Industrial fire protection for piping

With GreCon PROTECTOR PIPE, we protect against both dangers. Our intelligent fire protection system detects and extinguishes ignition sources in the air or material flow and also enables targeted fire suppression within the piping. In this way, we protect piping and connected systems from fire damage and help to prevent unplanned production downtime.

Detect sparks and hot particles at an early stage and extinguish them automatically
Targeted suppression of burning deposits within the piping
Protect piping and downstream equipment from fire damage

Risks and challenges

Pipe fires – an often underestimated danger

Piping connects production areas and transports outgoing air, dust or other materials. Sparks and smouldering particles can also be carried along with the flow of air or material. At the same time, flammable residues accumulate on the inner walls of pipes in many processes.

Exhaust ducts from thermal and mechanical production processes are particularly at risk. Oils, greases, waxes, tar or plastic residues can build up there to form significant fire loads. If these undergo ignition, a fire can spread inside the piping long before it becomes visible from the outside.

Fires that are difficult to detect, with high associated costs

Pipe fires often go undetected for a long time. The first visible signs may include smoke escaping from flange joints or discolouration of the piping. By this stage, seals and pipe walls may already be damaged.

As the sources of the fire are located inside enclosed and often hard-to-access ducts, extinguishing them from the outside is particularly difficult.

Flammable deposits on the inside walls of the pipes

During operation, flammable substances from the process may accumulate on the inside walls of the pipework. If these deposits are ignited, they can give rise to pockets of embers or smouldering fires, which may spread along the piping.

Sparks and hot particles in the material flow

Mechanical processing, friction or high process temperatures can generate sparks and embers. These are carried via piping into downstream filters, silos or other areas of the plant, where they can cause ignition of flammable materials.

GreCon PROTECTOR PIPE: Two dangers. A tailored protection concept.

Anyone wishing to protect industrial piping effectively must take two different fire hazards into account: sparks travelling through the piping and fires that start directly on the inner walls of the pipes.

GreCon PROTECTOR PIPE combines automatic spark suppression and targeted pipe fire extinguishment in a modular fire protection system. Both protective functions complement each other and can be tailored to the specific process conditions.

Spark suppression – stopping ignition sources before they cause damage

Sparks and hot particles can be carried over long distances in the air or material flow. If they come into contact with flammable materials in downstream systems – such as filters or conveyor systems – there is a risk of fire and production downtime.

GreCon PROTECTOR detects these ignition sources directly within the piping. The spark detectors detect passing sparks and embers and automatically trigger the corresponding extinguishing system.

The extinguishing agent is precisely introduced into the air or material flow to extinguish detected ignition sources before they reach at-risk areas of the plant.

Soot on the outside of a large pipe — *Soot on the outer wall is often the first visible sign of a pipe fire. The actual source of the fire lies inside the duct and is virtually inaccessible from the outside.*

Pipe fire extinguishment – tackling burning deposits directly

If deposits on the inside walls of the pipe experience an ignition, this creates a different danger. The source of the fire is now inside the piping. Conventional spark suppression can extinguish any sparks carried along with the flow, but does not necessarily reach the burning deposits themselves.

This is where pipe fire extinguishment comes into play.

GreCon PROTECTOR PIPE can detect increased or sustained spark activity as a NOTICE of a pipe fire and activate additional extinguishing measures. The extinguishing agent is injected directly into the affected sections of the pipework via appropriately positioned extinguishing nozzles.

This allows burning deposits and pockets of embers to be targeted and extinguished before the fire spreads further.

How the PROTECTOR components work together

Detect ignition sources and notices of pipe fires at an early stage

SCOUT detectors monitor the air or material flow for sparks and hot particles.

Whilst individual ignition events trigger automatic spark suppression, increased or continuous spark activity may indicate burning deposits inside the piping.

Process signals. Control protective measures locally.

GreCon MISSION CONTROL consolidates the information from the connected detectors, monitors the fire protection system and coordinates the specified protective measures.

The GreCon RANGER handles decentralised signal processing in the vicinity of the detection and extinguishing components. It processes signals on site and triggers the necessary responses within milliseconds. This shortens signal paths and reduces the amount of cabling required.

Together, MISSION CONTROL and RANGER enable a graduated response to individual ignition events and notices of a pipe fire.

