Page 96 - Industrial Plants

can be according to their nature and they can be
chosen according to the type of fire risk to protect,
such as the following ones:
• Alcohol-Resistant (AR): as AFFF/AR and FFFP/AR
• Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF)
• Synthetic foam (S)
• Film-Forming Fluoroprotein Foam (FFFP)
• Fluoroprotein foam (FP)

However, foam concentrates can also be selected
according to the expansion ratio (3% or/to 6%), that
can be chosen according to the way the system has
been designed: a 3% concentrate has a double
concentration than a 6%, therefore it requires half the
product to produce the same end result. Otherwise, it
grants a double autonomy of the foam system.
Also foam is not the most suitable agent for extinguishing
a fire coming from liquefied gas (LNG or LPG), while dry
chemical powder is the most effective means for fire Local control panel (suitable to operate 2 RCM)
suppression, while water can be a suitable agent for a
cooling effect on gas fires. equipment and methods and alternative methodologies
to emergency awareness.
The development of new products of buildings and
A major step forward in the relevant contents are creating changing and more
world of fire fighting challenging fire scenarios nowadays.
This has an effect on fire fighter tactics, protective
The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” Alan clothing and equipment, tenability conditions, and it
Kay (American computer scientist) challenges some basic assumptions in the design of
buildings for fire.
Technological developments in built-in fire protection The resources that are available on site should be such
measures are becoming familiar, with new extinguishing to run an effective initial response to the fire in order to
avoid possible uncontrolled catastrophic situations.

The increasing number of fires becoming much larger
due to the late arrival of fire team and/or due to the
complicated and inaccessible structures built today
suggests the use of remote-controlled monitor systems
(RCM), particularly recommended for fixed installations.
Fixed monitors may be of course manually operated,
but they may be also designed in order to be remotely
controlled by means of one or more remote control
stations placed in a strategic area that allows a safe
operation.
The fire team who is advancing to the fire can rapidly
and safely intervene thanks to the help of remote-
controlled monitors, that attack and control large fires
from a relatively safe distance, such as from the control
rooms placed in a safe area and/or from other auxiliary
control points.
Remote controlled monitors can be stand alone or they
can be part of a monitor network with multiple units
controlled from one or more control panels.
The largest system with RCM monitors that I have
personally ever been involved to design and manufacture
includes an operation & control station (plus various
Remote controlled monitors on towers local stations) that controls 36 monitors placed on

IndustrIal Plants - May 2017
94