FirePro Systems (Europe)

This article is about the engineering company. For other brands named "FirePro", see FirePro.
FirePro Systems
Private, LLC
Industry
Founded 1993
Headquarters Cyprus EU
Number of locations
 110 countries (as of 2016)
Area served
 Worldwide
Key people
 Evelthon Avgousti
(Chairman)
Dr Avgoustinos Avgousti
(Managing Director)
Dr Ghigo De Parenti
(Executive Director)
Products Fire Suppression Systems
Fire Suppression Units
First Responder Units
Services Risk analysis (engineering)
System Design
Subsidiaries FireBan
Website www.firepro.com

FirePro Systems or simply FirePro, is a European automatic fire suppression engineering company specializing in the design, production and distribution of environmentally friendly active fire protection systems. It is considered the leading brand of the condensed aerosol technology with official representation in 75 countries and operations in more than 110.[1] The company and its R&D division are headquartered in Limassol along with its Manufacturing facilities.[2]

History

FirePro Systems technology came to prominence following the Montreal Protocol treaty in the 1990s. The treaty was designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of various substances that are responsible for ozone depletion. In 1993, a cluster of environment, health and safety experts investigating fire suppression alternatives concluded that a particular potassium based technology, previously used in the aerospace industry, could be developed as a green alternative to the existing Halon 1301 and other chlorofluorocarbon based systems.[3][4] In 1994, Charis Economides, an ecopreneur, recognising the potential for a viable environmentally friendly fire suppression system set out to establish the technology across Europe.[5] He sought the help of Industrial Chemical Engineer, Dr Gian Guido Gianfilippi De Parenti, who instrumentally expanded the Research and Development of the potassium based technology.[6][7][8][9][10][11] In 1997, a group of green investors led by Evelthon Avgousti together with Economides and De Parenti formed the FirePro group and commercialized the FirePro Systems technology worldwide. Further research and testing was carried out across Europe with the Hellenic Organization for Standardization the General Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, the Italian Ministry of Interior, the UK Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB), the Cyprus Fire Service and the Italian Experimental Electrotechnical Center. By 1998, the technology and all related Intellectual Property rights were granted to FirePro.[12][13]

Green Compound

The solid compound found inside the aerosol generator units uses environment friendly, naturally occurring potassium salts to extinguish fire by inhibiting the chemical chain reactions in the flame on a molecular level. On activation, the compound is transformed into a condensed aerosol consisting mainly of (K2CO3), (H
2O) (vapor), N2 and CO2. The gas-type properties of the aerosol facilitate its even distribution in the protected volume as well as its flow into the natural convection currents of combustion. The solid particles of potassium salts, which are of a few microns in size, are suspended in an inert gas that displays a high surface to reaction mass ratio. When the aerosol reacts with the flame, Potassium radicals (K*) are formed mainly from the disassociation of (K2CO3). The K*s bind to other flame free radicals (hydroxyls - OH-) forming stable products such as KOH. This action extinguishes fire without depleting the ambient oxygen content. KOH reacts further in the presence of CO2 and forms (K2CO3). It is a sustainable approach that challenges conventional firefighting technologies of cooling, starvation or smothering.[14] The physical and chemical characteristics of the technology do not pose a threat to humans or the environment. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has listed FirePro technology in its Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) under the stratospheric ozone protection provisions of the Clean Air Act. The Green Label scheme recommends that they are ozone-friendly and do not contain CFC’s.[15][16][17][18] The National Aerospace Laboratory concludes "that the Electronics Instrumentation test objects exposed to the action of the fire extinguishing agent FirePro have not been affected by their combined exposure to the condensed aerosol medium and to the exposure to a temperature/ humidity variation cycles."[19]

FPC compound samples

Patents & Trademarks

Technology Standards

By the 2000s, scientific and industrial authorities come to recognize the potential of this new technology.[20] International standards from Underwriters Laboratories in the United States and Canada, and the British Standards Institute and KIWA in Europe, are implemented to ensure precise application parameters.[21][22][23][24][25] The Marine industry, recognizing the need for space and weight saving in marine applications, awards the company the Marine Equipment Directive 96/98/EC ‘Wheel Mark’ approval in 2010.[26] By 2011 the technology becomes fully compliant with the European Committee for Standardization CEN/TR 15276 requirements. Approval from the DNV GL, the International Organization for Standardization ISO15779 and Bureau Veritas follows by 2013.[27][28][29][30]

Industry Awards

Key People

Further reading

References

  1. ↑ International Fire Protection: FirePro Profile
  2. ↑ FirePro Global: About Us
  3. ↑ Space Technology for Fire Fighting
  4. ↑ Kibert, Charles J. and Dierdorf, Douglas. 1993. Encapsulated Micron Aerosol Agents (EMMA). Halon Alternatives Technical Conference, 1993. NIST. May 11–13, 1993, pp 421–435
  5. ↑ Understanding the Green Entrepreneur
  6. ↑ Dr. Gianguido Gianfilippi De Parenti
  7. ↑ FirePro Group: Dr. Gianguido Gianfilippi De Parenti
  8. ↑ Evaluation of Fire Flow Methodologies
  9. ↑ International Maritime Organization: Sub-Committee on Fire Protection
  10. ↑ Dr. Gianguido Gianfilippi De Parenti: Aerosol Extinguishing Technology
  11. ↑ Aerosol overview: Aerosol Extinguishing Technology has become a viable alternative to Gaseous Systems
  12. ↑ Intellectual Property
  13. ↑ World Intellectual Property Organization: Global Brands
  14. ↑ Environmentally & Ecologically Friendly Condensed Aerosol Fire Suppression Systems
  15. ↑ Fire Suppression Technology
  16. ↑ FirePro Technology
  17. ↑ CIPO's Canadian Patent Database:FirePro
  18. ↑ European Patent Office:FirePro
  19. ↑ Dutch National Aerospace Laboratory (NLR) carries out applied research on behalf of aviation and space
  20. ↑ Dwyer, David J. 2011. Improved firefighting system Is on the way
  21. ↑ UL2775 Underwriters Laboratories USA: Fixed Condensed Aerosol Extinguishing System Units
  22. ↑ FirePro fixed fire extinguishing components based on dry condensed aerosol
  23. ↑ Luciano Borghetti: How to Extinguish Fires & Preserve the Environment
  24. ↑ Allianz Risk Consulting: Condensed Aerosol Fire Extinguishing Systems
  25. ↑ Extinguishing and Suppression: Aerosol Overview
  26. ↑ Halon Alternatives for the Ship-to-Shore Connector. Spectra, 12: 2001
  27. ↑ International Certification & Listings
  28. ↑ NFPA 2010: Standard for Fixed Aerosol Fire-Extinguishing Systems
  29. ↑ British Standards Institute: Mark of Conformity - Wheelmark
  30. ↑ UL FWSA Guide: Fixed Condensed Aerosol Extinguishing System Units
  31. ↑ Swedish Security Awards 2015:FirePro HERO

External links

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