Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Monitors spend most of their lives static and Fixed monitors are found wherever there are substantial
Class B fire risks while mobile or portable monitors are
lifeless. But when a fire is detected they can often used to protect multiple risks by moving the
often be the only practical way of applying monitors around the site.
foam or water to the fire. Nearly all industrial fire hazards are candidates for
monitor protection, but some of the more common
While simple in principle, monitors are applications are:
sophisticated pieces of engineering made to • Refineries
deliver a specific performance after long • Fuel distribution depots
periods of inactivity. Like many engineering • Chemical plants
challenges the design of a monitor can take • Warehouses
many forms depending on the specific • Helicopter landing pads
hazard it is intended to protect and the • Aircraft hangars
mechanism and method of operation the • Loading jetties
designer uses to achieve the final layout. • Process plants
When designing a monitor the manufacturer • Industrial process areas
must balance performance, operational life • Shipping
and ease of use against cost. • Vehicle-mounted
The installation of fixed monitors, or the
provision of mobile or portable monitors, is
usually the outcome of a careful analysis of
the fire risk and the realisation that without
planning in advance fighting any subsequent
fire will present difficulties. It is essential
therefore, that monitors are robust and will
have a long service life, even under adverse
conditions.
2
Fixed or mobile?
Trailer-mounted monitors provide a useful addition to the armoury of equipment a fire service can draw on should a
large fire occur. The mobile monitor can be used to protect locations inadequately covered by fixed monitors or provide
cooling to equipment adjacent to the fire.
3
Monitor Design
4
Nozzle flow Total reaction Typical side force on
at 7 bar force at tip monitor handle with
5° of misalignment
Ball Bearings Shaft Seal in the horizontal plane
2,000 l/min 140 kg 6 kg
4,000 l/min 240 kg 11 kg
6,000 l/min 310 kg 14 kg
8,000 l/min 425 kg 19 kg
Gearbox actuation
Control of the vertical and horizontal movement using a
Reaction forces worm and wheel gearbox is recommended for two
reasons. Firstly, it is easy for the operator to set the
It is important to arrange the layout of a monitor so that
monitor in position. The handle loads are low and
the thrust or reaction force caused by the water leaving
control is precise. Secondly, a worm and wheel gearbox,
the nozzle or foam cannon is directed through the pivot
if correctly designed, will resist any out of alignment
point in both the horizontal and vertical planes.
forces.
5
Construction
The materials most commonly used are steel in the form Cast bronze
of fabricated tube or cast bronze, but aluminium and
cast steel or iron are also available. While cast bronze monitors are heavier and generate
slightly greater pressure losses for a given nominal pipe
Fabricated steel diameter they are usually more compact and robust than
fabricated steel units. However, there is a wide range of
High quality steel monitors are normally fabricated from materials which are called “bronze” and it is important to
grade SS316 stainless steel tube, although some are determine the specification of the material used when
fabricated from the lower grade SS304 to reduce cost but judging strength and corrosion resistance.
these suffer corrosion problems in coastal areas and
should not be used with seawater. Steel monitors usually Nearly all cast bronze monitors use double race bearings
have a larger footprint and are physically higher than incorporating steel balls for the horizontal and vertical
cast units because of the limits imposed when bending joints. If the bearing is carefully designed to spread the
the tube. It is impossible, when bending steel tube, to load, and if the bronze is hard enough, it is usual to allow
achieve the tight bend radius possible with a cast unit. steel balls to run in grooves machined directly into the
However, the larger radius bends have the advantage bronze casting. This layout has the advantage of simplicity
that the water pressure losses are lower with fabricated and will provide a long life if correctly maintained.
stainless steel monitors when compared to cast bronze.
