3M recently announced they will no longer manufacture NOVEC 1230 by end of 2025 due to the presence of PFAS (https://news.3m.com/2022-12-20-3M-to-Exit-PFAS-Manufacturing-by-the-End-of-2025).
Other similar agents, such as FM-200, have similar environmental concerns due to having HCFCs. Does anyone know a chemical fire suppression agent that doesn't have CFC or PFAS issues? I know there is a new NFPA standard (770) on hybrid systems and that the Victualic Vortex is one such system, but not sure what other alternatives are out on the market. Thanks in advance. Sent in anonymously for discussion. Click Title to View | Submit Your Question | Subscribe
15 Comments
Glenn Berger
2/9/2023 08:08:52 am
On the clean agent side - The Inert Gas options are still available.
Reply
Dan Wilder
2/9/2023 08:12:12 am
While the marketing departments are scrambling to get their new items featured, probably a good idea to bookmark this site for options:
Reply
Alex
2/9/2023 08:58:10 am
- Inert gasses
Reply
Franck
2/9/2023 09:22:53 am
As indicated above, the most suitable situation would be inert gas (such as nitrogen, argon...). But concentrations are higher and quantity of gas bottles as well... Normally not possible to retrofit an existing system without major modifications.
Reply
Dave
2/9/2023 10:46:42 am
I am in the middle of a project where I was scrambling with what to spec for some small server rooms. In consulting with my go-to Suppression Systems contractor, with the factors of my particular sutuation, we are going with the Kidde "Natura" aystem which offers a choice of four pure concentrations or mixtiures of inert gases including argon, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide. I am told this will also be somewhat forgiving for my less than ideal room integrity,
Reply
Dave
2/9/2023 10:52:45 am
I did also consider Vortex and mist systems, but this did not seem to be the best applcation for my project. I'm looking forward to learning from our European partners in the industry regarding this ever-changing topic..
Reply
Mark Harris
2/9/2023 06:36:46 pm
Novec 1230 is the 3M brand name. The 3M patent has expired and there is generic FK-5-1-12 (NFPA 2001 chemical name for Novec 1230) that is UL listed and FM approved. At least in the states manufacturers do need to modify their listings for the generic FK-5-1-12 product but for now 3M continues to ship product and that gives time to transition to generic as 3M exits the market by the end of 2025..
Reply
Daniel
2/10/2023 03:57:52 pm
Thanks Mark! That was a very comprehensive and useful answer.
Reply
Leopoldo
3/29/2023 02:03:57 pm
Total Agree with Mark
Reply
Andrew Gonzales
3/21/2023 03:13:52 pm
Thank you everyone for all the feedback, this was very informative as I am working with our power generation plants to find alternatives to the FM200 and NOVEC 1230 systems. CO2 seems to be the option but due to control room occupancy we are looking for other alternatives.
Reply
The information below will give you a solid understanding of GreenTech Fire Solutions, feel free to jump on our website also www.greentechfire.com .
Reply
Peter Sørensen
5/10/2023 07:11:06 am
As I understand it Novec 1230/649 is in theory a PFAS compound. However it does not suffer from the environmental and health issues that some other PFAS compounds do because it is a Ketone it breaks down easily into harmless compounds in the atmosphere and also do not accumulate in body of people. Stopping Novec 1230 is most of all a political decission with a failure to look at the individual compounds in the PFAS group of chemicals.
Reply
Nahuel Borsil
6/11/2023 01:44:45 am
Hello! I was investigating a bit and it seems that you are right, but it is not clear to me yet. I understand that Novec 1230 has PFOA and PFOS, and that both are PBT, so why in this case would they still degrade in the atmosphere? (could you cite a study that supports it, or one that talks about that property of ketones of breaking down?
Reply
6/21/2023 04:26:22 pm
I'm not sure I would panic yet. While Novec has some persisnece, it does not get into the water systems and still breaks down in the atmosphere in 5 days.
Reply
Nahuel
6/22/2023 12:41:54 am
Thank you very much, you shared some very valuable information, I'll check those webinars
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
ALL-ACCESSSUBSCRIBESubscribe and learn something new each day:
COMMUNITYTop Nov. '23 Contributors
YOUR POSTPE EXAMGet 100 Days of Free Sample Questions right to you!
FILTERS
All
ARCHIVES
December 2023
PE PREP SERIES |