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The increasing use of multi screw pumps in modern industry

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The adoption of multi screw pumps has increased exponentially over the past half-decade, with the consumption volume rising from 146,000 units in 2015 to 202,000 units in 2022. Antonio Castilhos, vice president of national sales, Netzsch Pumps North America, explains what is driving this growth.

This rapid rise has been fueled by a number of factors, including major growth in the industries of end users, such as power generation, food and beverage, and chemical and petrochemicals. Other reasons include the modernization of the water and wastewater industries, the use of these pumps in hydraulic fracturing, and the sustained rise of urbanization and industrialization in the developing world.

In addition to increasing demand, there is also a growing awareness and understanding of the advantages of multi screw pump technology. Indeed, these technologies have benefited from significant improvements, including new designs and the ability to machine within tighter tolerances. Specialized products have also become available with varying levels of performance for a range of specific applications.

The advantages of multi screw pumps

Multi screw pumps provide a wide range of advantages across their various applications. First, these pumps are distinguished by their energy and operating efficiency, leading to significant reductions in energy cost and cost of maintenance. Specifically, Netzsch NOTOS multi screw pumps lead to 23.3% more efficiency when compared to other pumps on the market.

These pumps can also handle a wide range of media, including incompressible and highly-viscous products. This includes product that is abrasive, aggressive, corrosive, shear-sensitive, solids laden, low or high viscosity, and lubricating or non-lubricating.

High pressure and leak free, the performance of multi screw pumps is consistently high level. They handle the conveyed product gently and smoothly, also reducing the noise of the process. Because they are entirely made of metal, multi screw pumps can also tolerate high temperatures, easily withstanding temperatures above 572° Fahrenheit / 300° Celsius.

Multi screw pumps are also hygienic by design, making them ideal for applications in near-sterile environments, such as in the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries. These pumps are quite easy to clean because they are made of stainless steel and are rigorously polished, such that a pumped product cannot stick to the surfaces. This hygienic design allows for effective cleaning-in-place (CIP) and sterilization-in-place (SIP) processes.

Pfeiffer Vacuum expands the OktaLine ATEX series

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Roots pumps from Pfeiffer Vacuum’s OktaLine are ideal for use in processes in potentially explosive environments or for evacuating explosive gases. Designed in accordance with the ATEX Directive (2014/34/EU1 and/or 1999/92/EC) with pressure surge resistance of PN 16, they meet the very highest explosion protection requirements.

Zone entrainment of explosive gases is ruled out as a result. Potential applications range from the chemical, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries to industrial applications such as vacuum furnaces or heat treatment.

As a result of the expansion of the series, pumping speeds range from 280 to 8,100 m3/h. Depending on the application, there is a choice between equipment category 2G or 3G. All pumps are suitable for temperature class T3. Installation is possible without flame arresters. This means that, effectively, the full pumping speed of the pump is available.

The pumps are suitable for universal use due to their variable differential pressure and flexible rotational speed. All pumps can be used at ambient temperatures ranging from -20 °C to + 40 °C.

In view of their magnetic coupling, OktaLine pumps are hermetically sealed and achieve extremely low leak rates of 10-6 Pa m3/s. The magnetic coupling eliminates the need for shaft seals, which are inherently weak points if it comes to pressure surges and are high-maintenance. OktaLine ATEX pumps are pressure surge resistant up to 1600 kPa. Due to their magnetic coupling, there is no risk of zone entrainment. The integrated temperature sensor protects against thermal overload and monitors the gas temperature in the outlet area.

Compared to pumps with shaft seals, the OktaLine’s magnetic coupling achieves up to 20 % lower operating costs and considerably reduced maintenance costs. OktaLine Roots pumps can also be operated without a bypass, since ATEX protection is guaranteed even with passive rotation (windmilling). The use of ATEX IEC motors means that replacement on site is quick and easy.

Atlas Copco’s new range of GHS VSD+ vacuum pumps offer intelligent networking of vacuum pump and process

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Building on the revolutionary GHS VSD+ range of variable speed-driven oil-injected screw vacuum pumps, Atlas Copco has taken a leap ahead with the new GHS 1402-2002 VSD+ series. These series of pumps have a new design for better performance, optimal oil separation, a smaller footprint and an innovative new controller which puts the customer in gear for Industry 4.0.

