Active fire prevention for large-volume rooms

The OxyReduct® VPSA builds upon the well-known PSA technique of active, energy-efficient fire prevention. It is designed especially for use in protecting large rooms, as it can generate the large quantities of nitrogen they require in an environmentally friendly way. No wonder, then, that this fire protection system has become a standard solution in the warehousing industry.

OxyReduct® VPSA (Vacuum Pressure Swing Adsorption) generates the nitrogen required to reduce oxygen levels directly on site from the ambient air. It does this by separating gas mixtures using a physical method involving activated carbon. Compression and negative pressure are used to divide the ambient air into nitrogen and oxygen directly on site. Yet process pressure remains very low, so very little energy is required. The procedure can save up to 80% in operating and energy costs compared to conventional oxygen reduction systems.

  • VPSA stands for Vacuum Pressure Swing Adsorption
  • Adsorption process using Carbon Molecular Sieve (CMS)
  • Working pressure: around 1-2 bar (overpressure)

Advantages

  • The system’s modular design provides flexibility, and can even can be scaled for different performance classes.
  • It also allows several systems to be linked together, a major advantage for large storage areas due to the large quantities of nitrogen that can be produced.
  • The continuous stream of nitrogen makes the system suitable for protected areas with a high rate of air exchange.
  • OxyReduct® VPSA is an environmentally friendly technology suitable for continuous operation; it is also especially maintenance-friendly, since all of its components are easily accessible.
  • The system is VdS-approved, a testament to the high quality standards it meets.

3D Grafik: Aufbau des Sauerstoffreduzierungssystems OxyReduct

1 OxyReduct® generator (VPSA technology): Extracts nitrogen from room air on location and uses it to reduce oxygen concentration levels within the protected area
2 Supply air (room air)
3 Exhaust air (O2)
4 N2 infeed pipe: Feeds nitrogen into the protected area, where it is generally distributed via an air recirculation system
5 OxyControl central controller: Manages processes for the entire OxyReduct® system
6 Selector valve: Opens/closes nitrogen supply valves for specific areas 
7 Area regulator 1 and 2: Work together with OxyControl to monitor oxygen content and adjust it to within defined protection levels
8 O2-Sensor OXY.SENS®: Continuously measures oxygen concentration levels within the protected area
9 OXY.SENS® SIL2 sensor: Provides supplementary oxygen concentration measurements and activates sector valve closure when they drop below 12% vol.
10 Area display: Shows the current oxygen concentration levels within any given protected area
11 TITANUS® air sampling smoke detection system: Active fire detection using air sampling to identify smoke early on
12 Needs-appropriate protection concepts: Multiple protection schemes and oxygen concentration levels may be employed in order to keep protected areas accessible, e.g., unrestricted access for personnel or restricted access for maintenance purposes

Areas of application

Automated small parts storage

Extensive automation and high, densely packed storage racks with narrow spaces between them help maximise efficient utilisation of warehouse capacity—and also facilitate the development and spread of fire. Extinguishing with foam or water is difficult in such situations, and also results in additional damage. When fires occur, the special polypropylene small load carriers behave like flammable liquids. OxyReduct® can help actively reduce the risk of fires developing.

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Deep freeze storage facilities

Changes in consumer behaviour have increased the need for frozen foods or convenience products, such as fish, meat, vegetables and baked goods. Requirements on the deep-freeze logistics process chain have increased accordingly. Should a fire break out in a cold storage facility, even the smallest amount of smoke contamination can damage food and endanger delivery capabilities. Extinguishing water with added antifreeze would render food equally unfit for consumption. The OxyReduct® oxygen reduction system effectively prevents fires from developing, and in these naturally sealed storage facilities, they can establish and maintain protective atmospheres in a very energy efficient way, while ensuring that employees can still access the protected area freely.

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Hazardous materials storage

In hazardous materials warehouses, safety poses major challenges for both operators and fire protection officers. The stored goods are flammable and may be extremely prone to combustion. In such situations, the most successful fire protection concepts are those that minimise risk from the outset, such as WAGNER’s oxygen reduction systems with CO2 flood extinguishers.

Lithium battery storage

Demand for lithium-ion batteries within the automotive industry has practically exploded. Battery formation and ageing represent the greatest fire hazards in production. When lithium-ion batteries are used outside of their specifications, mechanical, electrical and thermal effects can all make them potentially dangerous. For example, heat can cause a battery to burst, and the escaping electrolytes can catch fire, causing an explosion that ignites other batteries nearby and creating a chain reaction. Sprinkler systems are problematic in such facilities, both because batteries are packed so densely within the warehouse and because water is highly conductive. WAGNER has demonstrated in numerous fire experiments that protective oxygen-reduced environments can prevent a burgeoning battery fire from spreading.