PcP. fire protection gratings type LHD®

... the safe and reliable solution

PcP. Gratings Ltd.

All about us

Our customers and partners have

benefited from our wide range of products

and services covering floor gratings, steps and

stairways.

We maintain constant contact to our customers

and partners in order to secure this high degree

of customer satisfaction. The resulting ideas and

suggestions are subject to regular analysis and

implemented wherever possible.

Isn't it time that you too profited from the

benefits of our first- class range of products

and services?

PcP. Gratings Ltd.

Enterprise Drive, Four Ashes

Wolverhampton, WV10 7DF

Telephone +44 1902 791792

Telefax +44 1902 791 795

sales@pcpgratings.co.uk

www.pcpgratings.co.uk

2

PcP. fire protection gratings Type LHD®

PcP. fire protection gratings Type LHD® are the

primary choice to equip the transformers in the

energy sector.

PcP. fire protection gratings Type LHD® are daily

proving their worth Worldwide. These are used at

transformer platforms supplying electricity and at

oil /gas production in the offshore sector. Through

the favourable low cost expense construction and

special tested structure of the surface, the PcP. fire

protection gratings Type LHD® combines a multitude

of outstanding product qualities compared with

the rough gravel cover or the granulate filled cover.

The production methods make it possible for the

users to have a short construction and dismantling

time. The construction also ensures maintenance

and inspection at any point by removing a grating.

If to use another method like panels put together

with pins in the sides, the complete cover has to

be removed either from the start or at the end,

meaning considerable time losses for the users.

This is only one of many benefits for you and your

contractors.

3

Type LHD® (Low Hole Density)

4

PcP. fire protectiongratings Type LHD®

PcP. fire protection gratings type LHD® are used

world-wide on a daily basis on power supply

company transformer platforms and offshore oil

and natural gas drilling rigs where they have

proven a great success.

Material

PcP. fire protection gratings type LHD® consist of

hot-galvanised, sheet-metal sectional grating –

without foamed glass granulate filling – with a

perforated surface structure. It is made from

3mm thick U-shaped bevelled sheet steel panels.

The individual panels are welded together to

form grating boards. Supplying grating boards

saves considerable time consuming work on site

screwing individual panels together. As a result,

installation and maintenance work on collecting

basins can be performed at much greater speed

and more cost-effective.

Panel

Bordering

Grating

5

Flame-retarding effect

The flame- retarding effect of PcP. fire protection

gratings type LHD® is achieved by the perforated

surface structure (perforation ratio about 4.1% of

total surface) which only allows a low volume of

oxygen to reach the source of the fire.

This starves the source of the fire of a considerable

amount of oxygen resulting in an extremely

under- ventilated fire. Despite its low air perme-

ability, any emerging transformer oil in the event

of damage flows freely without restriction into

the collecting chamber beneath the grating (600

litres per min. over a surface of1000 x 1000mm).

(Source: MFPA-Leipzig)

With its small hole diameter of just 7 mm, the

PcP. fire protection grating type LHD® also

provides additional mechanical protection against

larger burning objects falling from above. This

flame-retarding property has been confirmed by

the Material Research and Test Institute of Leipzig

for the Building Trade (Materialforschungs- und

Prüfanstalt für das Bauwesen Leipzig e.V.) in its

certificate GU IV/99-01 (see appendix for

abbreviated version of expert's report).

PcP. fire protection gratings type LHD® are also

ahead of their time from an environmental point

of view

As their flame-retardant effect is achieved

without foamed glass granulate filling, there are

no additional costs for disposal as special waste

in the event of later removal. The grating can

be sent to conventional steel recycling.

6

Advantages in comparison tostandard “flame-retardant grating”

• Highly flame- retardant in the event of

transformer accidents

• Excellent drainage through the innovative

surface structure

• Mechanical protection against larger burning

objects falling from above

• Short installation and removal times

• Cost -effective renovation and upgrading of

existing transformer plants

• Low weight-cost savings on supporting

structures

• High passive safety for maintenance and

operating personnel

• Pure steel product- no need for disposal as

special waste

Service

• Comprehensive support by our technical field

service even during the planning stage

• Price quotes on request

• Preparation of drawings or laying plans

(for approval by client)

• Drawings sent by e-mail

(DXF, DWG files)

7

Qualitätszeichen FEUERVERZINKENnach DIN EN ISO 1461

Details*

Proposal for a sub-construction incl. safety web

against lateral shift.