With the GHS 1402 – 2002 VSD+, vacuum manufacturer Atlas Copco is launching a new model of speed-driven screw pumps in three pumping speed classes. In rough vacuum applications, the oil-injected pumps deliver a continuously high pumping speed – from atmospheric pressure to ultimate pressure. Commenting on the first of many new features, Product Manager Yuri Vanderveken explained, “The GHS 1402-2002 VSD+ features the new Atlas Copco oil-injected screw element. It’s innovative compression optimization valves allow for high pumping speeds at rough vacuum.” This makes them ideal for use in central vacuum systems, for vacuum cooling, for the production of food packaging and thermoformed plastic components as well as for vacuum chambers for altitude simulation.

“This is also a forward-looking pump. It is equipped with HEX@, Atlas Copco’s revolutionary new vacuum controller, making this pump ready for industry 4.0. With a new control system, users of the speed-driven pump type are also well equipped for the comprehensive digitalization of industrial processes”, continued Vanderveken.

Higher vacuum performance, lower consumption

Compared to the previous models, the innovative design of the three models GHS 1402, GHS 1602 and GHS 2002 VSD+ results in better vacuum performance, a 15 percent smaller footprint and longer maintenance intervals. “The footprint of the GHS 1402-2002 VSD+ is smaller than 2 square meters. The design is compact due to the vertical drive train design,” commented Vanderveken.

The new GHS VSD+ screw pump also contributes significantly to saving energy costs. This is based on the one hand, on the combination of the Neos inverter with a setpoint control. This means that the GHS 1402-2002 VSD+ deliver exactly the pumping speed required for the respective process. Moreover, an energy recovery system helps recover up to 80 percent of the power in the form of hot water. In addition to saving costs and water, this also results in lower CO2 emissions.

High efficiencies at all speeds and demand levels

The increased efficiency is also due to the new permanent magnet motor. In its IE5 efficiency class, it has high efficiencies and produces an increase in efficiency of about two percent over the entire speed range. “This new technology ensures higher efficiency at all speeds when compared to classic motors. These new motors are oil-cooled, with oil lubricated bearings that provide optimal cooling at any speed,” elaborated Vanderveken.

Oil cooling maintains the optimal motor temperature at all speeds. The motor bearings are also lubricated by oil, which eliminates the need for regular relubrication. “We have in fact have dispensed with an additional fan, which reduces energy consumption and the noise level,” he continued. The motor is enclosed in a housing with IP66 protection. This makes it very resistant, especially in rough and dusty application environments.

Intelligent functionalities

One of the more exciting features of the GHS 1402 – 2002 VSD+ series is its intelligent functionalities. “For this purpose, we have integrated our new Atlas Copco HEX@ controller, which ensures high vacuum performance and user-friendliness,” underlines Product Manager Yuri Vanderveken. “HEX@ has a configurable user interface. You can tailor the information you see to your own needs and priorities.” Via the controller, users can visualize and set the parameters of the pumps from any smartphone, laptop, PC or tablet via a web browser, regardless of location. This allows the vacuum pumps to be configured even more specifically and sustainably for the respective applications. Other smart functionalities vary from intelligent scheduling over pump down optimization to leak detection.

Atlas Copco’s new GHS 1402 – 2002 VSD+ delivers efficiency by design and combines the best of several technologies that ease of use, peace of mind and next-level innovation.

Celeros Flow Technology injects new life into 40 year old SAGD pump to increase heavy oil production for customer

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Celeros Flow Technology has injected new life into a heritage pump for a Canadian heavy oil recovery customer, enabling them to increase production. The pump – a Mather & Platt BB5 – was more than 40 years old and had been subject to numerous post-installation alterations.

Heavy oil deposits are extremely viscous and require the injection of high pressure, high temperature steam to improve fluidity and allow the oil to be pumped to the surface. In order to boost extraction on this project, the customer needed to increase water temperatures from 90° C to 140° C. However, there were concerns that the existing pump may not be able to deliver this requirement. Nozzle loads were a particular concern. They turned to Celeros Flow Technology brand ClydeUnion Pumps, their preferred supplier of some 20 years, for assistance.