A standard published by FM Global calls for monitors to
Typical performance comparison have free movement in their bearings when subjected to a
pressure of 35 bar, having previously been subjected to a
Material Nominal Flow at 7 bar Pressure static pressure of 58 bar. The end load on a bearing in a
pipe size inlet pressure loss 150mm (6”) monitor subjected to this pressure is over
Cast bronze 80mm (3”) 4,000 l/min 3.5 bar 10,000 kg or 10 tonnes! To prevent the steel balls denting
the bronze bearing face it is usually necessary to
Stainless steel 80mm (3”) 6,000 l/min 0.9 bar incorporate steel bearing surfaces inside the bronze castings
to withstand the test load. This can lead to extra cost and
However, when comparing stainless steel with bronze corrosion problems in the long-term where the steel meets
monitors with similar flow rates bronze units are the bronze. In practice, monitors are rarely subjected to
substantially heavier. pressures greater than 16 bar. As a result, many
manufacturers prefer to design to the UL standard or the
Typical performance comparison at similar flow rate new European EU standard.
Brass tube
Brass tube is the weakest of all fabrication materials used
for monitors and it is limited in size because it is not
strong enough to resist the reaction forces from a large
water jet. In addition, it is impractical to operate the
monitor using a gearbox because of the difficulties of
attaching the gearbox mechanism to the tube. As a result Flat Face Raised Face Raised Face (soft material)
it is only used for small, hand-operated units. Soft materials are unsuitable for raised face flanges
6
One solution is to increase the thickness of a bronze Brass (Copper & Zinc) is popular for small, low cost,
flange to give it sufficient strength to be machined as a monitors but suffers from many of the same problems as
raised face flange and bolted up to the recommended Copper.
torque. Bronze comes in many forms and is the most popular
material for manufacturing long lasting cast monitors.
Materials Simple Bronze is made from a mixture of Copper and Tin.
However, while it is easy to cast and machine, it can be
To resist heat and have sufficient strength monitors are weaker and harder than Brass.
made from different metals. Nickel Aluminium Bronze is much stronger and an
While the basic materials, namely iron, aluminium and ideal material. However, it is expensive to cast and costly
copper, can be used in their natural state it is more to machine. UK standards AB1-C and AB2-C for
common to create alloys or variants of the basic metal to Aluminium Bronze (AB2 contains extra Iron and 5%
improve their strength, corrosion resistance and their Nickel) have been superseded by European specifications
ability to be cast or formed. CC331G and CC332G. Nickel Aluminium Bronze is
generally used for marine propellers, hubs and valves in
Iron is cheap and easy to cast. However, it is heavy and permanent contact with sea water and subject to
can be brittle if the carbon content is too high. continuous abrasion. These conditions do not generally
Corrosion is a problem and it is normal practice to apply to monitors.
increase the wall thickness of components to allow for
corrosion, which adds more weight. Gunmetal, with its added Lead, has excellent corrosion
resistance but is not as strong as Aluminium Bronze. It is,
Aluminium is light and easy to cast. However, its however, easy to machine. In the UK two grades of
strength is low. Corrosion is a major problem and Gunmetal are in common use, LG2 and LG4. Both these
components made from aluminium must be protected by designations are now renamed as CC491K and CC492K.
anodising (a chemical process which puts a hard layer of
Aluminium Oxide on the surface) or painting. Both Bronze standards in common use
processes, if applied well, provide a hard coating which European standard BS EN 1982 is the new European
separates the water from the metal. However, once the standard for Copper alloy and Bronze specifications. It
surface coating is scratched corrosion sets in quickly and replaces the UK standard BS1400 and other national
cannot be reversed. standards such as UNI in Italy. US specifications for
Copper does not have the strength necessary for Bronzes do not match European standards. However, for
monitors. It is also soft, which can lead to damage if the most of the European Bronzes in common use there is a
monitor is knocked. Copper is also too soft to work as a close match with the US ASTM standard bronzes.
flange material. Corrosion resistance to salt water is poor.
