Applications
Fire Protection for Archives, Museums & Libraries
Documents, rare books and artworks cannot be replaced. Fire protection for these collections must stop a fire without destroying what it is meant to save.
Why Collections Are So Vulnerable
Paper, textiles, wood and canvas burn easily, and archives often store large amounts of them close together on shelving. A fire can grow quickly and smoke alone can stain and damage objects throughout a room.
Water-based systems create a second disaster. Sprinkler water soaks paper, makes ink run, warps panels and wooden objects, and encourages mould. Many institutions lose more items to water than to the fire itself, and restoring wet documents is slow and costly.
Why Clean Agents Are Irreplaceable
A clean agent puts out fire as a gas. It leaves no water, powder or residue, so books, documents and artworks remain dry and untouched. Recovery after a discharge only requires ventilating the room.
Because the agent is safe for people at design concentration, it can protect reading rooms, storage vaults and galleries where staff and visitors are present.
Recommended Products
FK-5-1-12 is our recommended agent for heritage protection: zero ozone depletion, very low global warming impact, a wide safety margin for occupied spaces and no residue on sensitive materials.
View all productsTechnical Points
FK-5-1-12 is stored as a liquid and vaporizes on discharge. A typical design concentration for Class A surface fires is about 4.5–5.3 %, held for at least 10 minutes. Storage rooms should be sealed to keep the concentration, with pressure relief vents sized for the discharge.
Use very early smoke detection so the system can respond before a fire grows. Small rooms and display cases can be protected by modular or pre-engineered units, while large vaults use a central system with piping.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will FK-5-1-12 damage paper or artworks?+
No. It is a clean, dry agent that evaporates completely and leaves no residue on paper, ink, pigments or textiles.
Can FK-5-1-12 replace an old halon system?+
Yes. It is one of the main halon replacements for museums and archives, although the piping and nozzles usually need to be redesigned.
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