TRANSFORMERS, REACTORS. FIREFIGHTING INSTALLATIONS FOR OIL POWER TRANSFORMERS

Object, Equipment	Regulatory requirement
Oil power transformers and reactors (open, closed)	SP 5.13130.2009 tab. A4, Standard Electric Power Grid Appendix 1
Cable structures with transformers	SP 5.13130.2009 tab. A4, Standard Electric Power Grid Appendix 1
Substation Cable Structures	SP 5.13130.2009 tab. A4, Standard Electric Power Grid Appendix 1
Transformer rooms at communication facilities	SP 5.13130.2009 tab. A4

Choosing a fire extinguishing system for oil power transformers

The type of fire extinguishing installation, the method of extinguishing and the type of extinguishing agent for protecting electric grid facilities and power facilities is determined by the design organization taking into account the requirements of the Standard for the Electric Power Grid, as well as the requirements of SP 5.13130.

The use of automatic fire extinguishing installations with low expansion film-forming foam with deluge sprinklers (water/foam nozzles) is normatively justified. The choice of foam extinguishing allows you to prevent burn back and provides extinguishing. This is important because energized elements or heated elements reignite the transformer oil.

See the requirement of clause 9.3.9 of the Standard of the Electric Power Grid: “to prevent burn back (final fire suppression), an extinguishing installation using low expansion film-forming foam with the use of water/foam nozzles should be used. To get low expansion foam, you must use a premix of a foam concentrate that meets the requirements of GOST R 50588, and have a fire safety certificate”.

Low expansion foam, like water, effectively cools process equipment in case of fire or accident.

All objects of the energy and electric power grid are equipped with fire water sources designed to provide external and internal fire extinguishing and the operation of automatic fire extinguishing installations. Estimated water consumption is taken as using a single water supply system for automatic firefighting installations (AUPT) of transformers, cable structures and other facilities.

See the requirement of clause 9.1.22 Standard for the Electric Power Grid: “The calculated water flow into the fire water supply system of a fire safety system is taken at the highest flow rate required to extinguish a single fire hazardous facility, taking into account the use of a unified water supply system for automatic fire extinguishing of transformers, cable structures and other objects."

Next, we consider standard regulatory provisions for the protection of power grid facilities and other energy facilities.

Open transformers (reactors). Automatic fire extinguishing systems, AUVPT

To protect automatic transformers and reactors (open transformers), automatic water extinguishing installations should be used in accordance with the requirements of the Standard for the Electric Power Grid or automatic fire extinguishing installations with low expansion foam using deluge sprinklers (water/foam nozzles).

The use of fire monitors and other nozzles as actuators does not meet the requirements for automatic water extinguishing installations (AUVPT).

The Pozhneftehim recommends using special Antifire-I deluge spraying certified according to GOST R 51043-2002 for spraying the protected surface of transformers (reactors). Antifire deluge sprinklers UVPN manufactured by Pozhneftehim meet the requirements of RD 34.15.109-91 “Recommendations on the design of automatic water extinguishing systems for oil power transformers”.

Thanks to the oscillating device UVPN, operational capabilities are increased and the repair work on the transformer is simplified. At the same time, the use of stationary deluge sprinklers without any oscillating device (in comparison with Antifire-I) implies a greater length of pipelines and a larger number of stationary sprinklers.

Antifire deluge sprinkler UVPN with an oscillator is used to extinguish fires with water and foam. Thanks to the oscillator, the irrigated area is maximized (see below for a diagram of the dependence of the oscillation angle and the irrigation zone).

For the implementation of Clause 9.1.23 of the Standard for the Electric Power Grid in terms of storing a container with a foam concentrate outside the protected premises or equipment, it is recommended to use BK-PT (block-container for fire suppression). The block-container can be used to supply water for cooling equipment during an accident and for fire extinguishing with low expansion foam.

Standard design solution. An example of an open transformer fire extinguishing installation. LLC Pozhneftehim © 2004-2019

Transformer fire extinguishing systems with block-container

The Vityaz firefighting unit produced by Pozhneftehim is a finished modular product that provides for a proportioning system and a foam concentrate supply. BK-PT is manufactured according to customer requirements for individual design solutions and is supplied in full factory readiness.

The BK-PT contains control units and separate locking and starting devices to fulfill the mandatory requirements of clause 9.1.28 of the Standard of the Electric Power Grid. According to the STO, it is not allowed to place the specified equipment in basements and wells due to the probable flooding or filling with oil products.