Alloy Type BS 1400 BS EN 1982 Copper Zinc Lead Tin Aluminium Iron Nickel Manganese
(old) Cu Zn Pb Sn Al Fe Ni Mn
High Tensile Brass HTB3-C CC762S 63.0% 25.0% 5.0% 3.0% 4.0%
High Tensile Brass HTB1-C CC765S 61.0% 35.0% 1.0% 1.0% 2.0%
Copper Tin Nickel CT2-C CC484K 86.0% 12.0% 2.0%
Leaded Gunmetal LG1-C CC490K 84.0% 8.0% 5.0% 3.0%
Leaded Gunmetal LG2-C CC491K 85.0% 5.0% 5.0% 5.0%
Leaded Gunmetal LG4-C CC492K 88.0% 2.0% 3.0% 7.0%
Leaded Bronze LB4-C CC494K 86.0% 9.0% 5.0%
Leaded Bronze LB2-C CC495K 80.0% 10.0% 10.0%
Leaded Bronze LB1-C CC496K 78.0% 15.0% 7.0%
Leaded Bronze LB5-C CC497K 75.0% 20.0% 5.0%
Aluminium Bronze AB1-C CC331G 88.0% 10.0% 2.0%
Aluminium Bronze AB2-C CC333G 80.0% 10.0% 5.0%
7
Materials
Country Designation Copper Zinc Lead Tin Aluminium Iron Nickel Manganese
Cu Zn Pb Sn Al Fe Ni Mn
Leaded Gunmetal
Europe CC491K (formerly BS LG2) 85.0% 5.0% 5.0% 5.0%
USA ASTM B30 C83 600 85.0% 5.0% 5.0% 5.0%
Italy UNI 7013 83.0% 4.0% 6.0% 7.0%
Aluminium Bronze
USA ASTM B30-C95 800/500 78.2% 9.4% 5.5% 5.5% 1.4%
Europe CC333G (formerly BS AB2) 80.0% 10.0% 5.0% 5.0%
Note: the percentages of different materials shown in the table are all subject to tolerances. For example, the quantity of Zinc in the European standard
leaded Gunmetal, CC491K, is shown as 5% but can be anywhere between 4% and 6%. This means that materials which are shown as having slightly
different compositions can be identical in practice when the tolerance bands are taken into account.
When specifying a material for monitor production it is necessary to trade off the excellent corrosion protection of the
Lead in Gunmetal against the extra cost and strength of Aluminium Bronze.
Steel
Mild or ???? steel is used in the form of tube for low cost Stainless Steel, next to Bronze, is the most popular
monitors. Like Aluminium it must be protected against material for fabrication of both small and large monitors.
corrosion by painting or galvanising. Like Aluminium, SS316 is generally considered the best grade of Stainless
once the coating has been damaged, corrosion spreads Steel for monitors since it combines excellent corrosion
quickly. While the material is low cost it presents technical resistance with good welding and fabrication features.
difficulties when being welded as distortion can occur However, to save cost some manufacturers use SS304.
where there are rapid changes in section (typically where
the thin wall section joins a bearing housing).
International material standards If Hydrogen Sulphide is present Bronze can blacken and
corrode. Hydrogen Sulphide can be a by product of
Most countries with an industrial base have standards for Methane and Propane production. For these applications
materials which specify their composition and stainless steel is the preferred material.
performance. The most common standards in use are the
US ASTM standards and the European EN standards. Salt (Sodium Chloride) and water (H2O) can combine,
However, many other countries have standards including especially with heat from strong sunlight or processes, to
Italy, Germany, India and Japan. form Hydrogen Chloride. Hydrogen Chloride is also used
in chemical plants for pH control and cleaning. Hydrogen
Comparing materials from one standard to another is Chloride attacks steel, including stainless steels such as
often difficult. However, the US ASTM B62 (also known SS316. Where Hydrogen Chloride is present Bronze
as leaded red brass) is equivalent to EN 1982 CC491K (the monitors are preferred.
old BS1400 alloy LG2) and the Indian specification IS:318
– LTB2. In Europe SS316 stainless steel for sheet and rod Salt also attacks Aluminium or light alloy and while
is equivalent to the American ASTM A497. Aluminium is a good material for monitor production, as
it is light and low cost its resistance to salt corrosion is
poor. Over a period of time salt will turn the metal
Applications in chemically hazardous areas surface to a white powder if it is not protected and the
Bronze is preferred by most users, particularly if the monitor regularly flushed with clean water after use and
monitor is used for sea water or in coastal salt laden kept out of salt laden atmospheres.
atmospheres, but other materials have advantages when
other chemicals are present.
