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CLEAN AGENT
FIRE PROTECTION
FOR COMPUTER ROOMS
By Mark L. Robin
Mark L. Robin, Ph.D., is Technical Services Consultant
for Specialty Fluorochemicals with DuPont Fluoroprod-
ucts and has over 20 years of experience in the fire
suppression industry, including the development, testing
and approval of clean agent fire suppression systems.
INTRODUCTION
In recent years the dependence on computers and other
electronic equipment has increased significantly in both
the business sector and in households throughout the
world. Along with this increased reliance on computers
and electronic equipment, the importance of providing
fire protection for these critical assets has also increased.
Throughout numerous industries there are countless
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64
processes and systems which are controlled by comput-
ers. Computers control semiconductor fabrication, steel-
making processes, petrochemical production facilities,
and local and global telecommunication systems. In
many instances it is critical that the operation of these
computer and electronic systems is not interrupted. For
example, the financial impact of service disruptions can
be significant in both telecommunications facilities and
in data processing centers. The estimated downtime
impact per minute for various business applications is
shown in Table 1. The downtime impact for a typical
computing infrastructure is estimated at $42,000 per
hour. Downtime impacts for companies relying entirely
on telecommunications technology, such as online
brokerages or e-commerce sites, can reach $1 million
per hour or more.
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TABLE 1. DOWNTIME IMPACT PER MINUTE FOR VARIOUS
BUSINESS APPLICATIONS
Business Application Estimated Outage Cost
per Minute
Supply Chain Management
Electronic Commerce
Customer Service Center
ATM
Financial Management
Messaging
Infrastructure
Source: Alinenan ROI Report, January 2004
For data processing facilities, the
loss of data due to a fire can have
devastating results. In addition to
the problems associated with the
loss of the data itself, for many types
of businesses new federal regula-
tions require that organizations en-
sure that their data is current, acces-
sible and searchable at all times.
Therefore, a data center that has
been damaged by fire may be un-
able to provide access to important
information, putting it in violation
of the federal regulations and result-
ing in potential lawsuits, costly au-
dits, and SEC fines.
FIRE DAMAGE: THERMAL
DAMAGE
Computers and electronic equip-
ment are particularly susceptible to
damage due to the heat, steam and
combustion products (e.g., smoke,
soot) which accompany a fire. Mag-
netic tapes, flexible discs and similar
storage media are susceptible to
thermal damage when exposed to
sustained ambient temperatures
above 38°C. Damage to hard disks
can occur at sustained ambient tem-
peratures of 66°C and above. Elec-
tronic component failure can occur
at temperatures as low as 79°C and
at temperatures in the range of 149
to 200°C major component failures
are common. Damage to paper
products occurs at temperatures in
excess of approximately 177°C, and
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8F ire & Safety Magazine
$11,000
$10,000
$3,700
$3,500
$1,500
$1,000
$700
microfilm is damaged at tempera-
tures exceeding 107°C.
FIRE DAMAGE: COMBUSTION
PRODUCTS
Combustion products formed dur-
ing a fire include steam (water va-
por), smoke, soot, and various spe-
cies depending upon the material
involved in the combustion process,
and electronic components are sus-
ceptible to damage due to exposure
to these combustion products. Hy-
drogen chloride (HCl) is a common-
ly encountered combustion product
in computer facilities due to the
widespread use of polyvinyl chlo-
ride (PVC) cable insulation in these
facilities. Upon exposure to elevated
temperatures, PVC produces gas-
eous HCl, which reacts with the
galvanized zinc encountered in
most electronic circuitry and com-
ponents, resulting in the formation
of a layer of zinc chloride (ZnCl2)
on the surface of the equipment.
This zinc chloride layer then reacts
with moisture from the surrounding
air to form an extremely corrosive
zinc chloride solution which attacks
the metallic components. Additional
corrosive combustion products fre-
quently encountered in computer
room and data processing fires in-
clude hydrogen fluoride (HF), from
the decomposition of the various
fluoropolymers employed in ca-
bling, and hydrogen bromide (HBr)
65
from the decomposition of flame
retardant chemicals employed in
cable and in electronic components
and housings.