Extinguish sparks. Target pipe fires.

HUNTER suppression components automatically respond to detected dangers.

Individual sparks are extinguished in the air or material flow. If there are notices of a pipe fire, additional suppression zones can be activated to tackle burning deposits inside the piping.

In this way, spark suppression and pipe fire extinguishment work in tandem within a coordinated fire protection strategy.

GreCon PROTECTOR system components — *Detect, process, respond: SCOUT, MISSION CONTROL, RANGER and HUNTER work together as a coordinated system.*

Customised pipework protection with a plan

Every pipework system has its own specific fire protection requirements. With GreCon PROTECTOR PIPE, we combine the appropriate detection, control and suppression components to create a bespoke protective system – for both new and existing installations.

1

Analysing risks

We inspect materials, possible ignition sources and combustible deposits. In doing so, we take into account the pipework layout, air flows and connected areas of the plant.

2

Combining protective measures

We tailor spark detection, automatic spark suppression and targeted pipe fire extinguishment to your system. Even larger pipework systems can be divided into individual protection areas.

3

Integrate and support

We integrate GreCon PROTECTOR into your plant and expand the system as required. Regular servicing and maintenance help to ensure long-term operational reliability.

Experience you can rely on

For over 50 years, we have been developing solutions for preventive industrial fire protection. Our systems protect production lines across a wide range of industries and under demanding operating conditions.

This expertise is incorporated into every new protection concept. With GreCon PROTECTOR, we combine tried-and-tested technologies for spark detection and suppression with intelligent control functions and targeted measures for combating pipe fires.

Milliseconds

from spark detection to extinguishing

Over 50

years’ experience in industrial fire protection

75.000

bespoke safety plans

+200,000

protected production lines worldwide

Pipe fire protection in practice

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Industrial fire protection for piping: Frequently asked questions

Yes. The modular design of the GreCon PROTECTOR PIPE allows it to be integrated into a variety of pipework systems. The detection and suppression functions that are suitable depend on the materials being transported, the pipework layout and the prevailing process conditions.

Industrial piping is often difficult to access and follows a progressive route across large areas of a plant or beneath factory ceilings. As the source of the fire is located inside the enclosed duct, it is virtually inaccessible from the outside.

External refrigeration does not reach the burning deposits directly. This makes early detection and targeted extinguishing within the piping all the more important.

A conventional spark extinguishing system extinguishes ignition sources in the air or material flow. However, if a deposit on the inside wall of a pipe is burning, the actual source of the fire may persist and continue to produce sparks.

For this reason, a supplementary pipe fire extinguishment system may be required, which directs the extinguishing agent specifically to the affected sections of the pipework.

If there are notices of a pipe fire, GreCon PROTECTOR PIPE activates the designated extinguishing components. Additional extinguishing nozzles deliver the extinguishing agent directly into the relevant sections of the pipework to combat burning deposits and pockets of embers.

The layout and activation of the extinguishing zones are determined by the pipeline route and the respective process conditions.

Spark detectors monitor the flow of air or material within the piping. A persistently high level of sparks or recurring detections may indicate burning deposits from which hot particles are being carried along.

The GreCon PROTECTOR PIPE processes these signals and can trigger appropriate protective measures.

Conventional spark suppression detects and extinguishes sparks or hot particles in the air or material flow. In particular, it protects downstream equipment from the ingress of ignition sources.

Pipe fire extinguishment, on the other hand, combats fires that have already started inside the piping – for example, burning deposits on the inner walls. Both protective functions can be combined with the GreCon PROTECTOR PIPE.

Sparks and hot particles from production processes can be carried along industrial piping. At the same time, flammable residues such as oils, greases, waxes, tar or plastic components can build up on the inside walls of the pipes. If these are subjected to ignition, smouldering pockets and fires can develop inside the piping.

Two pipes, one of them alight — *From deposits to a source of fire: flammable deposits on the inside wall of a duct can cause an ignition and continue to burn unnoticed inside the duct.*

Stop sparks. Target pipe fires effectively.

Find the right fire safety solution with GreCon PROTECTOR PIPE. Talk to our experts about the fire risks in your process and the appropriate protective measures.

Fire protection for piping – extinguishing sparks and tackling pipe fires

Eliminate ignition sources. Extinguish burning deposits in a targeted manner.