ESFR (Early Suppression Fast Response Fire Sprinkler Systems)
ESFR (Early Suppression, Fast Response) ceiling mounted sprinklers can be used in warehouses in place of in-rack fire sprinkler systems. ESFR provides protection that exceeds that of in-rack systems.
ESFR high output, high volume systems are located in ceiling spaces as with conventional fire sprinkler systems. It incorporates very large high volume, high-pressure heads to provide the necessary protection without the need for in-rack sprinklers.
ESFR Sprinkler Systems employ the use of an Early Suppression Fast Response Sprinkler and are predominately used for the protection of High Piled Storage. Storage arrangements may include palletized, solid pile, shelf, bin box, or rack storage of materials. The primary advantage associated with ESFR Sprinkler Systems is a protection scheme that does not require the use of in-rack sprinklers in a rack storage configuration. Using ESFR sprinklers may eliminate the use of in-rack sprinklers and can help avert the discharge of water caused by rupture of a sprinkler or pipe accidentally struck by a piece of material handling equipment or pallet load. Another advantage with an ESFR system will allow the rearrangement of storage racks without the costly reconfiguration of the in-rack sprinkler piping when such systems are installed in racks.
ESFR sprinkler systems can protect a variety of commodities from non-combustible to normal combustible products to high hazard commodities such as plastics without the use of additional in-rack sprinkler protection in rack storage structures. ESFR sprinklers are intended to operate differently then most other types of sprinklers. While most other sprinklers are intended to control the growth of a fire an ESFR sprinkler system is designed to suppress a fire. To suppress a fire does not necessarily mean it will extinguish the fire but rather it is meant to "knock" the fire back down to its original point of origin. ESFR sprinklers accomplish this design objective by using large volumes of water, nearly 100 gallons per minute of water per sprinkler. Accordingly these systems require large water supplies and often require the installation of fire pumps.
Contact VFP Fire today to learn more about ESFR sprinkler systems.