PcP. fire protection grating Flat steel bar

Support

*Details - included only on request.

Standards and regulations

• AGI - J 21 part 2 / Transformer platforms

(publ. by: Arbeitsgemeinschaft Industriebau e.V.)

(Industrial Construction Work Group Assoc.)

• BGI 588 (fromerly ZH 1/196)

Leaflet for metal grating

(publ. by: Hauptverband der Gewerblichen

Berufsgenossenschaften, Fachausschuss

„Bauliche Einrichtungen” (Main Association of

Trade Associations, „Structural Installations”

Committee] of the GBZ)

• BGI 181 / Leaflet for floors in workrooms

where there is a danger of slipping

(publ. by: Hauptverband der Gewerblichen

Berufsgenossenschaften, Fachausschuss

„Bauliche Einrichtungen” (Main Association of

Trade Associations, „Structural Installations”

Committee of the GBZ)

• RAL-GZ 639

Quality assurance for sectional steel grating

(publ. by: Deutsches Institut für Gütesicherung

u. Kennzeichnung e.V (German Institute for

Quality Assurance and Marking)

• DIN EN ISO 1461-Hot galvanising

Detail for earthing

Support

Strap

Grating width

8

Technical details

Panel designs and load tables

Panel width Typ LHD® laid out for a max. load

per unit area 5 kN/m2

LHD-63

LHD-81

LHD-99

LHD-117

LHD-135

LHD-153

LHD-171

LHD-189

LHD-207

LHD-225

LHD-99/53

LHD-117/53

LHD-135/53

LHD-153/53

LHD-171/53

63

81

99

117

135

153

171

189

207

225

99

117

135

153

171

3

3

3

5

6

6

7

7

9

9

3

5

6

6

7

36 mm

36mm

36mm

36mm

36mm

36mm

36mm

36mm

36mm

36mm

36mm

36mm

36mm

36mm

36mm

35mm

35mm

35mm

35mm

35mm

35mm

35mm

35mm

35mm

35mm

53mm

53mm

53mm

53mm

53mm

Panel type Panelwidth

Numberof

perforationsØ 7mm

Perforationspacing

Panelheight

99/3599/4499/53117/35117/44117/53117/62135/35135/44135/53153/35153/44153/53171/35171/44171/53189/35189/44189/53207/35207/44207/53225/35225/44225/53

1825 mm2300 mm2725 mm1750 mm2225 mm2675 mm2850 mm1675 mm2125 mm2550 mm1550 mm2050 mm2475 mm1300 mm1950 mm2375 mm1075 mm1875 mm2275 mm950 mm1775 mm2175 mm825 mm1600 mm2075 mm

2,20 kN2,75 kN3,00 kN1,70 kN2,10 kN2,50 kN3,40 kN1,50 kN1,90 kN2,30 kN1,75 kN2,00 kN2,40 kN2,10 kN2,20 kN2,50 kN2,00 kN1,70 kN1,90 kN2,30 kN1,80 kN2,10 kN2,70 kN2,00 kN2,20 kN

39,1044,4049,6036,9041,4046,0050,5035,4039,5043,5034,5038,1041,8033,6036,9040,3033,0036,1039,2032,2035,1038,1031,8034,6037,30

max. supportingof 5 kN/m2

Panel Type LHDwidth/ height

max. point load about300 x 150 mm

WeightKg /m2

PANEL TYPE LHD – CROSS SECTION

PANEL TYPE LHD – OVERHEAD VIEW

Width

Width

Gratin

g length

Panel w

idth * Grating width

Support width

panel direction

Supporting bar size Support

* Standard panel

9

10

Certificate

Postal address: PF 132, 04252 Leipzig Associations Register Leipzig District CourtHead office: Richard-Lehmann-Straße 19, 04275 Leipzig No. VR 2948Tel.: 0341/3904-129, -130; Fire Testing Centre Laue: 034202/53487 Bank account: Sparkasse LeipzigFax: 0341/3 02 60 7, Fire Testing Centre Laue: 034202/551480 Account No.: 1100107700Email: mfpa-fuer-bauwesen@metronet.de Sort code: 860 555 92