Mather & Platt is one of several heritage pump brands for which Celeros Flow Technology offers full lifecycle support1. Their aftermarket engineering team undertook a thorough examination of the quadragenarian Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) boiler feed water pump used in the heavy oil extraction process. The investigation revealed that the pump had suffered a number of seal failures over time that had damaged the stuffing box and affected operational efficiency. There had also been no maintenance interventions for decades – but the pump had never actually failed.

Says Mike Golds, Global Upgrade and Rerate Programme Manager for ClydeUnion Pumps: “It is testament to the quality of the original pump that it had continued to operate in such harsh conditions and with no regular maintenance over such a long period of time. More importantly, it gave us confidence that a thorough overhaul could achieve the desired improvement in performance, saving the customer the cost and lost production time that can be associated with sourcing and installing a new unit.”

Celeros Flow Technology overhauled the SAGD pump and performed a mechanical seal upgrade and Plan 23 seal flush to optimize pump performance. In addition, finite element analysis was undertaken to confirm that the nozzle loads would withstand the desired temperature increase. As a result, the pump is now capable of delivering steam at the higher temperatures required. The seal upgrades ensure it meets the latest specifications.

Concludes Mike Golds: “We are really pleased with the outcome of the SAGD pump upgrade. It has not only achieved the desired production increase for the customer, but also provided a more sustainable and cost-effective solution than total pump replacement. Using modern engineering and analysis, we have been able to give the existing pump a new lease of life and ensure it will continue to perform well for many more years.”

Svanehøj pumps selected for Northern Lights CO2 carriers

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The Danish marine pump specialist Svanehøj has been awarded a contract to supply pump systems for two LNG fuelled carriers that will transport liquid CO2 to the Northern Lights project’s storage facilities in Norway.

2021 has been a record year for Svanehøj.

2021 has been a record year for Svanehøj.

Northern Lights is developing infrastructure to transport CO2 from industrial emitters in Norway and other European countries by ship to a receiving terminal in western Norway for intermediate storage, before being transported by pipeline for permanent storage in a geological reservoir 2,600 m under the seabed.

The two CO2 carriers are being built at Dalian Shipbuilding (DSIC) in China and are expected to be operational in 2024. Both vessels will have a capacity of 7,500 m3 of liquid CO2Svanehøj will deliver two 15 m deepwell cargo pumps of for each ship. In this project, Svanehøj’s multigas technology will be shown to its full potential, as the customer wants the pumps to also be used to handling LPG natural gas. Over the years, Svanehøj has supplied cargo pump systems to more than 1,100 LPG tankers around the world.

“We have won the order through our long-standing partner, TGE Marine, which designs and delivers complete cargo handling systems for the CO2 carriers,” said Thomas Uhrenholt Nielsen, sales director, Cargo Gas at Svanehøj. “TGE has chosen our deepwell cargo gas pumps, which they are very familiar with from numerous LPG tankers.”

Svanehøj has been supplying cargo pump systems for CO2 carriers since the late 1990s.

“Thanks to our experience from the relatively few CO2 ships built so far, we are part of the dialogue on several of the upcoming CCS (carbon capture & Storage) projects. CCS is a focus area in our business strategy, and the order from TGE for Northern Lights is therefore of great strategic importance. This could be a big market for us within the next few years,” addedsaid Uhrenholt Nielsen.

Svanehøj started 2022 with a new “Powering a better future” strategy and a target of doubling its turnover to DKK1 billion (approximately US$143 million) by the end of 2026. The strategy is primarily focused on supporting the transition to climate-neutral shipping, but also on investing in new business areas, including CCS

Gjerdrum family acquires PG Flow Solutions from Enflow

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The Gjerdrum family has acquired 100% of the shares of Norwegian pump and liquid handling specialist PG Flow Solutions AS (formerly Ing Per Gjerdrum AS), 40 years after Per Gjerdrum founded the company.

PG Flow Solutions' headquarters in Sande, Vestfold, Norway.

PG Flow Solutions’ headquarters in Sande, Vestfold, Norway.

