Novec1230 (FK-5-1-12) Gas Fire Suppression Systems

Novec1230 gas is a clean extinguishing agent that is colorless, odorless, and non-electrically conductive, developed as an alternative to Halon1301, “like FM200”, which was banned due to its ozone-depleting properties under the Montreal Protocol. Novec1230 uses carbon-based (C₆F₁₂O) FK-5-1-12 gas as the extinguishing agent. It is an extinguishing agent approved by many worldwide standards and organizations such as UL, FM, LPCB, and VdS.

Novec1230 gas fire suppression systems work by absorbing heat from the environment and control the fire without affecting the oxygen levels in the space. Novec1230 gas, which has been determined by the Environmental Protection Agency to be non-ozone depleting, is breathable at design concentrations and does not harm human health. Systems must be designed according to TS EN 15004 or NFPA 2001 standards. The system must be verified through hydraulic calculations using the licensed software of the supplied brand. The atmospheric lifetime of Novec1230 gas ranges from 3-5 days. Its global warming potential factor is 1. In other words, this gas not only doesn’t harm the ozone layer but also has no greenhouse effect. Novec1230’s “closest competitor, FM200”, has an atmospheric lifetime of 36.5 years. With a 30% safety factor, the Novec1230 gas concentration for Class A surface fires is accepted as 5.3%. In environments with high Class A classification and high cable density, the gas concentration is 5.6%.

The Novec1230 gas fire suppression system operates on the principle of volume protection. When detectors in the system detect smoke, heat, or flame, the Novec1230 suppression system activates automatically or manually. The Novec1230 gas stored in cylinders is discharged into the protected volume through the piping system and discharge nozzles within 10 seconds. Novec1230 gas maintains its effectiveness in the volume for 10 minutes, preventing re-ignition.