Substation Fire Fighting

No.

Insufficient information.

It might depend on who can answer the alarm and how soon.

And what the relevant local standards have to say.

Interested to know what the relevant local standard in NewZealand say about it

It is a wastage of time arguing about Indian or Newzealand standards/practices in fire detection,suppression,fighting etc. We should discuss standards/practices in much developed countries like USA,UK,Germany etc etc. First of all we should start with standards,codes,regulations,latest practices & material used in each country.

So am I, but not interested enough to pay the money necessary to buy the local standard(s) applicable to fire suppression in substations.

Have you looked online and brought a copy of the applicable Indian standard(s) yet?

As per Indian Electricity rules para 43 Fire fighting equipments have to be placed in substation and substation operators have to be trained to operate it also It is a mandatory requirement. I have no idea about other countries.

As per indian rules, what type of fire fightng media to be provided inside/ outside a s/stn?

For indoor equipment heat/smoke detectors & outdoor transformer fusible plug can detect fire & give alarm. For fire extingushingin door CCL4,CO2,Halon etc were used but now a days new technology,including Nitrogen, is used. For outdoor transformer expanding foam was used,but I am not sure of new technology. Is water spray safe & recommended?.

Water spray is not recommended and is dangerous also to use water spray to both equipment and men.

All substation equipment's need to be protected against fire with suppression gases. It a requirement by law..

Why don't you elaborate on "suppression gases",identify them for indoor/outdoor application to cables,switchgears, dry/oil filled transformers,generators, motors, hydrogen/water/air cooled equipment etc

The gases like Co2, FM200, these gases are for indoor like at your Main Control Room, your AC / DC room, Battery Room, VCB room and of course if your transformer is located inside the transformer room then you need to install these gases for fire protection.

If interested in what it is in the USA, refer to the applicable National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standard. There are 11-12 of these books in a full copy of the standards. Look in the index and find the correct standard then look in that section. I always refer to this concerning this type of question. They are the authority and a standards writing organization with a very large influence and membership.

Don't know anything about in India. If you would like a less "generalized" answer you should give a more detailed and specific question. In my earlier days it was called GIGO- Garbage In - Garbage Out. Also this is an open forum so how do you know which submitter is the one with the best answer and knowledge? The person who sounds the best could be giving you a bunch of trash!

Personally, as a volunteer firefighter, I would hope that there was a lot more than just a fire alarm system. Usually it won't be enough and have too many false activations.

Good Luck, Old Salt

a tip! Try googling fire regs for the country you are in, or have the sub-station located (you failed to mention location). Then find out, maybe further googling, as to what the client wants/demands.. and further to that, what type of equipment is in the sub-station, you mentioned oil filled transformers OUTSIDE the sub-station.... well I've never seen fire suppression for transformers outside a building.... but open to learn on that!

A alarm would be standard, and if installed a fire suppression system... and yes NOT water (duh!)

And if all else fails, go find another nearby sub-station and see what's installed in that one. The downside of that last resort, the sub-station might be older than you and not have modern alarms etc!

Here is one from a recent event

http://www.thisishullandeastriding.co.uk/Second-sparks-sub-station-inquest/story-18845710-detail/story.html#axzz2auItzVgi

Very good article about the sub-station fire in Hull. Is the other referenced article correct when they say that the fire dept couldn't get in because they didn't have bolt cutters? In the USA most pumpers and ladder trucks carry saws that can be used for cutting metal and cement. One frequent use for them is to gain access through metal roll up doors. Also most engines carry several tools that, if in the proper hands, can be used to easily break the lock, although I won't go into details about how.

Another device used is a KNOX BOX. knoxbox.com This is a system where a key is available at various positions around the facility or other location. It is either opened by a controlled possession key or by a radio signal from another location such as a police station. These have been used in the USA with great success. My small town has at least 40 locations where they are in use. It would greatly help the authorities to investigate this system. I have used them both as a responder and well as the property owner and they have worked successfully each time they were used. They also available as hydrant cover caps, power shut off, medicine cabinets and many other configurations. Might be worth investigating.

Good Luck, Old Salt

Hi Old Salt

Can't comment about the bolt cutters didn't see that on that page but it would seem someone dropped the ball if that's what happened it certainly was a large blaze I wonder what chemicals were in the transformer oil. Didn't they create dioxins at one time?

Most, but not all, transformers now contain vegetable oil. It is used for it's dielectric properties and it's lack of the pollution properties, which some of the earlier oils did. As you suggest, many of them had dioxin mixed with them.

Once was involved with a transformer fire similar to the one you referred to but from a hazardous materials involvement. Lots of smoke and a film of oil all over everything. They had to bring two of those aircraft fire fighting foam trucks in to put it out. If you ever want to see one of these fires, do it by television!

Good Luck, Old Salt