Fire Suppression FAQ's

Fixed pipe work extends from the tanks into the extraction plenum areas and above the cooking appliances. Specific discharge nozzles are installed above each hazard appliance, behind the grease filters and up into the extract ductwork.

In the event of a fire, the wet chemical agent is discharged from all nozzles. The wet chemical agent attacks the fire by rapidly knocking down the flame, reacting with the heat and cooking grease to produce a saponified foam layer, starving the fire of oxygen to prevent re-flash.

A commercial kitchen will be identified as a significant fire risk in any risk assessment. The risk within a commercial kitchen clearly cannot be entirely removed as the food still needs to be cooked and so the responsible person must choose the most effective means of managing the risk.

Since the introduction of the Regulatory Reform Order (RRO) there have been several recorded cases of prison sentences being issued for failure to comply with the legislation.

It may also be a requirement of a building's insurance policy to have a fire suppression system. Insurance companies are increasingly specifying fire suppression for their clients. There may also be benefits to policy terms if systems are installed.

Manual Activation

A stainless steel cable is installed through ½” conduit and pulley elbows to a manual pull station sited on the path of egress from the kitchen. In the event of fire, the pull station is activated; pulling the stainless cable and starting the discharge gas cylinder which in turn pushes the wet chemical agent out of each discharge nozzle.

Automatic Activation

Automatic fusible link detectors are mounted above each cooking appliance and in the mouth of each extract duct. Stainless steel cable is held under tension through each detector and back to the activation gas cylinder. Fusible links are set to melt at a specific temperature (typically 360F above normal cooking temperature). When the fusible link melts, the tension in the cable is released discharging the wet chemical.

Where the agent comes into contact with other appliances that are not on fire it remains liquid and can be quickly and easily cleaned away. Please see our material data sheet here.

It is worth noting that the clean-up following a discharge of an Ansul system is much quicker, easier and less costly than dealing with a kitchen fire. Ansul systems can be recharged on-site and our Maintenance team can offer a response to call-out times of 4 hours.

Quality servicing is essential to ensure system integrity is maintained and systems will be fully effective in a fire situation. It is essential to ensure all equipment is correctly protected and that additional risk appliances have not been added or existing appliances relocated.

Following activation, systems can be rapidly recharged by the Global Maintenance Team. The liquid agent is not stored under pressure and can therefore be recharged on-site. Global provide call-out times of 4 Hours to our maintenance clients meaning systems can be recharged and re-commissioned, the agent can be cleaned away and the kitchen can be back up and running with a minimum of downtime.

Global has the largest nationwide maintenance team in Europe ready to assist. For more on this, please see our Maintenance Page.

The Ansul Piranha uses PRX wet chemical as opposed to Ansulex used in R-102. This new agent is designed to react with water and created a larger saponified layer. The water discharge cools the cooking oils rapidly below re-flash temperature.

Ansul Piranha systems are generally suited to larger commercial cooking risks and new build kitchens. Ansul R-102 systems are suitable for any kitchen.