Bladder tank with SHABD in the transformer fire extinguishing system

The bladder tank can be selected as a proportioning system of the foam concentrate in the fire extinguishing installation for the oil power transformer. At the same time, in order to fulfill the mandatory requirement of Clause 9.1.24 of the Standard for the Electric Power Grid, it is required to use a bladder tank with a SHABD automation cabinet.

The automation cabinet shows the foam concentrate volume in the flexible tank. The device outputs a signal to the fire pumping station control panel. According to clause 9.1.24 of the Standard for the Electric Power Grid, “each container with a foam concentrate or its solution must be equipped with a level alarm. The impulse from the alarm should be issued to the control panel of the firefighting pumping station, to the instrument panel with permanent personnel)."

Closed transformers (reactors). Automatic fire extinguishing systems, AUGPT

To protect automatic transformers and reactors located in closed chambers, automatic gas fire extinguishing installations (AUGPT) should be used. The calculated amount (mass) of gas extinguishing agent (GOVT) in the installation should be sufficient to ensure its normative extinguishing concentration in any protected room or group of rooms protected simultaneously. Centralized installations in addition to the estimated number of GOVT must have its 100% reserve.

In order to prevent burn back (final fire suppression) after the gas fire extinguishing installation has been activated, an extinguishing installation using low expansion film-forming foam should be used with AKVAFOM fluorosynthetic film-forming foam concentrates and special deluge sprinklers (water/foam nozzles).

To obtain low expansion foam, a foam concentrate working solution that meets the requirements of GOST R 50588 must be used and a certificate of conformity for fire safety must be available (requirement of clause 9.8.9 of the Standard for the Electric Power Grid).

Standard design solution. An example of a fire extinguishing installation of a closed transformer. LLC Pozhneftehim © 2004-2019

The foam extinguishing installation is designed to prevent burn back after the operation of the gas fire extinguishing installation

In the event of an accident or fire of a transformer, a large number of sources of ignition occur. Therefore, the only effective extinguishing agent will be a film-forming foam concentrate, which prevents burn back.

The foam fire extinguishing system is manually started by the duty services or fire departments using the Foamix pressure fire dispensers. System uptime is determined by the fire supervisor.

Antifire-I special deluge sprinklers, certified according to GOST R 51043-2002, joint with a swivel or flange connection, with the self-regulating function, are used as water/foam nozzles.

In the fire extinguishing system of a closed transformer for roof cooling, wetting down of the protected surface with the use of fire monitors should be provided.

In the fire extinguishing system, it is also recommended to use a Foamix fixed fire pressure proportioner manufactured by Pozhneftehim.

The Foamix DPN-S proportioner is a device for proportioning a foam concentrate under pressure into a water stream in a pipeline and obtaining a premix with a volume concentration of 1% or 3%, depending on the type of foam concentrate used.

The Pozhneftehim fire extinguishing systems for transformers: production, supply, commissioning.

The Pozhneftehim, a manufacturer of equipment and foam concentrates for fire extinguishing systems of industrial facilities, offers integrated fire extinguishing systems for oil power transformers, as well as other facilities of the electric power grid, for which the use of foam and water fire extinguishing systems is normatively justified.

The Pozhneftehim is focused on full support of the project from the stage of design and preparation of detailed documentation on fire safety to acceptance tests and commissioning. With a comprehensive supply, the Pozhneftehim specialists carry out installation supervision and commissioning of the fire extinguishing installation, and also offer an extended warranty on the foam concentrates in case of purchasing a proportioning system and a foam concentrates from us.

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Стандарт Пожнефтехим "Базовые проблемы проектирования систем пенного пожаротушения. Пути решения". 2018 (pdf, 2.32 Mb)

Contact information to order Pozhneftehim complex supplies

Questions concerning the choice of foam concentrates for fire extinguishing

Tatyana Potapenko, foam project manager +7 (499) 703 01 32, ext.172

Questions concerning the choice of firefighting equipment

Sergey Vypritsky, Project Manager +7 (499) 703 01 32, ext.153

Questions on documentation regarding Fire safety measures (MOPB) and Special technical conditions (STU)

Sergey Titenkov, Head of Regulatory and Technical Department +7 (499) 703 01 32, ext.159