Damage to electronic components
can also result from their exposure
to smoke, soot and the corrosive
particulates which are produced by
a fire. Disk drives can be damaged
by particulates as small as 0.5 mi-
crons in diameter. Fires in computer
rooms and data facilities are typical-
ly smoldering or slow growth fires,
and these types of fires produce
nonconductive soots which deposit
out horizontally on equipment and
form an insulating layer on equip-
ment which interrupts electrical con-
tacts.
FIRE DAMAGE: EXTINGUISHING
AGENT
The use of certain fire extinguishing
agents on fires occurring in comput-
er rooms or data processing facilities
can result in damage caused by the
suppression agent itself, and in
many cases the secondary damage
resulting from the suppression agent
can exceed the damage from the
fire itself. Water-based extinguishing
systems such as sprinklers or water
mist systems will leave an electrical-
ly conducting residue (water) which
can lead to shorts and can also cause
water damage to electronic equip-
ment and other assets which ex-
ceeds the damage due to the fire.
Dry powder agents or foam agents
will leave a residue on equipment,
and their use will require equipment
shutdown and an extensive clean-
up.
CLEAN AGENTS
The original "clean agents" were
Halon 1301 and Halon 1211, which
were extensively employed for the
protection of computer rooms and
data processing facilities. These
agents are "clean" agents, which
leave no corrosive or abrasive resi-
dues after their use. As a result of
this property, the use of these agents
eliminates the problem of secondary
(non-fire) damage associated with
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the use of extinguishing agents such

as water, dry chemicals or foams,
which can in many cases cause
more damage than the fire itself.
Halon 1301 and Halon 1211 are
non-conductors of electricity and
hence can be employed for the pro-
tection of electrical and electronic
equipment. Halon 1301 and Halon
1211 served as a nearly ideal fire
suppression agents for over 30
years. However, due to their impli-
cation in the destruction of strato-
spheric ozone, the Montreal Proto-
col of 1987 identified Halon 1301
and Halon 1211 as two of numerous
compounds requiring limitations of
use and production, leading even-
tually to the halting of Halon pro-
duction in 1994.
In response to the ban on Halon
manufacture, the fire suppression
industry has responded with the
development of alternative clean design levels, and hence are accept- tional examples of facilities protect-
agents which pose no threat to the able for use in occupied areas. Clean ed by FM-200 suppression systems
ozone layer. Two general classes agent systems are applicable to are shown in Table 2.
of agents have emerged as Halon Class A, B and C fires. The clean
replacements: fluorocarbon-based agent marketplace is currently dom- CLEAN AGENT STANDARDS
agents and inert gas agents. The inated by two agents: HFC-227ea NFPA 2001 and ISO 14520 specify
fluorocarbon-based agents extin- (tradenames FM-200 and FE-227, requirements and give recommen-
guish fire primarily via the absorp- marketed by DuPont) and Inergen, dations for the design, installation,
tion of heat, whereas the inert gas an inert gas mixture of nitrogen, testing, maintenance and safety of
agents extinguish fire via oxygen argon and carbon dioxide marketed clean agent systems.
