A product can be made fireproof to increase the amount of time it can be exposed to fire before failing. This is known as passive fire-protection in the building industry because it doesn’t put out the fire but rather avoids failure. Usually, structural elements are treated with a fireproofing substance to accomplish this. Fireproofing supplies materials and structures with fire resistance so that in the event of an accidental fire, the vital structures can continue to function until the fire is extinguished. Applying certain compounds to materials or structures is known as fireproofing. This reduces the rate at which a fire spreads, giving plant operators more time to put out a fire. Fireproofing is a requirement in many industrial establishments in order to obtain any insurance.
Types of fireproofing
Fireproofing is essentially split into two categories:
- Active fireproofing – The term “active fireproofing” (AFP) refers to all protective measures that must be activated in order to be effective, whether by a person or by environmental factors. Sprinkler systems turning on or staff members using fire extinguishers to try to put out a small fire are two examples of AFP.
- Passive proofing – Building design features and deliberate safety precautions intended to stop the spread of a fire are referred to as passive fire protection (PFP). When AFP measures fail, such as when sprinklers break or an extinguisher isn’t inspected or refilled in a timely manner, PFP can help to lessen the potentially disastrous results. PFP measures can include things like fire doors to stop smoke from spreading and room compartmentalization to stop fires from spreading.
Following are basic types of fireproofing
- Cementitious fireproofing – These are plaster-like coatings, which are based on gypsum, dry to resemble white stucco. These coatings are sprayed onto the structural surfaces that need to be fireproof. To prevent structural girders and beams from bending at temperatures above 540 C, cementite fireproofing is utilised.
- Intumescent fireproofing – Intumescent paints expand when heated and provide a barrier that is heat-resistant. Sodium silicates are commonly present. The intumescent paint coating thickens in hot weather, encasing air and creating a layer that is more insulating. Metallic pipes, tanks, and valves are coated with intumescent fireproofing coatings.
- Firestop fireproofing – All cracks and joints are sealed with fire-resistant walls and floors during the Firestop fireproofing process. The holes in the ducting, the cuts for the pipes, and the trays for the electrical wire are filled with fire dampers.
Materials of fireproofing
- Asbestos
- Thinner #2
- Thinner #25
- Thinner #33
- Thinner #76
- Mesh
- Concrete
- Carbomastic 801 (a+b)
- Carboline 139 (ral 7042)
- Carboguard 890 (a+b)
- Carboguard 1340 (a+b)
- Gypsum plasters
- Intumescent coatings
- Pyrocrete 241
- Fibrous plasters containing either mineral wool or ceramic fibers
- Cementitious plasters
Fireproofing application method
- Prepare the equipment’s surface.
- Spray the primer up to a micron of 65–75.
- To retain the tie mesh, tack weld the nut.
- Implement Pyrocrete 241
- Apply two coats of epoxy paint, then examine the paint’s DFT and fireproofing’s thickness.
- The vessel can be released for additional work if the responsible engineer or SOP approves.
Thus, the purpose of fireproofing is to safeguard the structural steel that supports expensive or high-risk machinery. The material must be long-lasting and corrosion-resistant.
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