8
Remote Actuation
LEFT
DOWN
NOZZLE
UP
RIGHT
FULL FOG
VALVE
OPEN CLOSE
UP DOWN
proof enclosure
Hydraulic motors have the advantage of low cost, LEFT
FULL
NOZZLE
RIGHT
FOG
Hydraulic MAIN
FAULT POWER ON
with water
UP
LEFT RIGHT
DOWN
NOZZLE
FULL FOG
driven OPEN
VALVE
CLOSE
hydraulic
power pack
Optional secondary control
Water
FAULT
TAG
MONITOR
POWER ON
station housed in explosion
UP
LEFT
DOWN
RIGHT
proof enclosure
200m FULL
NOZZLE
FOG
Disadvantages: 1500m
• General limited to 300 m maximum distance between
the monitor and control panel The advantages of this arrangement are that it combines
• No facility for a secondary panel the benefits of using hydraulic motors with the benefits
of electrical control panels, retaining the option of a
• No facility for position indicators slave panel and no distance limitations between the
master panel and the monitor.
Electric drive Distance limitations
Electric motors must have a mechanism to stop the There is a limit to the distance it is practical to run
current when they reach the limit of travel or they may hydraulic pipes. If the distance is too long there can be
burn out. Modern positioning encoders and electronic problems with friction in the pipes. If the pipe size is
controls are replacing the more traditional overload increased in diameter to reduce friction the cost
protection devices. increases, and there can be problems with air in the
Advantages: pipes. Both air and friction will cause the movement of
the monitor to be sluggish or erratic.
• Possible to have a master and slave panel arrangement
Alternatively an electrical supply can be run almost any
• Built in encoders will show monitor position if required distance. Generally a Zone 1 explosion rated multi core
• Distance between the monitor and master panel is not electrical cable is cheaper than the equivalent multi tube
limited hydraulic pipe.
Hydraulic pipe Electric cable
9
Remote Actuation Nozzle and Cannon Design
Explosion proof panels Two types of nozzle are generally fitted to monitors.
Fog/Jet nozzles which can be adjusted to give either a
It is normal to mount the straight jet or a wide spray water or non-aspirated foam
master electrical panel in TAG
fan, and foam cannons or nozzles specifically designed for
FAULT POWER ON
a safe area with the throwing aspirated foam by entraining a quantity of air
MONITOR
secondary panel, near into the stream.
UP DOWN
the monitor, contained
in a explosion proof LEFT RIGHT
Fog/Jet Nozzles are generally manufactured from brass,
enclosure. Where the bronze or aluminium. The simplest designs are adjusted by
NOZZLE
Position indicators
Some systems require the position of the monitor, its
direction and elevation to be indicated on the master
control panel. This can be useful when the area is
obscured by smoke as they allow the operator to point
the monitor at a specific target even though it cannot be
seen.
Most electrically driven monitor designs can be fitted
with encoders on the horizontal and vertical movements
which send a low voltage signal (intrinsically safe) back
to the control panel where the position is shown on a
dial.
Manual override
Many specifications require the ability to manually
operate the monitor in both the horizontal and vertical
planes in the event of a complete power failure.
However, the addition of hand wheels also adds to the
cost and complexity of the system.
10
Throw Calculations
Foam cannons are usually not adjustable and will only Distance travelled
provide a straight jet. To generate expanded foam an The distance a jet of water or foam solution will travel is,
orifice in the pipe entrance is used to generate a low in theory, simple to calculate. If the flow of water
pressure area and draw air into the foam stream. Foam through the monitor, typically in litres/minute, is known
expansion ratios of up to 8:1 are common. and this is divided by the cross sectional area of the
Cannons are traditionally manufactured from stainless nozzle, the speed of the jet can be calculated. If it is
steel (SS316) for the expansion tube and bronze for the assumed that there is no atmospheric drag then the
tube base. The design and shape of pipe end is critical optimal angle for the jet is 45°. This is easier to
for generating a coherent and tightly packed foam understand by taking the two extremes. If the jet were
stream. If the foam stream diverges, not only does it pick to be pointed straight up (90º) it would not travel any
up more air and expand, but its range will be less. distance horizontally and would fall back to ground
where it started. If the jet were fired horizontally (0º) it
would hit the ground almost immediately and once
again travel no distance. Half way between 90º and 0º,
or 45º, gives the maximum distance that can, in theory,
be travelled horizontally before gravity pulls the jet
down to the ground. For a monitor flow of 6,000 l/min
with an effective nozzle orifice diameter of 6 cm, the exit
velocity from the nozzle is 35 m/sec. If the nozzle is at an
angle of 45º the vertical and horizontal components of
the velocity are 25 m/sec. Gravity will slow the jet by 9.8
m/sec for every second the jet is in the air. Therefore, the
time that will elapse before the vertical jet stream hits
CURVED LIP CAUSES JET SPREAD SHARP LIP MAINTAINS JET LINEARITY
the ground is just under 5 seconds (2.5 seconds upwards
and 2.5 seconds downwards). During this time the jet will
Self-inducing nozzles and cannons travel horizontally for 5 seconds at 25 m/sec or a
For some applications it is convenient to fit the nozzle or theoretical distance of 125 m before hitting the ground.
