Hi-Fog water mist for tunnels
Published: 01 January, 2006
“Fires inside long tunnels are rare but can be catastrophic,” says Markku Vuorisalo, the Business Segment Manager, Transportation Segment of the Marioff Corporation.
“Fires inside long tunnels are rare but can be catastrophic,” says Markku Vuorisalo, the Business Segment Manager, Transportation Segment of the Marioff Corporation.
“Intervention by the fire brigade is difficult due to access problems and heat and smoke make firefighting operations dangerous and slow. Tunnel fires pose not only a life safety threat for car or train passengers, but also cause severe damage to the tunnel lining and mechanical and electrical systems.” There is special concern about fires in long tunnels with a lack of emergency exits.
“The HI-FOG water mist system is the optimal choice for the fire protection of railway vehicles,” comments Markku. “It provides powerful fire suppression using a minimum amount of clean water. The system, which is optimised for weight and space, is equipped with a high-pressure unit with integral water tank, spray heads for mist discharge, and small-sized piping with fittings, which are easy and fast to install.”
According to the manufacturer, Marioff's water mist systems provide a practical solution to protect tunnels against fire by attacking the cause (the fire) instead of curing the symptoms (the smoke).
Water mist systems use much less water than conventional systems, and provide cost-effective, usable, and reliable systems. One area of special concern is tunnels located under major cities having an important role on traffic control – a major problem might occur if one of these tunnels is closed for a long time as a result of a fire.
The use of HI-FOG water mist systems dramatically increases fire safety levels in tunnels by:
- Focusing full pump capacity on the fire location
- Containing the fire close to its origin preventing it spreading
- Minimising the fire damage to the tunnel and its
infrastructure
- Providing more tenable conditions for evacuation
- Providing easier access for fire brigades