depletion. by Ansul. Clean agents are em- Critical to the design of any clean
ployed in a myriad of applications, agent system is the associated de-
In general, the new clean agents
including pleasure boats, marine tection system. Rapid detection is
exhibit the same important chemical
and military vessels, flight simula- employed to ensure the fire is ex-
and physical properties as the Ha-
tors, medical facilities, cellular sites, tinguished while still in its incipient
lons. These agents are clean, leaving
internet service provider (ISP) cen- stage, thereby limiting the damage
no significant amounts of residues
ters, TV and radio control rooms, to valuable assets. For example, in
following extinguishment, and as a
microwave relay towers, anechoic telecommunications applications,
result no cleanup is required follow-
rest chambers, clean rooms, flam- detection is often desired at a fire
ing the discharge of the agents. Be-
mable liquid storage areas, art gal- size of 1 kW, or for extremely sen-
cause the agents do not form signif-
leries, libraries and museums. sitive equipment, at a fire size of
icant amounts of corrosive or
abrasive residues they are suitable Worldwide, numerous high value 0.1 kW. ISO 7240 and NFPA 72 are
for use on delicate, expensive assets items are protected by clean agent the standards for fire detection and
that might otherwise be damaged systems. For example, FM-200 sup- alarm systems. Both standards deal
or destroyed by non-clean agents pression systems protect the electri- with the application, installation,
such as foam or water (e.g., paper cal systems of the Eiffel Tower, the performance and maintenance of
goods, paintings, artwork). The first draft of the Declaration of In- detection and alarm systems.
clean agents are also electrically dependence, and protected the Star Clean agent system designs take
nonconductive, and hence can be Spangled Banner during its recent into consideration the appropriate
employed for the protection of elec- restoration. FM-200 suppression detection/alarm standard, the ap-
tronic equipment. The new clean systems also protect the US EPA's propriate clean agent standard, and
agents are nontoxic at their typical new supercomputing facility. Addi- any other standards relevant to the

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specific application. For example,

the design of a clean agent suppres-
sion system for the protection of a
specific facility would involve ad-
herence to three standards: NFPA
72 (or ISO 7240) for guidance on
the design of the detection system,
NFPA 2001 (or ISO 14520) for guid-
ance on the design of the clean
agent system itself, and the standard
applicable to the particular facility.
In addition, any local codes or stan-
dards, and any requirements man-
dated by the local authority having
jurisdiction (AHJ) must also be ad-
hered to in the design of a clean
agent fire suppression system.
TOTAL FLOODING SYSTEMS equipment damage and to reduce • Clean extinguishment - fires are
In the United States, the require- or eliminate system downtime. extinguished without collateral
ments for the protection of informa- damage due to agent discharge
The primary objective of a gaseous
tion technology equipment are (no residues, no cleanup re-
clean agent system is to extinguish
specified in NFPA 75. Given the quired)
the fire quickly, limiting fire damage
high value and sensitivity of the
to the object(s) involved in the ori- • Rapid extinguishment during
electronic equipment involved, and
gin of the fire. the early stages of fire growth
the consequences of system inter-
ruptions, total flooding gaseous Hence, the purpose of a gaseous • Ability to extinguish shielded,
agent systems are often provided clean agent system is to protect the obstructed or three-dimensional
for the protection of computer valuable and/or sensitive assets fires in complex geometries
rooms. The use of a gaseous total within the enclosure. The primary
These characteristics render the
flooding agent is especially critical advantages of total flooding clean
where there is the need to reduce agents are as follows: clean agents especially suitable
for the protection of electronic
equipment areas. The absence of
TABLE 2. FACILITIES EMPLOYING FM-200 CLEAN AGENT residues and subsequent lack of
SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS cleanup allow for minimum ser-
Facility Type Facility vice interruptions, and extinguish-
ment in the early stages of the fire
Casinos MGM limits fire damage to the object(s)
Caesar's Palace
involved in the fire. The three di-
Harrah's
mensional nature of the clean
Tropicana
agents allows them to extinguish
Cultural Sites American Museum of Natural History hidden or obstructed fires within
Smithsonian Institute the protected area, for example a
Library of Congress
fire inside an equipment cabinet.
