Effective Fire Prevention in the Cold Store Supply Chain

Cold-storage environments play an important role in today’s high-performance global supply chains. Whether it’s a large retail warehouse, a gigantic walk-in freezer at a Las Vegas hotel, or a storage facility at an advanced microbiology laboratory, the biggest threat to business continuity in a cold-storage environment is heat.

Protecting a cold-store facility from fire is a challenge because of the expansive floor space, high ceilings and rapid air movement. Traditional smoke detection systems will not work effectively because their electronics and sensor components can clog with ice. Detection of smoke that has become extremely diluted in high airflows and large, open spaces also requires very high sensitivity.

Fire suppression also is a challenge because these systems, which are usually full of water or chemical foam, must remain “dry” to keep the pipes from freezing. If a dry-pipe fire suppression system is activated in a cold store, whether in response to a real fire or a false alarm, the entire facility must be emptied and brought to above freezing temperatures so the system can be drained, re-pressurized and tested, resulting in days or even weeks of costly downtime.

Air-sampling smoke detectors (ASDs) are gaining popularity as the most effective and cost-efficient means to protect the cold store from fire risks. Though ASDs are incredibly sensitive and can sense smoke from relatively small fires diluted in the rapid airflow, they also are capable of discriminating very high levels of smoke. This broad sensitivity range and their multiple levels of alarm make ASDs unique. They can be programmed to provide early warning of a serious fire risk to initiate investigation through to actuation of a dry-pipe suppression system if a fire should escalate.

Because ASDs actively sample the air in a cold-store facility, they are tolerant of the high airflows and can indicate risks of pipe system damage or hole blockage from ice. In contrast, damage to linear heat cables, often required to be placed within racking, is a known contributor to false charging of dry-pipe sprinkler systems.

By early intervention and avoiding the unnecessary activation of the fire suppression system, ASD solutions preserve business continuity, protect the integrity of the materials being stored in the facility, and reduce life safety risks.

In addition, ASD solutions can be fitted with chemical sensors that detect the presence of harmful airborne substances. For example, an ASD that has been fitted with an ammonia gas sensor would be able to detect when refrigerant is leaking from a refrigeration system. The problem can be addressed before it results in failure.