Fire suppression with 3M

3M has recently launched its innovative Novec 1230 Fire Protection Fluid, the only sustainable fire extinguishing fluid that will not damage the materials onto which it is sprayed. It also has no adverse effect on humans and zero ozone depletion potential.

Novec is a fluoroketone and offers a number of important advantages over conventional halocarbon-based suppressants. It works as a gas, yet is a liquid at room temperature and extinguishes fires via its cooling effect.

Importantly, Novec 1230 will not damage the material onto which it is sprayed, making it particularly beneficial for spaces that house high-value electronics as well as libraries, document warehouses, government departments and cultural facilities where valuable items would usually be damaged by traditional fire-suppressing agents.

Novec 1230 does not deplete the ozone layer, has an extremely low global warming potential and has an atmospheric lifespan of five days compared to its halon and halocarbon (HFC)-based competitors (that range between 29 and 270 years). It is the only green chemical gas suppressant agent in the world that is compliant with the Montreal and Kyoto Protocols for energy efficiency and environmental sustainability