branchpipe with an orifice and pick up tube which, when However, in real-life air resistance and other dynamic
the water is flowing through the nozzle, will suck up effects make the actual distance much shorter, typically
foam concentrate from a container. Foam pick-up tubes 80 m, or 50% to 60% of the theoretical distance
should not be placed more than 4 to 6m from the nozzle achievable.
or the efficiency of the inductor mechanism will be
impaired and the foam mix may be affected. The energy
needed to pick up the foam will have a small but theoretical throw
noticeable negative effect on the maximum throw.
actual throw
Air resistance
The major influence on jet travel is air resistance. As the
water jet leaves the nozzle it breaks up into droplets,
each one of which behaves as a small ball travelling
through the air. The smaller the droplets, the wider the
spread of the jet, the greater the air resistance and the
shorter the throw. Not only is there resistance through
the air but the jet is subject to wind, either from the side
or head on. Even a small air movement will make a
significant difference to the spread of the jet and the
throw of a nozzle.
Air resistance increases as a square of the water droplet
speed. Therefore, the jet slows at a greater rate when it
first leaves the nozzle than when it is close to hitting the
ground at the end of its travel. Because of this effect the
optimum angle for achieving the maximum throw or
distance is not 45° but nearer 32°.
11
Throw Calculations Water, Foam & Powder
Fluorprotein-Based Foam
Synthetic-Based Foam
12
Explosion Proof Rating
Many monitors are sited in areas where flammable Therefore, for a monitor used to protect a Zone 1 area,
liquids or gases are processed, stored or transported. for example a hydrocarbon loading jetty, the ATEX
While there is little risk of explosion when the liquids approval should read: CE Ex II 2 II EEx d T4.
and gases are contained, it must be assumed that there is Note: The ATEX classification system only applies to
a risk of explosion if there is a breakdown, an emergency equipment containing electrical components or
release or sudden ignition. To allow for this, apparatus which could cause a spark or become hot and
specifications normally call for monitor and monitor can cause ignition and a subsequent explosion.
control systems to be manufactured to international Equipment which is only mechanical and cannot cause a
explosion proof standards such as ATEX (ATmosphères spark or produce sufficient heat to ignite gas cannot be
EXplosibles) or NEC (National Electrical Code) in the USA. ATEX approved.
Most fire fighting equipment will be sited in:
“A place in which an explosive atmosphere is likely to USA – Hazardous area classifications
occur in normal operation occasionally.” These are
classed as Zone 1 or Class 1 areas. Under the US NEC system areas are firstly given a
“Class” location for specific applications. Class 1 covers
flammable gases, vapours or liquids. (Class 2 is dust and
ATEX Directive 3 fibres). Classes are further subdivided into “Divisions”.
For gases (and vapours given off by flammable liquids) Division 2 is defined as “Where ignitable concentrations
this represents a Zone 1 area. (Zone 0 is the continual of flammable gases, vapours or liquids are not likely to
presence of flammable gas, Zone 2 is where flammable exist under normal operating conditions”. (Division 1 is
gas is not likely to occur). for flammable gases present some or all of the time
Equipment for use in these areas is classified into Groups during normal operating conditions).
and Categories. There is a further classification for the type of gas or
Zone 1 requires monitors and control equipment to be vapour that may be present and their ignition
Group II approved. (Group I is reserved for mining temperatures. Most industrial systems fall under Groups
equipment). C and D.
