CXS490 New Technology

Inert Gas Fire Extinguishants

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Introduction
• relevant standard is NFP-A2001
• At least four inert gases or gas mixtures commercialized
• clean total flooding fire suppression agents
• design concentrations of 35-50% by volume
• reduces ambient oxygen concentration
• 14% to 10% by volume
• agents mixed with air - extinguish by physical mechanisms
• agents consist of nitrogen, argon & blends of these
• One blend contains 8% carbon dioxide.

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Inert Gases

• Not liquefied gases like Halocarbons

• stored as high pressure gases
• require high pressure storage cylinders
• may have storage volume and weight impact.
• use pressure reducing devices
• at or near the discharge manifold
• reduces the pipe thickness requirements
• alleviates concerns regarding high pressure discharges.

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Inert Gases
• Discharge times - one (typical) to two minutes
• limit some applications - rapidly developing fires
(explosions)

• Not subject to thermal decomposition

• form no byproducts.

• electrically non-conductive

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Physiological Effects
• Primary health concern
• effect of reduced oxygen concentration on occupants
• reduced oxygen extensively researched & studied
• Many countries granted health & safety approval for
• use of inert gases in occupied areas in the workplace
• One product contains 8% carbon dioxide
• intended to increase blood oxygenation &
• cerebral blood flow in low oxygen atmospheres
Physiological Effects
• Inert gas agent IG-541 (Inergen)
• contains 8% carbon dioxide &
• approved by the U.S. EPA SNAP rules
• safe alternative to halon 1301 - total flooding systems
• At elevated concentrations
• carbon dioxide not safe for human exposure &
• lethal at fire extinguishing concentrations
Physiological Effects
Maximum
Maximum Maximum
Exposure
Generic Trade Exposure Exposure
Concentration
Name Name Concentration Concentration
Above 53%
5 minutes 3 minutes
(Volume %)
IG-01 Argotec 43 52 (*4)
IG-55 Argonite 43 52 (*4)
IG-100 NN-100 43 52 (*4)
IG-541 Inergen 43 52 (*4)
Notes
1: Nominal maximum discharge time is 60 seconds in all cases
2: Inert gas systems designed to concentrations below 43 percent (corresponding to an
oxygen concentration of 12 percent, sea level equivalent of oxygen) shall be
permitted, where means are provided to limit exposure to no longer than 5 minutes.
3: Inert gas systems designed to concentrations between 43 and 52 percent
(corresponding to between 12 and 10 percent oxygen, sea level equivalent of oxygen)
shall be permitted, where means are provided to limit exposure to no longer than 3
minutes.
4: Inert gas systems designed to concentrations between 52 and 62 (corresponding to
between 10 and 8 percent oxygen, sea level equivalent of oxygen) shall be permitted
given the following:
(a) The space is normally unoccupied.
(b) Where personnel could possibly be exposed, means are provided to limit the
exposure to less than 30 seconds.
(c) Inert gas systems designed to concentrations above 62 percent (corresponding
to 8 percent oxygen or below, sea level equivalent of oxygen) shall only be
used in unoccupied areas where personnel are not exposed to such oxygen depletion.
Environmental Factors
• Inert gas agents are neither
• ozone depleting substances nor
• greenhouse gases
• pose no risk to the environment
Environmental Factors
Generic Trade Ozone Global
Name Name Depletion Warming
Potential Potential
(100 year)
IG-01 Argotec 0 0
IG-55 Argonite 0 0
IG-100 NN-100 0 0
IG-541 Inergen 0 0

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Physical Properties
Generic Name IG-541 IG-55 IG-01 IG-100
Trade Name Inergen Argonite Argotec NN100
Agent Composition
Nitrogen 52% 50% - 100%
Argon 40% 50% 100% -
Carbon Dioxide 8% - - -
Properties
k1 (m3/kg) 0.65799 0.6598 0.5612 0.7998
k2 (m3/kg) 0.00239 0.00242 0.00205 0.00293
Specific Volume (m3/kg) 0.697 0.708 0.602 0.858
Gas Density
1.434 1.412 1.661 1.165
20oC, 1 atm kg/m3
Physical Properties
Generic Name IG-541 IG-55 IG-01 IG-100
Trade Name Inergen Argonite Argotec NN100
Extinguishing Design Concentration
(% Vol.)
Minimum Class A fire (% Vol.) 36.7 41.1 39.9 39.0
Oxygen (% Vol.) 13.3 12.3 12.6 12.8
Class B Heptane (% Vol.) 31.7 36.5 39.3 33.6
Minimum Class B fire (% Vol.) 41.2 47.5 51.1 43.7
Oxygen (% Vol.) 12.3 11.0 10.2 11.8
Inerting - Methane/Air (% Vol.) 47.3 * 61.4 41.7
Oxygen (% Vol.) 11.0 - 8.1 12.2

* Not Reported
Flooding Factor Calculation
(X)

X - volume of inert gas ONLY added at 14.7 psia, 70oF

(1.013 bar, 21oC) per volume hazard space (ft3/ft3 or m3/m3)
VS - specific volume at 70oF (21oC) at 14.7 psia (1.013 bar)
(ft3/lb or m3/kg)
sV - specific volume at lowest temperature at 1 atmosphere
(ft3/lb or m3/kg)
t - minimum anticipated temperature (oF or oC)
c - inert gas design concentration (%)
Specific Volume
Inert gas k1 k2 k1 k2

Unit type SI SI English English

IG-01 (Argotec 0.5612 0.00205 8.40299 0.018281

IG-55 (Argonite) 0.65979 0.001207 9.8809 0.021496

IG-100 (Nitrogen) 0.7997 0.00293 11.973 0.0261

IG-541 (Inergen) 0.659 0.0024 9.858 0.0214

Flooding Factors (X)

The calculation result in a series of flooding factors

required to achieve various inert gas concentrations.