“Although we have been shareholders of PG Flow Solutions (PG) through EnFlow since 2014, it feels like the company is coming home,” says Mads Gjerdrum, the new chairman of PG. “We are facing major market opportunities within the maritime industries and the energy sector. New ownership means increased investments in these industries, while at the same time maintaining the position we have built up in aquaculture and land-based industries. We will also continue the excellent cooperation we have with our former sister company Cflow Fish Handling AS.”

In 2014, private equity company Norvestor become the majority shareholder of PG. Since then, PG has conducted a successful transition through significant cost reductions and by developing and delivering a number of products and systems to the aquaculture and fisheries industries as well as land-based industry. Historically, the majority of PG Flow Solutions’ revenues have come from offshore energy and maritime industries.

“It is fully understandable that PG wants to capitalise on the growth opportunities in the energy and maritime industries, which a large part of the company’s history is founded upon. However, this direction is not a natural part of our strategy, and we are therefore pleased that we can divest the company to the Gjerdrum family,” says Stig Bjørkedal, departing chairman of PG and CEO of Cflow.

PG’s core offering will continue to be proprietary pump solutions and liquid handling systems.

The Gjerdrum family will inject new capital into PG. This will strengthen the company’s foundation for further development of its product offering for the aquaculture, fisheries, energy and land-based industries, but also finance even stronger growth efforts both in Norway and internationally.

Roy Rødningen continues as managing director of PG, while Mads Gjerdrum becomes the new chairman.

PG will remain at the company’s headquarters in Sande, Vestfold, Norway. The facility was built in 2013 and includes a complete workshop with steel fabrication and production, assembly, automation, modern and extensive test facilities, and offices.SHARE0

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Pfeiffer Vacuum introduces new multi-stage roots pumps ACP 90

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Pfeiffer Vacuum introduces new multi-stage roots pumps ACP 90

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Pfeiffer Vacuum, one of the world’s leading suppliers of vacuum technology, introduces new multi-stage Roots pumps ACP 90, which are designed for oil- and particle free applications in the pressure range between atmosphere up to 3×10-2 hPa. These vacuum pumps meet the requirements where clean and dry vacuum is needed like drying, sterilization, coating as well as semiconductor and R&D applications.

With their unique design, these pumps are robust and can withstand frequent pump downs. Highly valuable materials render the pumps more resistant to light corrosive gases. ACP 90 is ideal when pumping large amount of condensable gases like in drying applications, high humidity environments or large insulating volume pumping.

As Jean-Philippe Briton, Product Manager at Pfeiffer Vacuum, explains, “We are particularly proud of the built-in intelligence that allows for high pumping speed at high pressure, which is important when pumping large volumes. With a very low power consumption of 2 kw at atmospheric pressure the ACP 90 is also an energy efficient solution for this type of use.

Current standards for smoke alarms

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Q: We are remodeling our home and would like to upgrade the smoke alarm system to comply with current fire safety standards. This may not be required for an older home, but we’d like to do it anyway. We also want to install carbon monoxide detectors. What can you tell us regarding these upgrades?

A: The first thing I can tell you is that you’re making some wise and practical upgrades that can potentially save lives.

The required locations for smoke detectors in a single-family dwelling include one in each bedroom, one outside of each separate sleeping area (which usually means hallways), and at least one on each story of the dwelling, regardless of whether there is a bedroom. Alarms are also required in basements, but in most locales they are not required in crawl spaces or attics.

Installing an up-to-date smoke alarm system in an older home used to involve the addition of interconnecting wires so all alarms would be activated when smoke was detected by a single fixture. Fortunately, interconnection by means of Wi-Fi has eliminated the need for such wiring.

The power source for smoke alarms should include direct wiring to the primary electrical system, plus battery backup in case of a power failure during a fire. However, in an older home, battery-powered alarms, without connection to the electrical system, is permitted.

Carbon monoxide (CO) protection is also essential to prevent asphyxiation in the event of a faulty fuel-burning fixture or appliance, such as a gas furnace or water heater. Combination alarms, providing detection from both smoke and CO, are now widely available in hardware stores and are standard equipment in newly built homes.

Finally, you should consult your local building department regarding specific requirements that may differ from the general standards listed here.

