SCOTTSDALE, Arizona, USA. – Well over 8,500 laboratory fume hoods and cabinets and hazardous material storage cabinets are now being protected around the clock by FIRETRACE® stand-alone automatic fire detection and suppression systems, according to Firetrace International. The technology has been adopted by many of the world’s most prominent pharmaceutical and chemical manufactures, as well as leading research and academic organizations.

The system overcomes one of the most serious drawbacks of traditional fume hood in-cabinet sprinkler-head detection and dispersal systems, where the design of the airflow can result in heat and flames not reaching the top-mounted detection device in time to avoid sever damage and possibly destruction of the cabinet.

FIRETRACE overcomes this critical shortcoming by positioning the detection and

suppression precisely in the path that heat and flame will follow – behind the baffles and across the exhaust duct openings. To do this it utilizes a purpose-designed leak-resistant polymer tubing that is linked to an extinguishing agent cylinder via a custom-engineered valve. This proprietary Firetrace Detection Tubing is a linear pneumatic heat and flame detector that ruptures anywhere along its length immediately a fire is detected and automatically releases the suppression agent.

There are two FIRETRACE systems. The Firetrace Direct System utilizes the Firetrace Detection Tubing as both the detection device and the suppressant delivery system, whereas the Firetrace Indirect System uses the FIRETRACE tube as a detection and system activation device, but not for the agent discharge. The rupturing of the tube results in a drop of pressure causing an indirect valve to activate. This diverts flow from the detection tube and the agent is discharged from the cylinder through diffuser nozzles, flooding the entire hood.

So intrinsically safe FIRETRACE, which requires neither electricity nor external power, provides reliable, unsupervised protection, safeguarding the fume hood 24/7. Suppressant options include CO2, AFFF foam, dry powder and the latest clean agents, such as 3M™ Novec™ 1230 Fire Suppression Fluid and DuPont™ FM-200®; the choice being matched to the particular fire challenge. The systems activate only in the event of a fire, so there is no potential for false alarms or unwarranted suppression activation due to smoke or fumes. In fact, genuine FIRETRACE from Firetrace International is the only UL [Underwriters Laboratories] listed and FM [Factory Mutual] approved tube-operated system in the world that is tested as an automatic fire detection and suppression system.

FIRETRACE can also be used to protect hazardous material storage cabinets. In these applications the flexibility of the Firetrace Detection Tubing is such that it can be routed throughout the cabinet, ensuring that detection is at the very point where a fire might break out.

Genuine FIRETRACE is available only via ISO 9001:2008 registered Firetrace International’s global network of authorized distributors. These professionally-minded trading partners are skilled in hazard analysis, experienced in agent and system selection, and trained in installation, commissioning and support. They also use only genuine FIRETRACE components. Further information is available from Firetrace International’s headquarters in Scottsdale, Arizona USA on +1 480 607 1218 or Toll-Free: 1-888-786-0780. The company’s website is at www.firetrace.com.