LEIPZIG MATERIAL RESEARCH AND TESTING LABORATORYFOR THE BUILDING INDUSTRY, REGISTERED ASSOCIATIONAPPROVED TESTING LABORATORY FOR BUILDING MATERIALS, BUILDING COMPONENTS AND BUILDING DESIGNS

Scientific Director: Univ.-Prof. Dr.- Ing.habil. R. Thiele Managing Director: Dr.- Ing. H. Meichsner

Building Fire Protection DepartmentHead of Dept.: Dr.-Ing. Wilfried Jank

E x p e r t i s eno. GU IV/99 – 011-1

of 14.11.2000, 2nd Copy(Abbreviated version)

Subject: Evaluation of the effectiveness of fire-restricting covers in the event of mineral oil firesin drain- less, dish-shaped collecting areas underneath transformers

Orderers: RWE Energie AG PcP. Sicherheitsroste GmbHHead Office Stahl- und EdelstahlverarbeitungKruppstraße 5 Duisbergstraße 1345117 Essen 58339 Breckerfeld

Order of: 15.01.1999 Ref.: Gei Received 17.01.1999

Processed by: Dipl.-Phys. Ingolf KotthoffHead of Specialist Department: Original Fires

This abbreviated form of the expertise consists of 4 pages and one appendix.

This expertise may only be duplicated in unabbreviated form. Any publication, including extracts thereof,requires prior written permission from MFPA Leipzig e.V.

11

Expert´s Report (abbreviated version)

1. Grounds

Mineral oil is used for cooling and insulating

transformers in electrical switching and trans-

former substations. Collecting chambers without

drains are generally installed underneath the

transformers in order to prevent mineral oil from

seeping into the soil in the event of a leak. In

view of the relatively low flash point and the

high operating temperature of the oil, there is

danger of the oil igniting in the event of a leak.

In order to prevent any fire spreading to neigh-

bouring transformers and reduce as far as possible

any damage to the environment by combustion

products, covers are placed on the collecting

chambers which, in the event of a leak, allow the

oil to flow without hindrance into the collecting

basin while at the same time restricting the fire

to the collecting chamber and simultaneously

preventing its spread.

The suitability of a special cover-"flame-retardant

gratings"- manufactured by the company PcP.

was examined in several preliminary trials and a

multi-phase original fire test.

2. Test item

Mineral oil

· Insulating oil on a mineral oil basis to DIN 57370,

parts 1 and 2

· Calorific value: approx. 42,700 KJ /kg

· Flash point to DIN 51758 138 up to 148°C;

boiling temperature or initial boiling point at

290°C; thermal decomposition from 340°C

· Operating temperature in transformer 60- 90 °C

Covers

· Flame-retardant covers manufactured by PcP

· Panels type LHD-153 und LHD-99

· U-shaped panel sections on perforated

galvanised sheet steel 3 mm thick

(ÜP 240 – StW 22)

· Standard height of the panels 35 mm, width and

length according to requirements

· Diameter of perforation holes 7mm, approx.

1065 holes per sq.m., i.e. approx. 4.1% of the

surface is open

· Flow rate of 660 l per min. for mineral oil at a

temperature of 90°C through 1 sq.m. covering

surface

Collecting chambers

The form and collecting capacity of the drain- free

mineral oil collecting chambers is adapted to suit

the size of the respective transformer platform

and the volume of oil in the transformers.

The collecting chambers are trough-shaped and

usually consist of several sections linked by

connecting holes at the base for level

compensation.

3. Original fire test

3.1. Test methods

a) Oil is collected in a collecting chamber

equipped with flame-retardant covers. Using

various burning solids (wood and paper), as

well as a burning fluid (mineral oil), attempts

are made to ignite the oil from outside.

b) Burning oil flows from a typical transformer

height onto covers placed over a collecting

chamber.

