FM-200® Fire Suppression agent was the first environmentally acceptable replacement for Halon 1301. FM-200® has zero ozone depleting potential, a low global warming potential and a short atmospheric lifetime. It is particularly useful where an environmentally acceptable agent is essential, where clean up of other media presents a problem, where weight versus suppression potential is a factor, where an electrically non-conductive medium is needed, and people compatibility an overriding factor.
FM-200® is a colourless, liquefied compressed gas. It is stored as a liquid and dispensed into the hazard as a colourless, eclectically non-conductive vapour that is clear and does not obscure vision. It leaves no residue and has acceptable toxicity for use in occupied spaces at design concentration. FM-200® does not displace oxygen and therefore is safer for use in occupied spaces without fear of oxygen deprivation.
FM-200® is chosen to protect occupied areas such as computer rooms and now the fast expanding telecommunications market. Its low extinguishing concentration of seven percent by volume for Class A risks, its high level personnel safety and absence of toxicity makes it a very attractive option. Very little cylinder storage space is required which can be an important consideration in city centre sites where floor space is at its most expensive.
Perhaps most in FM-200® favour though is the fact that it out performs the majority of other gaseous systems in terms of speed of reaction to fire. FM-200® is effective within 10 seconds of initial discharge. FM-200® has some significant advantages over other alternative agents. The rapid discharge time means that there is rapid knockdown of flame and the fire is rapidly extinguished. The amount of damage, toxicity effects and decomposition products of combustion are minimised. The safety percentage factor between the design concentration and toxicity levels is the largest margin of any fixed gaseous extinguishing systems and conformity exceeds that of Halon 1301.