Background
In high-risk industrial situations, efficient fire prevention systems can be the difference between confined occurrences and catastrophic ones. In 2008, a fire at an Australian Bulk Ore Sorting Facility highlighted the need of passive fire prevention, namely the usage of CharCoat CC Cable Coating. This facility’s transition to a passive fire protection approach demonstrates the long-term cost savings and increased safety advantages that can be realized with the correct fireproofing system in place.
Incident Overview
At 4:21 PM, the alarm for the No. 1 Tertiary Crushing Building (TCB 1) substation was activated. When the Emergency Services Officer and Shift Electrician arrived, they found considerable smoke billowing from the 440V motor lead center No. 6 (MLC6) at the substation’s southern end. Because of the smoke’s intensity, the electrician was unable to locate the switch that isolated MLC6. The building was quickly evacuated, and the fire department and appropriate oversight teams were notified.
MLC6 sustained significant damage; nevertheless, CharCoat CC Cable Coating successfully protected the overhead cabling, thereby isolating the fire and preventing it from spreading to other sections. This confinement reduced the facility’s downtime and restricted the damage to the MLC rather than the whole cable network.
Transition to Passive Fire Protection
Following the incident, the facility implemented a passive fire prevention strategy, selecting CharCoat CC over active fire protection devices like sprinklers or gas suppression systems. This choice was influenced by the high maintenance expenses associated with active fire protection, which averaged more than $248,400 per year. Using CharCoat CC’s cable coating and penetration seal technologies, the facility decreased its fire prevention expenses by an average of $136,500 per year over a three-year maintenance cycle.
Why CharCoat CC Cable Coating Works
CharCoat CC is a water-based, latex intumescent fireproofing compound that is IEC and FM approved. It is especially developed for bundled or grouped electrical wires and penetration seals in both indoor and outdoor applications. It meets IEC 60331-21 standards for up to 90 minutes of fire protection in hydrocarbon settings, making it appropriate for high-risk sectors such as mining, oil, and gas.
The CharCoat CC Cable Coating is applied to cable glands and cables, establishing an intumescent coating that expands when exposed to fire, providing a protective barrier. This successfully isolates and confines the fire source, reducing damage and safeguarding the cable system’s integrity. During this incident, the coating prevented the fire from spreading beyond a few centimeters above the cable gland, reducing downtime and limiting repairs to the MLC itself. With an average cable replacement timeline of approximately four weeks, CharCoat CC saved the facility substantial time and costs by limiting the fire’s reach.
Benefits of CharCoat CC for Passive Fire Protection
- Superior Fire Containment: CharCoat CC fficiently confines fire to a small area, isolating the source and limiting the possibility of extensive damage. This is especially important in sites with limited access, where timely response to fires may be difficult.
- Reduced Downtime: By avoiding fire spread to above cabling, CharCoat CC allowed the facility to restart operations in only two days, with just MLC replacement required. Traditional cable repair in similar scenarios might result in weeks of outage.
- Cost-Effective Maintenance: Unlike active fire prevention systems, CharCoat CC greatly decreases continuing maintenance expenses, with a three-year cycle rather than the yearly expenditures generally necessary for sprinkler and gas systems.
- Regulatory conformity: Intertek has tested and certified CharCoat CC Cable Coating to IEC 60331-21 and FM3971 standards, assuring conformity with international safety requirements.
- Durability in Extreme Environments: CharCoat CC is engineered to endure both interior and outdoor applications, offering long-term fire protection even in tough environments such as ore sorting plants.
Proactive Asset Management with CharCoat CC Cable Coating
This case highlights the critical role of passive fire protection in high-risk industrial settings.The Bulk Ore Sorting Facility in Australia used CharCoat CC Cable Coating to preserve its assets while also saving money and increasing operational efficiency. The effectiveness of CharCoat CC in controlling the fire emphasizes the need of modern cable coating solutions in operations where downtime is expensive and fire threats are prevalent.
By deploying CharCoat CC, the facility displayed proactive asset management, assuring consistent fire safety while reducing ongoing maintenance expenditures. For sectors with comparable fire hazards, CharCoat CC Cable Coating offers a tried-and-true, low-cost solution for protecting vital infrastructure, reducing downtime, and supporting regulatory compliance.