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Flooding Factors (X)
36 36.1 36.2 36.3 36.4 36.5 36.6 36.7 36.8 36.9
0.446368 0.447932 0.449498 0.451067 0.452638 0.45421 0.45579 0.457367 0.458949 0.460532
37 37.1 37.2 37.3 37.4 37.5 37.6 37.7 37.8 37.9
0.462119 0.463708 0.465299 0.46689 0.46849 0.470088 0.471690 0.473294 0.474901 0.476510
38 38.1 38.2 38.3 38.4 38.5 38.6 38.7 38.8 38.9
0.478122 0.479736 0.481354 0.482973 0.484596 0.486221 0.487848 0.48948 0.491111 0.492747
39 39.1 39.2 39.3 39.4 39.5 39.6 39.7 39.8 39.9
0.494385 0.496026 0.497670 0.499316 0.500966 0.502617 0.504272 0.505929 0.50759 0.509252
40 40.1 40.2 40.3 40.4 40.5 40.6 40.7 40.8 40.9
0.510918 0.512586 0.51426 0.515931 0.517608 0.51929 0.520970 0.522655 0.524343 0.526034
41 41.1 41.2 41.3 41.4 41.5 41.6 41.7 41.8 41.9
0.527728 0.529424 0.531124 0.532826 0.534532 0.536240 0.537951 0.539665 0.541382 0.543102
42 42.1 42.2 42.3 42.4 42.5 42.6 42.7 42.8 42.9
0.544825 0.546551 0.548280 0.55001 0.551747 0.553485 0.555226 0.556970 0.558717 0.560467
43 43.1 43.2 43.3 43.4 43.5 43.6 43.7 43.8 43.9
0.562220 0.563976 0.565736 0.567498 0.569264 0.571032 0.572804 0.57458 0.576357 0.57814
44 44.1 44.2 44.3 44.4 44.5 44.6 44.7 44.8 44.9
0.57992 0.581711 0.583501 0.585295 0.587093 0.588893 0.590697 0.59250 0.594314 0.596128
45 45.1 45.2 45.3 45.4 45.5 45.6 45.7 45.8 45.9
0.597945 0.599765 0.601588 0.603415 0.60525 0.607079 0.608916 0.610756 0.612600 0.614447
46 46.1 46.2 46.3 46.4 46.5 46.6 46.7 46.8 46.9
0.616297 0.618151 0.620008 0.621869 0.623733 0.625601 0.627472 0.629347 0.631226 0.633107
47 47.1 47.2 47.3 47.4 47.5 47.6 47.7 47.8 47.9
0.634993 0.636882 0.63877 0.640670 0.642570 0.644473 0.646380 0.648291 0.65020 0.652123
48 48.1 48.2 48.3 48.4 48.5 48.6 48.7 48.8 48.9
0.654044 0.655970 0.657899 0.65983 0.661768 0.663708 0.66565 0.667600 0.669551 0.671507
49 49.1 49.2 49.3 49.4 49.5 49.6 49.7 49.8 49.9
0.673466 0.675429 0.677396 0.679367 0.681341 0.683320 0.685302 0.687289 0.68928 0.691274
50 50.1 50.2 50.3 50.4 50.5 50.6 50.7 50.8 50.9
0.693272 0.695274 0.69728 0.699291 0.701306 0.703324 0.705347 0.707374 0.709404 0.711439
51 51.1 51.2 51.3 51.4 51.5 51.6 51.7 51.8 51.9
0.713478 0.715522 0.717569 0.719621 0.721677 0.723737 0.725801 0.727870 0.729943 0.732020
52 52.1 52.2 52.3 52.4 52.5 52.6 52.7 52.8 52.9
0.734101 0.736187 0.73828 0.740372 0.742471 0.744575 0.746682 0.74879 0.750912 0.753033
Sample Calculation - Inert Gas
Room houses electronic equipment
Ambient temperature is 70° F
Room Dimensions are:
Length: 40 feet
Width: 20 feet
Height: 10 feet
Room Volume = L x W x H
= 40 x 20 x 10
= 8000 cubic feet
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Amount of Agent
A=VxX

where
A is amount of agent (m3 or ft3)
V is volume of space (m3 or ft3)
X is flooding factor of space from calculation or chart
(m3/m3 or ft3/ft3)

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 Sample Calculation - Inert Gas
Using IG-541 Inergen
Class A design concentration is: 39.9%
Maximum Human Exposure Concentration for 5 minutes is: 42.8%
Maximum Human Exposure Concentration for 3 minutes is: 52.3%
Available cylinder sizes for Inergen are:
205 ft3, 266 ft3, 355 ft3 and 439 ft3
Flooding factor for 39.9% concentration is: 0.509252
Amount /Volume of Inergen required to create a 39.9%
concentration in an 8000 ft3 enclosure is:
A = V x X = 8000 x 0.509252 = 4074 ft3 of Inergen 19
Sample Calculation - Inert Gas

Cylinder Selection

Round up to 10 439 ft3 cylinders

AACTUAL = NumberCYLINDERS x CylinderSIZE

= 10 x 439 = 4390 ft3
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Sample Calculation - Inert Gas

Check to determine the actual concentration that will be achieved, by

looking at “Flooding Factors for Inert Gases @ 70° F for selected
concentrations.

0.54875 relates to a concentration of ≥ 42.2% but ≥ 42.3%.

This is < maximum allowable concentration of 42.8%

for 5 minute human exposure & > Class A design concentration 39.9%
The quantity of Inergen is acceptable.

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