A small fire, even one contained to one area or controlled by a conventional sprinkler system can cause problems in a critical operation. Most sprinkler systems activate when temperatures reach a pre-set level, often after a fire is established and equipment damage may have begun. Water based agents are electrically conductive and cause current flow which can damage sensitive equipment. Even with the power off, water discharges often cause equipment problems. Abrupt electrical shutdowns are hard on both equipment and operations; and the cleanup process, mopping up and drying out equipment, is often tedious.

Clean agent systems work on class A, B, and C fires and react quickly to extinguish a fire at its ear

The major problem with Halon is that, to be effective, all of the gas must be expelled in ten seconds. If any lightweight objects, papers, etc. are placed on shelves or tables near the nozzles, they will be blown off by the extremely high velocities created by the gas shooting from the tanks. Ceiling panels must be secured or they will be blown out. The initial blast will also discharge anything remaining in the pipes from manufacture or installation.

What does a water mist system do, and how does it compare to gaseous agent systems? How do water mist systems compare to conventional fire sprinker systems? These are the questions most commonly asked regarding a water mist fire suppression system. Some advantages a water mist system has over gaseous agent systems include that water is non-toxic, readily availbile, and lower in cost than most chemicals or patented mixtures. Water mist may provide the best fire suppression than new gaseous flooding agents in applications such as deep seated fires where the cooling capacity and penetration of water droplets may be an advantage. Another application where water mist may be more effective is high temperature equipment surfaces such as found in machinery room fires and turbine enclosures. The water mist spray will provide cooling of the surfaces not provided by the gaseous agents, potentially preventing re-ignition which may occur if a gaseous agent concentration cannot be maintained for a sufficent period of time.

Most agents are also safe to use in occupied areas. These agents have undergone extensive toxicity testing to prove they are compatible with people. While NFPA recommends always exiting the hazard in the event of a fire, it is important that people not be harmed by the extinguishing system.

There are four basic kinds of sprinkler systems: the wet system, dry system, preaction system, and deluge system. According to the Fire Protection Principles and Code Applications Manual, “wet systems are the simplest, most economical, anc most reliable type of system”. The network of pipes in a wet system is filled with water all of the time. The dry system has air instead of water in the piping, which is beneficial in freezing climates, but all the air has to be expelled before the water reaches the head, increasing the reaction time. The preaction system relies on an automatic fire detection system as well as a fusible sprinkler head to activate. These are often used where accidental water discharge would cause significant water damage. The deluge system is like a dry system, but the sprinkler heads are open and rely solely on an automatic fire detection system to activate. Deluge systems require an immense water supply, and are often used where the fire hazard and damage potential are so high; such as aircraft hangers.

Some advantages of water mist systems over conventional sprinkler systems include significantly reduced water flow rates and therefore less severe dam

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