3.2. Description of test process

1000 l mineral oil were heated to a temperature

of 98°C in a reservoir. The mineral oil was then

ignited using an igniting agent (5 l Isopropanol).

After burning for one minute, the oil reservoir

was tipped over automatically.

Approx. 950 l burning mineral oil were

channelled over guiding plates onto the covers

of the collecting chamber within 3 minutes and

30 seconds. The burning oil poured onto the

covers from a height of 960 mm and over a

width of 2000 mm.

12

The majority of the mineral oil immediately

seeped through the holes in the covers and

collected on the base of the collecting chamber.

The fire on the surface of the covers extinguished

in just a short period (t < 5 sec.) after the flow of

burning oil came to an end. In the course of the

test, an intermittent emergence of white mineral

oil vapour through the covers was observed.

In individual cases, stray flames (length < 0.5 m)

emerged through the covers shortly after the

emergence of mineral oil vapour. The duration of

flame emergence in these cases was between 2

and 7 seconds. In all, however, this occurrence

was only observed 5 times during the test period

of 63 minutes. Fig. 1 and 2 illustrate the test

procedure at chosen moments.

3.3 Test results

Upon extinguishing the fire on the surface of the

covers (directly after the tipping process was

completed), temperatures at intervals of 200 mm

along the surface were measured at between 70°

and 85°C during the complete test duration; brief

temperature peaks of 200°C were reached during

the few occasions of flame penetration. These

temperatures, however, are not sufficient to

ignite combustible solids.

As soon as the burning mineral oil had entered

the collecting chamber underneath the covers, the

oxygen concentration in the chamber dropped

immediately from 21% by volume to values between

3 and 4% by volume. This very low mean concen-

tration is indicative of an extremely under-ventilated

fire or pyrolytic decomposition processes with

oxygen starvation.

4. Evaluation of test results

Flammability

The covers used to cover collecting chambers

beneath transformers form an additional mechanical

protection measure against larger burning objects

falling from above (hole diameter 7 mm). Conse-

quently, ignition of the mineral oil is only possible

if sufficient quantities of highly inflammable fluids

such as alcohol or petrol are added and ignited.

Fire behavior of mineral oil in the event of

transformer leakage

A flow rate of at least 600 l mineral oil

(temperature 90°C) through a covering surface

of one square metre within one minute was

recorded in preliminary tests. This is similar to

the flow rate of water at 15°C. Taking into

account this result, it can be assumed that a

quantity of burning mineral oil approx. thirteen

times larger would flow through the 22.5 sq.m.

of covers used in the test without problem within

3 min. 30 sec, representing a flow rate of burning

mineral oil through the grating holes of approx.

47,000 l or 13,500 l per min. The permeability rate

of the covers is therefore sufficient under all

circumstances to prevent any burning mineral oil

from flowing over the edges of the collecting

chamber.

For a duration of just 20 seconds in the main test,

there were localised occurrences of after-burning

of mineral oil residue on the surface of the covers

after the flow of burning mineral oil had ceased.

Upon contact with the covers, the burning oil

flowed through the holes into the collecting

chamber where it spread evenly over the floor of

the chamber. Ambient air can only gain access to

the collecting chamber through the holes in the

covers and some gaps between the covers and

the sides of the chamber.

The maximum surface area available for

subsequent in-take of fresh air is approx. 10%

of the total surface. For this reason, combustion

of the mineral oil is only possible to an extremely

limited extent due to the lack of oxygen and,

consequently, it would be better described as

pyrolytic decomposition.

The occasional emergence of hot gases at

temperatures below 200°C does not represent

any significant risk for surrounding areas or the

environment.

13

Dipl.- Phys. I. KotthoffHead of Original Fires Technical Dept

Effect of the covers

Summing up, it can be said that adequate

drainage through the covers into the collecting

chamber is gua-ranteed even with larger

quantities of oil. Emergence or spraying of

burning mineral oil is not to be expected.

In order to take into account the possibility of all

the mineral oil in a transformer leaking out

within a matter of just a few seconds, it is

recommended for safety reasons that the covers

are positioned at least 100 mm below the upper

edge of the collecting chamber in order to avoid

any burning oil spraying out.

