| Fire Protection in a Data Center Halon and its replacements today (FM-200, ECARO-25 or any of the others in NFPA 2001, Standard for Clean Agent Suppression Systems) do not deplete the oxygen level. That was the beauty of Halon. You could breath in a discharge. And you still can in any of its replacements. Clean Agents put out the fire by chemical reaction with the fire; taking the heat out of the fire and by impeding the chain reaction required for combustion. Additionally they leave no residue on the equipment. Many data centers are now protected with clean agents because as this incident shows you do not want to put water on your equipment, even the generator that provides you backup power.
That halon depleted the oxygen in a room is myth. Incorrect understanding on how it put out a fire. Co2 does deplete the oxygen content but not halon or its ozone friendly replacements. |