Equipment is given a Category depending on the Zone in A typical monitor installed under the US classification
which it is intended to operate. A Zone 1 environment system may be required to operate in a Class 1,
requires equipment classified as Category 2G, where G Division 1, area in which gases in Groups C and D may be
stands for gas. (There are separate categories for dust present.
hazards - D).
The type of protection applied is defined by the CENELEC Comparison of ATEX and NEC
(Comité Européen de Normalisation Electrotechnique) The ATEX system was made mandatory in Europe in July
code. Ratings are defined by a letter preceded by EEx. An 2003 and reflects a more up to date method of working.
explosive or flame proof enclosure for a control panel It also takes into account a wider range of parameters
intended for a Zone 1 area would be classed as EEx d. In than the US system. As a result, ATEX is a more
addition, the maximum surface temperature the comprehensive system and is therefore the preferred
equipment can generate is also added to ensure it system for most international fire fighting specifications.
cannot form the source of ignition for any gases present.
The code “T4” indicates a maximum temperature of
135°C which caters for most fire fighting requirements in
industrial areas.
Zone 0 Division 1
Where ignitable concentrations of flammable gases, Where ignitable concentrations of flammable gases,
vapours or liquids are present continuously or for long vapours or liquids can exist all of the time or some of
periods of time under normal operating conditions the time under normal operating conditions
Zone 1
Zone 2 Division 2
Where ignitable concentrations of flammable gases, Where ignitable concentrations of flammable gases,
vapours or liquids are not likely to exist under normal vapours or liquids are not likely to exist under normal
operating conditions operating conditions
13
Titan Range
AR-AFFF is increasingly
popular by those committed
to synthetic detergent based
products on the basis of Hand wheel* GMA 30 GMS 30 GMB 50 GMS 45 GMS 60
3,000 l/min 3,000 l/min 5,000 l/min 4,500 l/min 6,000 l/min
exceptional Last Fire test with worm and
performance. wheel gearbox
Hydraulic, electrical and
hydro/electric remote control *Chain drive optional
options are available on all
monitors together with a wide
range of single and multi way Automatic OMB 36 OMB 40
3,600 l/min 4,000 l/min
control panels. Remote oscillating
control panels for use in areas gearbox
where explosive regulations
apply are also available.
Angus Fire is the worlds
RHMB 50 RHMS 60
leading manufacturer of fire Hydraulic drive RHMA 30 5,000 l/min 6,000 l/min
3,000 l/min
fighting foam concentrates. (EExd rated)
Angus Fire monitors are
designed to optimise the
performance of Angus Fire
foams, maximising throw and
flow without reducing foam Hydraulic drive RHEMA 30 RHEMB 50 RHEMS 60
quality. Modern FP or AR-FFFP 3,000 l/min 5,000 l/min 6,000 l/min
protein-based foams, such as with electro/
Angus Fire Tankmaster, are hydro power
preferred since they enhance packs
the throw of the jet and (EExd rated)
minimise dropout and
wastage. They also minimise
fuel pick up from forceful
plunging and provide superior
burnback resistance with Electric drive REMA 30 REHMB 50 REMS 60
3,000 l/min 5,000 l/min 6,000 l/min
longer post fire security. (EExd rated)
TURBULENCE
14
n Monitor Range
- 7,900 l/min 8,000 - 9,000 l/min 15,000 - 30,000 l/min 50,000+ l/min
throw 95m Max throw 100m Max throw 115m Max throw 130m
OMB 65 OMB 85
6,500 l/min 8,500 l/min
FAULT
TAG
POWER ON
with foam and no wind conditions
MONITOR
UP DOWN
LEFT
NOZZLE
RIGHT
© Angus Fire. Angus Fire reserves the right to modify any specification without prior notice
FULL FOG
SWEEPING BENDS
15
Approvals
Technical datasheets containing further information are available on request from your local Angus Fire representative or
from our website www.angusfire.co.uk
Angus Fire reserves the right to modify any specification without prior notice.
REF: 6445/1-01/07 © Angus Fire Printed in England