“Providing fire protection in the highest risk areas”
In 2016 RFe were appointed by Bougyes E&S Contracting UK Ltd to provide the fire protection system, including special risks provision, for an energy from waste plant in Hoddeson. This advanced thermal treatment (ATT) plant is now fully operational and has an initial output capacity of 10Mwe making it the largest waste-to-energy gasification plant in the UK.
Waste biomass naturally generates its own heat and is susceptible to catching fire, as such insurance providers are rightly very demanding when it comes to their requirements. RFe were required to provide the design, supply, installation, and commission of a wet suppression system all in accordance with NFPA850 and NFPA 13 rules and incorporating the insurers requirements.
In order to provide the necessary protection for such a combustible site the design and installation involved roof level extra-large orifice sprinklers above the fuel storage area combined with 3 automatic water cannons. These cannons were activated by triple infrared (IR) flame & video hot spot detection set to trigger all the cannons on operation of 2 detectors in a given area (double knock).
Other areas of protection included;
- Wet sprinkler systems to conveyors systems including automatic conveyor stop via flame detection activation.
- Foam/water system to the turbine hall area including localised protection to the turbine.
- Water deluge systems to various plant openings.
- Inert gaseous suppression systems to various electrical control rooms on the plant.
All the above works were completed as a ‘turn-key’ package by RFe.