The LHD® "flame retardant gratings" of the

company PCP. as used in the test guarantee a

high degree of fire protection-related safety in

the event of damage to a transformer with

leakage of larger quantities of burning mineral

oil because of their high permeability rating on

the one hand and the restriction of air supply to

the collecting chamber underneath the covers on

the other. Consequently, their use can be

recommended for the intended purpose. In an

installed state, the effect of the covers can be

described as flame or fire retardant.

14

Test layout principle

Starting position prior to start of tipping process

1000 l Mineral oil

Initial temperature 90°C

15

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PcP.Gratings Ltd.Enterprise Drive · Four AshesWolverhampton · WV10 7DF Telephone +44 1902 791792 Telefax +44 1902 791 795 sales@pcpgratings.co.ukwww.pcpgratings.co.uk

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PcP. Gratings Ltd.

Enterprise Drive · Four Ashes · Wolverhampton WV10 7DF

Telephone +44 1902 791792 · Telefax +44 1902 791 795sales@pcpgratings.co.uk · www.pcpgratings.co.uk

A/S Maskinfabrikken PcP.

Sverigesvej 2-47480 Vildbjerg, DenmarkTel. (+45) 97 13 12 00info@pcp.dkwww.pcp.dk

ElefantRiste A/S

Ivar Lundgaards Vej 217500 Holstebro, DenmarkTel. (+45) 97 42 61 33mail@elefantriste.dkwww.elefantriste.dk

PF Værktøj Herning ApS

Hvidelvej 167400 Herning, DenmarkTel. (+45) 97 21 03 11pfv@pcp.dkwww.pcp.dk

Schøller Gitterriste ApS

Læhegnet 752620 Albertslund, DenmarkTel. (+45) 36 4148 11sg@schoeller.dkwww.schoeller.dk

Nordjysk Døgngalvanisering A/S

Banesvinget 39530 Støvring, DenmarkTel. (+45) 98 37 37 55ndg@firma.tele.dkwww.pcp.dk

Rister & Trading A/S

Lagerveien 234066 Stavanger, NorwayTel. (+47) 519 50050carhan@c2i.netwww.rister-trading.com

PcP. Durk Sverige AS

Ruskvädersgatan 3 B418 34 Göteborg, SwedenTel. (+46) 031-53 59 60info@pcp.sewww.pcp.se

PcP. Sicherheitstroste GmbHDuisbergstraße 1358339 BreckerfeldGermanyTel. (+49) 2338 9181 0 info@pcp-sicherheitsroste.dewww.pcp-sicherheitsroste.de

Elefant Gratings Ltd.

Unit 9 Invicta Business ParkLondon RoadWrothamKent TN15 7RJ, United KindomTel. (+44) 1732 884123sales@elefantgratings.comwww.elefantgratings.com

Guardrail Engineering Ltd.

Pountney Street, WolverhamptonWV2 4HX, United KingdomTel. (+44) 1902 871208enquiries@guardrailgroup.comwww.guardrailgroup.com

Elefant Gratings Ltd. Ireland

Unit 14 Tracklands Business ParkClonroadmoreEnnis Co. Clare, IrelandTel. (+353) 65 6841313sales@elefantgratings.iewww.elefantgratings.ie

b.v. Stabag PcP.

Havendijk 214731 TA Oudenbosch, HollandTel. (+31) 165 315 300info@stabagpcp.nlwww.stabagpcp.nl

S.A. PcP. Belgium N.V.

Zoning de CornémontRue de La Légende 344140 Sprimont, BelgiumTel. (+32) 4 360 94 50pcp@skynet.bewww.pcp-belgium.be

Rejillas PcP. España, S.L

P.I. La Portalada 1C/ Portalada, 2626006 LogroñoLa Rioja, SpainTel. (+34) 941 27 06 61info@pcp.eswww.pcp.es

PcP. France

340 Av des Erables94440 SantenyTelefon: (+33) 0143 86 39 90contact@pcp-france.comwww.pcp-france.com