ESFR Sprinkler System

ESFR Sprinkler System

Around 1990 EARLY SUPPRESSION FAST RESPONSE (ESFR) sprinkler systems began being installed in warehouses and distribution centers. An ESFR sprinkler system is located in the ceiling structure yet for many categories of product offers fire protection better than in-rack systems.

With ESFR sprinkler heads further away from the fire than the sprinkler heads in an in-rack system, how is that possible? The answer lies in the three ways ESFR systems differ from conventional systems:
 

A. SPEED
ESFR sprinkler heads sense a fire and begin spraying water in half the time of conventional heads. The sooner the system starts to fight the fire, the smaller the fire will be, so it is more likely that the ESFR system will be capable of extinguishing the fire promptly.

B. VOLUME
Conventional heads discharge water at a rate of about 90 to 100 Litres per minute (lpm), and high output conventional heads (used with hazardous and explosive materials) output approximately 60 gpm. ESFR heads discharge water 680lpm per minute.

C. DROPLET SIZE
ESFR heads emit larger droplets of water with greater momentum than conventional heads. When extra water is forced through conventional heads, it tends to come out as a mist and a greater percentage evaporates than when conventional heads flow at a normal rate. ESFR heads not only output larger amounts of water, but a greater share of the water reaches the fire, hastening the extinguishing process. Conventional systems are generally not designed to extinguish a fire, but rather to keep it from spreading by moistening the area around the fire.

These three factors build upon each other to increase ESFR's efficiency. By detecting the fire sooner, outputting more water, and increasing the likelihood of the water reaching the fire because of the droplet size, ESFR systems are able to compensate for the sprinkler heads being further from the fire.

WHO CAN USE ESFR?
For many (but not all) categories of product, ESFR technology can be used in warehouses with storage that does not exceed 10.7m (35 feet) in overall height, and with a ceiling height that averages 12.2m (40 feet) or less. You will need to confirm with your insurance carrier and local authorities (i.e. fire and building inspectors) that ESFR is appropriate for the product being stored in your facility