Q: I bought my house six months ago. Since then, I’ve noticed leakage and dry rot at the garage windowsill, as well as some rot at the doorjamb. None of this was disclosed by the seller or the home inspector. Shouldn’t someone have reported these defects?

A: Sellers are not always aware of defects such as garage window leaks or rotted woodwork. A home inspector who is on-the-ball may discover rotted wood, but that type of defect is within the professional purview of the pest control operator (commonly known as a termite inspector). Water stains, on the other hand, should have been noticed by the home inspector, unless the stains were concealed at the time of the inspection by personal property.

You should contact the home inspector and the pest control inspector. Ask them to come to the property for a review of these findings. See if they are willing to take some responsibility. Hopefully, the inspectors will help you to correct these conditions.

Early Warning Thermal Sensors Enhance Fire Protection in Modular & Edge Data Centers

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Fire protection systems for modular and edge data centers typically use spot smoke detectors to identify possible threats as quickly as possible. Aspirating smoke detectors (ASD) may be used for very early smoke detection in the incipient stage of a fire. Gas detectors may be used where batteries (i.e. lithium-ion) are deployed. Even with the best of these fire safety detectors, the precise location & source of the potential threat is difficult to pinpoint, especially in high airflow environments, where smoke and gasses can be quickly transported away from the source.

What are the principal fire threats in most modular & edge data centers?

  • Electrical feeds including PDUs, transformers, & inverters — short-circuits, electric overloads, power & grounding faults
  • Batteries & UPS — overheating & thermal runaway
  • Mechanical systems — AC & ventilation system anomalies & failure
  • Leaks — water, battery electrolytes, fuels

In most cases, abnormal equipment heating precedes the presence of smoke or gas. To detect this overheating, early warning thermal imaging sensors, like those from ServersCheck, can monitor and detect a variety of threat conditions that, if left unchecked, could lead to a fire. These sensors do not replace fire safety systems — they complement them well by pinpointing the source, providing additional time to investigate a potential threat before it can escalate.

Traditional temperature sensors measure the air temperature near the target equipment, limiting their effectiveness for detecting overheating. Thermal imaging sensors record 2-dimensional images of surface temperatures on the target equipment. This is important for precisely locating the source of the overheating.

Since thermal imaging sensors detect light in the infrared range (IR), they need no visible light for analysis and are ideal in dark enclosures. The thermal images produced by the sensors provide an image with colors ranging from black to blue, red, and yellow indicating increasing temperatures. Abnormal hot spots on the equipment can easily be identifies, as well at the intensity.

Portable (i.e. hand-held) thermal imaging equipment has been used for years for installation surveys and periodic inspections of electrical switchgear, IT equipment, PDU, and UPS modules. Indeed, these inspections may be required before a data center becomes operational. However, data centers need to be available 24/7/365, so continual monitoring with thermal imaging sensors is more appropriate for fire safety.

Besides fire prevention, thermal image sensors can also improve equipment uptime and prevent failure with early warning of potential overheating. Additionally, thermal imaging can assist with cooling and ventilation tuning to direct airflow to potential hotspots in the data center enclosure.

As an example, ServersCheck thermal imaging sensors will monitor up to 19,200 individual points every 2 seconds with varying fields of view (FoV) and temperature accuracy. A variety of equipment ranging from electrical panels, to switch gear, PDUs, UPSs, and even server racks can be monitored to provide very early detection of potential fire threats.

The sensors are networked and powered by PoE with temperature data delivered continually to a building management system (BMS) or industrial and IT automation platforms via Modbus TCP, RTU (RS485), or SNMP.

In the accompanying image, a PDU is being monitored by a thermal imaging sensor sensor at < 20 feet. Hot spots can be identified, and temperature changes or thresholds can alert management systems of a potential problem depending on the specified operational temperature range.

Testing in action – The critical importance of effective passive fire protection

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What drives the requirement for testing construction products?

Building regulations set the minimum standards for health and safety, convenience and accessibility. The guidance for meeting these requirements is set out in the Approved Documents, such as B, E, K, L1B, M, Q).


What is Passive Fire Protection?

