Model V-EP Attic sprinkler from Viking allows for design with lower flow rates

by Products

The Viking Corporation has announced availability of a new specific application sprinkler designed to protect challenging attic spaces. The 5.6 K-factor “Model V-EP” VK690 allows for an enhanced system design which eliminates the need for additional branch lines, reducing installation and materials costs. In addition, the sprinkler can reduce flow and pressure requirements compared to other attic protection schemes.

When used in conjunction with Viking’s existing Model VK697 5.6 K-factor attic upright sprinkler, the new Model V-EP attic sprinkler can protect up to 80 ft roof spans using 3 branch lines, and up to 100 ft spans with a 5 branch line design, with roof pitches ranging from 2½:12 through 6:12. Additionally, the VK697 and VK690 used together allow for flows as low as 20 gallons per minute and a minimum operating pressure of 13 psi. Thorough design criteria may be found on the sprinkler’s technical data sheet.

The cULus Listed sprinkler is available in brass or corrosion resistant ENT plating. With a thread size of 1/2” NPT or 15 mm BSPT, the 5.6 (80) K-factor sprinkler can be ordered with an intermediate temperature rating of 200° F (93° C).

The product joins Viking’s complete line of attic sprinklers, which also includes back-to-back, single directional, and HIP style sprinklers.

www.vikinggroupinc.com

Cladding removal plans submitted in Reading

by Projects

The application to remove combustible aluminium composite material (ACM) from Hanover House in the city of Reading has been submitted, three years after the cladding was discovered.

In November 2017, firefighters for Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) recommended the closure of the car park below the tower after ACM was discovered, with RBFRS stating that it recommended this ‘due to fears a vehicle fire could spread to the flats above’. The car park was discovered to have used ACM identified in the government’s safety tests, though residents of the newly refurbished flats were ‘still in their homes’.

The seven storey building, a former driving test centre, was converted from offices into 14 flats without ‘changes to its external appearance’, receiving a new roof and internal refurbishment. Each of the flats and the communal areas are fitted with sprinklers, and ‘have other safety measures’ according to RBFRS, which was ‘notified’ about the cladding in the car park ‘as a result of guidance’ from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Reading Chronicle has now reported on the plans submitted to remove the cladding from the block, with the statement from Oxford Architects stating: ‘The existing cladding has been confirmed by the Berkshire Fire Service as potentially proposing a fire safety risk to the residents at Hanover House. The current building is therefore not providing a safe environment for its residents.’

The news outlet said that plans to remove the cladding had been approved in October 2018, but permission expired a year later ‘with no work having taken place’, and the latest proposal ‘seeks to both remove and replace’ the ACM with a powder coated metal system that Hanover House Residents Management Company – which manages the block – says ‘meets all necessary fire and safety requirements’.

It added in turn that a Reading estate agent had been fined £30,000 for ‘delaying telling buyers of a flat in the block’ about the cladding, with the building one of four in Reading discovered to have been clad with ACM, including St Lawrence House, a social housing block; Queen’s Court, a student accommodation block; and Crossway Point, another social housing block.

Of those buildings, the cladding at Lawrence House was removed at the end of 2019, while the material on Queen’s Court was removed in March 2020; remedial work at Crossway Point was paused as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and is expected to be concluded in December.

CCS develops revolutionary fire safety solution

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Contactless Check Solutions (CCS) has developed an industry-first solution to “transform” the fire safety sector in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

According to the company, its “simple” solution to make fire safety inspections faster and more accurate will reportedly ensure fire door compliance in line with UK regulations.

The method involves using a pin containing a unique identifier that is then installed into a fire door at manufacture or retrofitted.

The company’s fire inspection app can then be installed on a smartphone or tablet and is used to scan the pin and give the inspector access to the door’s manufacturing and maintenance history in real time.

The app will then prompt the inspector to complete a checklist with compulsory photos which automatically update the record stored on the cloud.

Building owners and managers will have quick and easy access to see a complete overview of all their fire door stock, site by site, floor by floor, using a simple traffic light system, and the history of each and every door, the Maryport firm said.

Andy Tyas, managing director, said: “The fire safety industry is under intense scrutiny after Grenfell. The government is looking closely at how and when fire doors are inspected, maintained and managed.

“The development of this project will benefit the people responsible for the building as well as the regulatory authority to ensure correct inspections are being carried out in accordance with building regs.”

CCS is being supported by the Made Smarter North West adoption pilot, which helps SME manufacturers to adopt digital technologies.

Mr Tyas added: “Made Smarter funding and advice has accelerated development of the technology by two years and dramatically increased our chances of being first to market with a technology that could transform the fire safety sector.”

CCS said the innovation will make it easier for owners and managers to ensure compliance with UK regulations by establishing a consistent system for fire door inspection programmes, regardless of the type of building.

With nothing similar currently on the market, CCS said it is targeting manufacturers of the six million new fire doors produced every year in the UK, as well as the managers of the hundreds of millions of fire doors currently installed.

CCS directors Sean Parnaby, David Reay and Andrew Tyas have been manufacturing fire doors for almost 20 years.

According to CCS, it isn’t just focussed on the UK market and has already had discussions with building managers in Europe and the Middle East.

The company are also discussion with door manufacturers, inspectors and local authorities regarding applying the solution to refuse chutes in high rise buildings and sprinkler systems.

https://ccs-fire.com/

BASEC highlights the considerations of aluminium cable conductors in the Indian market

by Middle East - Projects

BASEC (British Approvals Services for Cables) has highlighted critical fire performance applications, with aluminium cables being a carefully considered process to ensure they are safe, compliant and reliable in service.

At present, India’s market usage share of aluminium (Al) wire and cable products is at a staggering 80%. This means that only 20% of cable products being used have copper (Cu) conductors, which is in huge contrast to some developed countries. Typically, copper cable products are mainly used for house wiring, instrumentation and control, as well as special application cables including: low voltage (LV) fire resistant and extra high voltage (EHV). Natural raw, in-country supply of aluminium is available and so the government encourages the use of aluminium wires and cables. In comparison to copper, aluminium offers a commercially viable and affordable option.

International cable standards recommend the use of either an aluminium or copper conductor depending on application. Copper has better conductivity than aluminium overall, and in order for an aluminium conductor to carry the same current or load it will need to be at least one size higher than its copper equivalent. For example: a 185sqmm Cu would offer the same load current as a 240sqmm Al conductor.

In either case, the appropriate certifications should be obtained to prove product quality and compliance to the required standards, in order to safeguard users when the cables are eventually installed. Cables are the main power source for many applications central to keeping businesses and infrastructures operating.

Read the full article here – https://www.basec.org.uk/news/2020/7/22/aluminium-cable-conductors-the-must-know-considerations-you-should-be-aware-of/