One Day Symposium on Recent Fire Research and Its Implications for Fire Safety Engineering”

Novec

A New Class of Chemical Introduced to the Fire Protection Industry

Peter O. K . Lam MSc MIEE

Chairman

The Association of Registered Fire Service Installation Contractors of Hong Kong

9 March 2007

The Institution of Fire Engineers (Hong Kong Branch)

Content

• Review on development of Halon alternatives

• Gas extinguishing system in Hong Kong

• Novec as new chemical for gas extinguishing

agency

• Shall Novec replace Halon?

Review on Halon Alternatives

From Old to New

Halon 1301 Halon

Alternatives Inert Gas

NAFS III

FM200

PFC 410

Alternatives to Halons – Expectations Vs Reality

Characteristic Expectations Reality

Extinguishing

Effectiveness

More effective than Halons Less effective than Halons

Cost Less expensive than Halons More expensive than

Halons

Environmental Impact Zero ozone depletion potential Achieved

Safety Safer than Halons Achieved

Sources: Report on Status of industry efforts to replace Halon Fire Extinguishing agent, 2002, table 4

1920

1958

1977

1980

1987

1993

1994

1996

1998

1999

2001

2002

2004

Development of Gas Extinguishing Systems

Halon 1301 became commercially popular in

1980 [1]

Novec UL listed

Williamson/Henson “two-phase” flow methodology became NFPA 12a

Ozone Depleting Chemicals -

Montreal Protocol

Global Warming Potential – Kyoto Agreement

NFPA Carbon Dioxide

committee established in 1958

CO 2 systems started

to be used

Vic Williamson developed methodology on

Henson’s basis to predict the flow parameters of

Halon 1301 in 1977

CO2 calculation of NFPA 12 calculation

based on Dr. James Hesson’s doctoral dissertation,

“two-phase” flow of CO2 proven

[1] Chamberlain & Boris, 1987, pp 55-59, Johnson, 1988, pp 41,60

Novec molecule discovered

Halon Imported

banned

FM 200 component

listed

Novec component listed

FM 200 widely used

History

Gas flooding

system

market

Recycle for

“Essential Use”

Water

Mist

system

Dismantle

existing

Halon

systems

Inert Gas,

FE13,

PFC410

NAFS III

(Not allowed after 2015)

Gas System Market Move

FM200

Novec 1230

Transaction Processes of Halon Alternatives

Gas included in US EPA list

System approved by

recognized laboratory

Component listed by UL / FM /

LPCB

Inclusion of the gas in NFPA /

ENBS

Inert Gas

12%

FE-13

1%

PFC-410

5%

NAFS III

31%HFC227

(FM200)

51%

Market Share of Halon Alternatives

Source: Kidde, 2000

Gas extinguishing system in

Hong Kong

History of Halon

654 636 590 543 519 501

18 46 47 24 17 180

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

1994 1996 1998

Unit in

1,000kg

Source: Survey conducted by EPD, The Government of HKSAR in 2000

Gaseous Systems Usage in Hong Kong

(in kg)

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

FM200 36,666 31,285 48,354 65,687 51,463 52,122 76,513

Halon 0 1,000 1,000 1,000 0 327 0

Novec

Source: Census and Statistic Department of HKSAR, Imports of Selected HS items by Country

Existing Halon Forecast

654 636 590 543 519 501 438

18 46 47 24 17 18 630

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

to

2006

Unit in

1,000kg

Source: Survey conducted by EPD, The Government of HKSAR in 2000

6%7%

23%

5%

2%

32%

3%

3%

11%

8% Industrial Oil Bank Government

Estate

Management

Others

Hotel

Schools

Telephone Ex. &

Power company Public

Transportation

History - Halon

Source: EDP, The Government of HKSAR, Report on Halon Usage, 2000

Ozone Depleting Substance in Hong Kong

Source: The Government of HKSAR, EDP Report “Phasing Out of Ozone Depleting Substances in Hong Kong

http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/air/data/phase_out.htm

Novec

Novec

Source: 3M Novec 1230 Data Sheet, 2006

Liquid to Vapor

Storage Requirement

FM200 / Novec

Halon

CO 2

Inert Gas

Novec 1230

Criteria of Selecting Gas Extinguishing Agency

Government Acting as pilot

Public Utilities Existing systems (Delaying)

New systems (Halon alternative)

Private Sector Existing systems (Delaying / doing

nothing )

New systems (Halon alternative)

Gas Extinguishing System Strategy

New Buildings New gas extinguishing

system

Existing Buildings Replacement

Recycling

Do nothing

Delaying

25%

Novec 1230

Novec 1230

Approvals

Components

NOAEL

Environmental Safety

The closest alternative is 33 years

Environmental Properties

Global Warming Potential

Source: 3M, 2005

Novec as Liquid

Relative Cost of Gas Extinguishing Agency

Type of

System

Weight of

Agency

Cost of

Agency

System

total cost

Halon 1301 1 1 1

HFC 227ea 1.6 3.2 3

Inert Gas 10 0.3 3.9

CO 2 4 0.15 1.9

Novec 2 4.2 4

Reference: The estimate is based on 500m3 enclosure as specified by NFPA2001

Charging

Conclusion

Halon 1301

Halon

Replacement

= Novec ?

1. Cost?

3. Extinguishing Effectiveness?

4. Environmental Impact?

2. Safety?