, the water droplets will the remove heat and displace oxygen from the affected area, resulting in the fire being extinguished. The mist lowers the temperature, lessens the radiated heat and reduces the oxygen concentration to the extent that combustion can no longer be maintained.
Sprinkler Systems Vs Water Mist Systems
So what are the differences between sprinkler systems and water mist suppression systems?
Due to the large volumes of water required with sprinklers then a large tank or even pumphouse as is required whereas cylinders or small standalone tanks can be used for water mist.
The major difference however, is that sprinkler systems have standards and approvals for both the components of the system and the design and installation. At the moment, water mist suppression systems don’t.
Current Standards
Currently there is no published British Standard for water mist systems or the components.
Existing water mist standards such as the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 750 Standard on Water Mist Fire Protection Systems or International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Standards are not directly applicable to UK land-based applications. A European water mist technical specification (CEN TS 14972) has been published but has not been adopted in the UK as its suitability for UK application is uncertain.
However, two new Drafts for Development have been issued:
These haven’t been published as full British Standards as there is currently insufficient technical data to support them. These documents try to define the testing protocols for water mist systems in various different applications, but as yet they don’t cover all water mist scenarios. Tests for further applications should be developed going forward and published in additional sections.
Should you Choose Water Mist Fire Suppression?
In the absence of a generalised design and installation standard, the suitability of water mist fire suppression for your building depends on a number of factors such as room size, ventilation and insurer’s requirements.
Water mist systems should be considered on a case-by-case basis to determine whether a proposed system will meet the fire protection objectives, which need to be clearly stated by the supplier.
Assured Fire & Security are experts in all types of fire suppression, and can design and install systems suitable for your business. For more information please contact our friendly team on 0845 402 3045 or alternatively download our Free Fire Suppression Buyers’ Guide.
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Simon, BS 8458 was published on 30 November last year and is available on the BSI web site.
alanbrinson So it has! Thank you for the update.
I didn’t realize that water mist could help reduce temperature and help move air to other areas. It would make sense that a secondary benefit would also be moistening the fuel that the fire is burning which would probably make it harder to burn. I think that it’s really important to be prepared for any situation but especially ones, like a fire, that could cause serious damage to your property.
That is really interesting that mist systems use less water than sprinklers. Something that I would like to do is have a test of which will put out a fire more effectively. Either way, I think it would be good to have some sort of system for fire protection.
Thank for educating me about the water mist system, it’s interesting to know that a water mist system can effectively suppress the fire. I’m currently having my research about ways on how to protect ourselves from fire, and I found your article very informative. It’s also necessary to look into the kind of fire system that can fit your building structure to ensure suppression effectively. Thanks for the info.
Wow, I had no clue that water mist systems are more effective at suppressing fires because they have a surface area of at least 100 times greater than a traditional sprinkler system. My uncle is buying a building for a business that he is starting up with my dad and they’ve been a bit concerned about fire safety. I’ll tell them that they should check and see if they can have water mist systems installed to better suppress fires over a greater distance.