NEWSHEET16

Refridgerated Warehousing / Cold Stores

DOWNTIME - A word that will send shivers down the spine of any Company executive. The competitive world in which we all live and work increasingly relies upon being able to provide a 24/7 service to consumers in a growing number of Industrial sectors.

Interruption to that service will inevitably lead to loss of profits, market share and in some cases even the closure of a business. Statistics have indicated that up to 60% of businesses affected by one of the major contributors to costly downtime - FIRES - never recover.

We have all been guilty at some time in our lives of that - "it will never happen to me" thought. Many have found to their cost that it is not a question of IF but WHEN it will happen - unless every precaution is taken to prevent or minimise the effects of just such an economic disaster!

FOOD STORAGE and DISTRIBUTION centres are just one example of where the primary ingredients for a potential fire exist: - the "human element", combustible packaging materials, electrical motors (associated with the essential temperature cooling equipment), electrical cabling and even fork lift trucks.

Warehouses - by their very nature, are large volume open areas with high roofs in order to maximise on storage capacity. In some cases, the buildings remain large "shells" into which items may be stored in bulk. In others, roll cages and multi-level racking is installed to assist with product identification and selection for onward transportation/distribution.

It is essential to continuously monitor, rapidly detect and onward signal to authorised personnel or a central system control panel, any abnormal temperature rise - which may be associated with an overheat (which if not corrected will progress to a combustion stage) or fire situation. Point type detection devices are not suitable for installation within warehouses for a number of reasons:

• Their roof mounted installation relies upon "favourable airflows"** to enable detection
• Exhaust fumes from vehicle loading bays repeatedly generate false alarm signals
• They require high levels of annual maintenance
• Their continuous uninterrupted operation is affected by condensation
• Many are not suitable for continuous exposure to sub-zero temperatures

** Typical adverse airflows found within warehouses (for rapid overheat/fire detection) are air turbulence from evaporator fans, hot lighting and drafts from loading/unloading bays.

The Proline type "TH" DIGITAL LINEAR HEAT DETECTION system is a continuous detector and cable in one - FM APPROVED AND UL LISTED - which can be easily and therefore cost effectively installed at the exact point of risk and is able to signal a pre-determined alarm temperature - regardless of whether 1% or 100% of its installed length is exposed. It is not reliant upon favourable airflows (due to its proximity to the origin of the overheat or fire) nor is it dependant upon the presence of smoke - which is detecting the effect not the cause of the problem!

Installation and continuous un-interrupted operation of the "TH" sensing cable is unaffected by dirty, damp, corrosive environments, areas of limited access and surveillance and sub zero ambient temperatures (UL listing tests to -30C/-22F, F.M approval and manufacturer tests to -40C/-40F). Low maintenance requirements further support the "TH" sensor cable product specification and selection.

Individual single zone lengths of 2000metres/6500 feet or 5000metres/16400feet may be installed where required, with an accurate identification of the point of alarm available from the sensor cable's associated type ZI-01 or ZI-02 interface unit.