Eiffel Tower
Alexandria Library (Egypt) Although not prohibited by NFPA
Airports, Satellite North American DEW Line Radar system 75, carbon dioxide systems are
Installations Lockheed Star-SAT Center not a suitable choice for total
Dusseldorf International Airport flooding applications in computer
Madrid International Airport rooms. This is due to the toxicity
Charles de Gaulle International Airport of carbon dioxide at the extin-
Health Care Duke University Medical Center guishing concentrations required,
Facilities Washington Hospital Center and to possible equipment dam-
Baylor University Medical Center age due to thermal-shock or due
Vanderbilt Medical Center to the conductivity of carbon di-
oxide.

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PORTABLE EXTINGUISHERS
In accordance with current stan-
dards, computer rooms should be
equipped with portable fire extin-
guishers. In the United States, the
requirements for the protection of
information technology equipment
are specified in NFPA 75, Standard
for the Protection of Technology
Equipment. NFPA 75 requires the
provision of listed portable fire ex-
tinguishers of the carbon dioxide
or halogenated agent type, main-
tained in accordance with NFPA 10,
Standard for Portable Fire Extin-
guishers. Acceptable halogenated
type agents for these applications
include Halotron I (American Pacific
Corporation) and FE-36 (DuPont).
WATER SPRINKLER AND WATER
MIST SYSTEMS
The primary objective of a sprinkler
system, whether wet-pipe or pre-
action, is fire control, with the goals
of containing the fire to its place of
origin and controlling ceiling tem-
peratures sufficiently to prevent
structural damage and/or collapse.
Actuation of sprinkler systems does
not occur until the temperature at
the glass bulb or the fusible link of
a sprinkler head exceeds its temper-
ature rating, typically 135°F or high-
er. As a result of these relatively
high actuation temperatures, fires
will be well-developed before the
sprinkler system activates, with fire
sizes of several hundred kW being
typical. This contrasts with the case
of clean agent systems, where the
primary objective is not control but
extinguishment of fire in its incipient
stages where fire sizes may be as
small as 0.1 to 1 kW. Sprinkler sys-
tems employ water, which has ob-
vious disadvantages in application
where electronic equipment is in-
volved, require cleanup after acti-
vation, and in some cases can pro-
duce more secondary damage than
the damage produced by the fire
itself. Sprinkler systems are more
suited to the protection of the facility
itself, whereas the clean agents are
more suited to the protection the
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8Fire & Safety Magazine
assets located within the facility. may experience difficulty in extin-
Maximum levels of protection for a guishing obstructed fires, such as
facility can be accomplished y em- fires originating within an equip-
ploying both a clean agent system ment cabinet.
to protect the facility's assets and a
As water mist systems will leave a
sprinkler system to protect the facil-
residue (water), many IT managers
ity itself.
are reluctant to install water mist
Water mist systems have also been systems for protection of computer
considered for the protection of rooms. Therefore, water mist sys-
computer rooms. The extinguishing tems generally are not recommend-
action of water mist is due predom- ed for data processing facilities
inantly to dilution of oxygen in the where water can cause significant
zone of burning with steam result- damage.
ing from the
evaporation of
water droplets in
the heated area
surrounding the
fire. As a result,
the ability of wa-
ter mist systems
to extinguish fires
increases with the
fire size - the ex-
tent of evapora-
tion, and hence
the degree of
oxygen dilution
at the fire, in-
creases as the fire
size increases.
Water mist sys-
tems per for m
well in the extin-
guishment of
large fires, hence
their use in ma-
rine applications,
for the protection
of machinery
spaces. A major
advantage of
water mist sys-
tems over conventional sprinkler CONCLUSION
systems is that the water mist sys- Due to their unique set of proper-
tems employ less water than con- ties, the clean fire suppression
ventional systems. agents are ideally suited for the
The extinguishment of small fires protection of computer equipment
with water mist systems can be and computer rooms/data process-
problematic due to the limited evap- ing facilities. As society's depen-
oration of water droplets and hence dence on computers and other elec-
limited oxygen dilution at the fire tronic equipment increases, the
location. In addition, water mist is importance of providing fire protec-
not a total flooding agent like the tion for these critical assets will also
gaseous clean agents, and as a result increase. 
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