Accidental fires can occur in any building or structure with dire consequences. Passive fire protection (PFP) refers to mitigative measures that limit a fire's impact on critical equipment and personnel. PFP systems are designed to contain a fire in its early stages and prevent it from spreading to other areas, giving people time to evacuate the facility and allowing firefighters time to extinguish the fire. Unlike active fire protection (AFP) systems, which require an external power source to operate, PFP systems are designed to work without any external intervention.

Applications

PFP is important in a variety of industries. Within the oil, gas, and energy industry, structures that require PFP include petrochemical plants, FPSOs, FSRUs, LNG terminals, refineries, and chemical plants (maybe can include some images from the drive here). In these facilities, equipment must maintain operation in the unfortunate event of a fire, and PFP can protect critical equipment such as valves, actuators, flanges, pipes, vessels, and tanks from the heat and pressure of a fire, mitigating catastrophic damage while necessary remedial action is taken. During the project planning phase, the items that require PFP are usually highlighted by the planning engineers but is generally attended to during the final stages of the project.

Types

There are several types of PFP systems, including fireproof cladding, spray on fireproofing, fire walls, and flexible removable PFP. Flexible removable PFP is a popular choice within the oil, gas, and energy industry as they are easily removable, and can be customized to fit according to the site conditions which can be quite severely obstructed. These covers are made from materials that can withstand high temperatures and provide excellent thermal insulation.

Fire Ratings

When selecting a PFP system for your installation, it is important to consider the specific needs of the facility. This includes the type of equipment being protected and the required fire rating. Fire ratings refer to the type of fire and the duration that the equipment needs to be protected for. For example, the fire rating could be for a jet fire or a pool fire (hydrocarbon fire), with protection required for up to 60 minutes. This fire rating would be classified as J60 (jetfire) or H60 (poolfire). Other ratings include J15, J30, J60, J90 and J120 for jetfire, and H15, H30, J60, H90 and H120 for poolfire.

Certifications

PFP systems are usually tested at certified third-party laboratories to ensure compliance with the stipulated fire rating, so it is imperative that you work with an established manufacturer and supplier of PFP systems. They can provide expert guidance and high-quality products to ensure that the PFP provided has the required certifications and complies with appropriate regulations for the facility.
All in all, PFP is essential to protect critical equipment and personnel from the risks of fire in a variety of industries. Removable Flexible PFP systems are a popular choice for critical equipment as they can overcome the most challenging of site conditions and are easy to install. At Ancloz Engineering, we manufacture high-quality removable flexible PFP jackets and work closely with our clients to ensure proper fit and minimal reworks on the systems provided.

If you would like to learn more about how Ancloz can assist you in fulfilling your project requirements, let us know below and we will get in touch with you!