A visit to the production facility of fire extinguishers who kills a starting fire with nanoparticles.
Aerospace Propulsion Products (APP) from the Netherlands and part of the ArianeGroup, exclusively produces the AF-X Fireblocker NANO series.
Rocket science to put out fires. In the industrial area of Moerdijk, APP ArianeGroup (Aerospace Propulsion Products) produces rocket fuel and detonators for rockets that are launched into space. Unlike vehicle fuels, rocket fuel is a solid material that converts electrically into gaseous form and provides thrust. The same principles can be used to suppress dust explosions or extinguish fires.
For AF-X Systems, APP exclusively produces the AF-X Fireblocker, an extinguishing generator with a dry extinguishing agent in the core. In a fire, an electric igniter activates the reaction to convert the solid bound compound into a cloud of nanoparticles. These particles immediately block the reaction of fire. “A limited amount of extinguishing agent is needed to immediately stop a fire and limit subsequent damage. minimized, ”says Frank Butterman, within the team of entrepreneurs responsible for sales.
Extinguishing damage
The Secret of Success
“The advantage is that with this aerosol a fire can be extinguished without losing products or installations. If you use water or foam, for example, you can have a lot of damage and cleaning up due to the extinguishing method. With our AF-X Fireblocker, damage is limited to the object that has been burned. In a shed where fertilizer is stored in paper bags, most of it can still be used as fertilizer after a fire, in a technical room the technology is not lost.
An installation consists of a compact extinguishing generator, smoke or heat detectors and an extinguishing panel. “We look at the volume of the room and the fire class and use this to determine the amount of extinguishing agent. We only need electricity to install it. Pumps, gas bottles and heavy pipes are unnecessary. Facilities for the collection and disposal of contaminated fire extinguishing water or foam are also not necessary. Good cleaning and ventilation after the fire is enough.”
EXPORT
Introduction of the first AF-X Fireblocker internationally
Butterman says that the company started in 1999 as a distributor of aerosol extinguishing technology. After ten years, the knowledge had expanded to such an extent that a wish list with points for improvement was sent to the main producer.
“When the response was that they felt no improvements were necessary, we decided to start producing ourselves. In retrospect, that turned out not to be so easy. It took about 6 years from concept to finished product. A Dutch professor developed the recipe for the solid extinguishing agent. In 2012 we came into contact with APP ArianeGoup, which was working to make knowledge of space technology available to the industry. Four years later, we were able to introduce the first AF-X Fireblocker internationally.
The company is rolling out the sale of extinguishing generators internationally. “The AF-X Fireblockers can be found in government buildings, port companies and ships and are in talks with importers of warehouse technology. In the Netherlands, we work with a network of sixty installers and now export to twelve countries within and outside the EU. Our goal is to add five to ten countries to the distribution network every year
We actively look for distributors who develop their market with us and who can install our product with knowledge. We therefore invest a lot of time in training our distributors.
A few things the AF-X Fireblocker is great at
The fight against fire has been fundamentally improved by the use of the aerosol fire extinguishing systems. The dry aerosol is a solid that, once activated, blocks the fire in its origin.
Environmentally Friendly
– Zero Ozone Depletion Potential
– Zero Global Warming Potential
– Negligible Atmospheric Lifetime
– No gas
–So pressureless
– It doesn’t use water
– nor affects oxygen levels
Financially Interesting
– 15 year life-span
– Investment costs are lower
(No structural adjustments)
– It’s easier to maintain than traditional systems
– Simplicity, Plug & Play, Compact
– Fully Certified
More Easy to Install
– It’s easier and faster to install
(E-Installer)
– It doesn’t require special conditions:
– No water-pressure, No water-access or water-storage
– No separated room for gas-cylinders, No piping