Passive Fire Protection (PFP) has three main tasks to allow for protection of life and limited damage to property:

  1. restrict fire growth in early stages of fire
  2. contain the fire (compartmentation)
  3. protect the load-bearing structure

Want to know more about Passive Fire Protection? Read IFSEC Global’s beginner’s guide to Passive Fire Protection here >>

What is fire testing?

Using an example of a fire in a lounge, replicated with a crib in the corner of a container, Peter displayed the thermal image of the growth of the fire to the flashover point. Tracing the phases where energy radiates back into the room and anything combustible in that room heats up and becomes ablaze – flashover point – and into a fully developed fire.

How does this relate to testing we do on construction products?

Benchmark standards are designed to deal with each part of fire development.

Plotting time against temperature, a graph showed the early stage of the fire where ignitability is key, and materials are tested against that criteria. Likewise for the growth phase and fully developed phases, the points at which resistance to fire is measured.

Peter showed the 3 by 3m furnace at a testing centre where construction products were tested by being exposed to consistent conditions. While each fire has its own variables, standardised test conditions are crucial to determining that, for example, ’30 minutes fire resistant’ means the same for the product across the same type., i.e. a benchmark standard.

The fire resistance test report comprises:

  • the test conditions
  • construction details of the product
  • the record of test data – surface temperatures, observations made, any deflection data
  • test results in terms of minutes, e.g integrity of performance (the ability of fire to be contained) and insulation performance (measuring the temperature on the surface) and radiation performance (the limits of heat radiated)

The assessments made from the test results are considered by experts (UKAS) and form the considered opinion of a product.

“Assessments have a role to play but they have to be documents that are based on evidence, that are used by people that have experience in testing these construction products,” explained Peter.

Also supporting the performance of a product range, Peter mentions National Assessments, the PFPF guide to undertaking tech assessments, the requirement to follow EN 15725 principles and European classification and defined standards.

A product’s properties can easily be changed by unique environmental factors – for example, reducing the size of glazed opening, finishing off a veneer. Not every permutation of a product range can be tested but testing should be thorough enough to cover a range of design features.

“There’s no point in making something correctly if it’s installed incorrectly and pretty well, then not maintaining it correctly,” says Peter, “and it must be in line with the supporting evidence.”

Added insurance

Peter explained the added assurance that third party certification can bring. With first party verification, the manufacturers conduct tests and hand over the supporting evidence, leaving the installer a decision based on a degree of trust. Meanwhile, with third party certification, the manufacturers are asked what performances they would like to claim. Testers measure the end goal objectives against the test criteria.

Third party certification gives an extra layer of assurance because it looks at the products from the point at which the products pass through the production line and onto the factory floor. Therefore, the final labelling of that product gives valuable information in terms of provenance and traceability, invaluable for risk assessments.

The process doesn’t end there. There are repeat audits and audit testing, which gives a feedback loop. This is particularly useful when improvements have been made across a product range.

The tests in action

Peter then presented three tests: door-in-wall with stopping systems; door-in-screen assembly and fire stopping systems around cables.

In Test 1 both door sets were bought at the same time and were third party certified – the test made modifications by leaving out key component parts of what was to be the ‘bad’ door, e.g. intumescent strips and using safety laminate glass instead of fire safety glass and the ‘bad’ door was also missing firestopping at the back of the architrave. Meanwhile, the ‘good’ door had combined fire and smoke seals.

The smoke leakage and window damage on the ‘bad’ door was dramatic. With the ‘good’ door, it was hard to believe there was a raging fire behind it, save for the foam that the intumescent windows had released.

Test 1: A fire test from Warringtonfire – demonstrating the difference in passive fire protection effectiveness of a modified fire door (left) if key component parts removed


When the test ran to 13 minutes – reaching 800 degrees – it was too dangerous to continue with the ‘bad’ door, and it was deemed to have suffered ‘complete failure’.

Test 2 was the door-in-screen assembly. One of the sets was installed with a bad non-intumescent screen. Again, at the point where the bad model had failed (this was the 30-minute mark, by which time the windows had fallen out), it was hard to tell there was a fire behind it.

Test 3 involved individual cables and groups of cables that were either fixed with fire reactive material or with foam not designed for fire. Again, the results were clear – as clear as the daylight coming through the holes in the walls made by the destroyed foam.