SUM Fire Guard

Thermal insulation covers are an exceptionally versatile technology. The appropriate selection of constituent materials, combined with the right expertise and research, makes it possible to develop sophisticated solutions for more specialised applications. One such variant available in SUM Poland’s portfolio is the Fire Guard series cover.

When discussing fire protection systems, most people who are not professionally involved in the subject think of alarm or suppression systems designed to stop the spread of fire and extinguish it. However, for these systems to function properly, their components must also be protected against the destructive effects of fire. Sensors, control electronics, cable routes, fire protection piping, automatic valves, and similar components are critical to the correct operation of active fire protection systems, and at the same time are largely not resistant to extremely high temperatures. Their protection, and thus ensuring system activation and effective fire suppression, is one of the key challenges in the design and construction of such systems.

SUM Fire Guard – passive fire protection

SUM Fire Guard are covers that provide passive fire protection. Their specialised multi-layer construction ensures that critical infrastructure components protected with these covers can continue to operate without disruption even when located at the very centre of a fire and exposed to temperatures often exceeding 1000°C. SUM Poland developed this system in cooperation with its Dutch partner, using, among other materials, the innovative Supersafe fabric with a silicone-based coating which, upon contact with fire, expands and partially chars, forming a highly effective barrier against flames. This coating, together with internal reinforcement woven into the weft and warp of the fabric core, ensures the integrity of the outer layer is maintained even when exposed to direct flames at temperatures of up to 1000oC. The internal multi-layer insulation structure, consisting among other elements of ceramic fillers, forms a thermal barrier that significantly slows down heat transfer into the interior of the cover.

ISO 22899-1:2007

SUM Fire Guard covers have been tested in accordance with ISO 22899-1:2007, which specifies the appropriate methods for determining the resistance of so-called jet fire exposure components. passive fire protection systems against fire exposure (“jet fire”). The tests and evaluations were carried out at the accredited LGAI Technological Center S.A. laboratory in Barcelona and confirmed the very high effectiveness of SUM Fire Guard.

During the test, a sample fitted with multiple temperature sensors is exposed directly to flames. During the 120-minute test, the temperature increase in individual sections inside the cover is monitored, and the effectiveness classification is determined on this basis. The condition of the insulation and its integrity are also assessed after the test is completed.

Thanks to the material and structural solutions described above, SUM Fire Guard covers remain intact, the outer layer stays sealed despite charring, and the system continues to perform its protective function effectively.

Analysis

The analysis is based on temperature measurement data from 20 sensors. During a two-hour exposure of the Fire Guard system to temperatures of 1000°C, an internal temperature rise within the covers of 250°C was recorded, while the critical threshold of 190°C defined by the standard was reached only after 100 minutes. This is also the classification awarded to our product: JF / tubular section / 190°C / 100 min.

The use of thermal insulation covers as protective enclosures in passive fire protection applications is becoming increasingly common due to their key performance features:

• easy and rapid installation, made possible by a precise fit to the insulated equipment or installation component, as well as an appropriate fastening system.
• unlike other solutions, it enables repeated and rapid removal of the insulation for inspection or maintenance purposes without the risk of degradation, loss of properties, or reduced thermal performance.
• They can be properly designed and installed not only on newly built installations, but also on existing components and assemblies, without any need to interfere with their normal operation.

The ease and versatility of application of SUM Fire Guard, combined with its very high level of protective performance, provides new possibilities for designers and fire safety professionals in industrial facilities. Fire Guard covers are currently the fastest solution on the market and, at the same time, a completely non-invasive option capable of significantly increasing the fire resistance of critical infrastructure components.