VESTA: PROTECTS FROM FIRE, PROTECTS THE VALUE

The name Vesta has been playing a leading role in the sector of fire fightingsystems using gas extinguishants for decades.

The recent joint-venture with Gastec has brought to the birth of Gastec-Vestawith its three company divisions:

REFRIGERANT GASES

INDUSTRIAL GASES

FIRE FIGHTING SYSTEMS

It is a modern company able to face dynamically the market.

The capability to appear in such a differentiated way produces synergies, inparticular of technical nature, useful to satisfy completely the customer.

The deep knowledge of all standards and their application, the continuousup-dating, the direct taking part to working groups on a national (UNI-UMAN-FEDERCHIMICA) and international (ISO-CEN) field, make Gastec-Vesta aleader company in its own sector.

The environmental respect, the energy efficiency and personnel safetyconcern are primary importance goals in the development of everyday activities,both in the engineering-production and in the marketing-assistance.

Gastec-Vesta is part of Medicair Group, which has more than 30 operationssites in Italy and Germany, represents one of the most important companiesin the gas sector on a national level.The participation to such an important group represents a further guaranteethat is particularly appreciated by the market, constantly searching for reliableand stable operators from a technical point of view.

MISSION

Gastec-Vesta Direction works together with the manager staff beingcompletely aware that our own products, the result of a long activity of engineering both of components and systems, are of great importance tosafeguard people, properties and the environment.The position as a leader company increases our commitment in a constant research of the highest quality standards and the development of innovativeand effective solutions.

VESTA_01

EXPERIENCE AND QUALITY

In its fire-fighting division, Gastec-Vesta works using the trademark Vesta that,in the fire fighting field has been identified for decades, as a trademark ofcertified quality and reliability.

In a sector where trademarks appear and disappear in a very short time, Vestatrademark is a synonym of seriousness and stability in time.The quality is granted with an extremely accurate company program,approved by the certification body.

EXPERIENCE_02

DESIGN AND CALCULATION SOFTWARE

To design a fire fighting system it is necessary to evaluate carefully all thefactors needed to reach a target, considered good from all points of view.In the introductory step, through the risk analysis, all the factors that cancause damages to properties because of anomalies or failures (we mean damages to people or goods) are to be taken into consideration.

Such aspects as the personnel safety, the choice of the most suitable fire-fighting system, the interface with other technological systems (for exampleair conditioning, electric systems, etc.) and even the area classification basingon the explosion risk rates must be carefully and seriously considered.Only after an accurate analysis of all these elements, at first the basic engineering and subsequently the detail engineering can be developed.As a support to define the system design, Gastec-Vesta technical staff worksdaily following such criteria using an absolutely reliable calculation software,in compliance with the international certifications necessary to grant the bestperformance.

DESIGN_03

GAS FIRE-FIGHTING SYSTEMS_04

GAS FIRE-FIGHTING SYSTEMS

Gas fire-fighting systems are Gastec-Vesta ‘s Core-business.The choice of the best extinguishing agent to be used involved, in the previous years, but above all recently, the analysis on products that had totake into serious consideration some aspects.

STANDARDSBeing members of the European Union has certainly had positive consequences on the fire-fighting system market.The compulsory observance of precise production standards by the manufacturers of components, with the following step of “certification Iter”,has been an important innovation. In such a way the manufacturers technicallevels has been increased because the lack of certified products preventsthem to be present on the marketplace.This new period was marked by the coming into force of the following standard:

As regards the technical specifications, i.e. all the aspects related to thesystem dimensioning, the distribution pipelines, the people safety and test pro-cedures (for example the.Door Fan Test), the following standard is to be used:

UNI EN 12094Fixed fire-fighting systems.CE certification and marking for thecomponents of gas fire-fighting-systems.

UNI EN 15004Fire-fighting systems using gas extinguishants.Physical properties and dimensioning criteria.

THE ENVIRONMENT SAFEGUARDThe choice of a extinguishing agent cannot but take into consideration, as apriority, the impact it causes in the atmosphere as regards the environmentsafeguard.This is particularly true for the “chemical gas extinguishants”; for the “inert-gas agents”, the environmental impact concern does not exist because theyare produced by air separation and they return back into air.The parameters to measure the environmental impact are the following ones:

ODP: Ozone Depletion Potential (index of the ozone layer depletion)GWP: Global Warming Potential (index of the global warming oh the earth ‘s

crust - green-house effect)ALT: Atmosferic Life Time (index of the atmospheric life of the extinguishant)

The higher the index value is the worst the impact on the environment is.In the table such indexes are quoted.

EXTINGUISHING CAPACITY COMPARISONIt is very important to establish the extinguishing capacity of the differentproducts taken into consideration.In the table below some examples of fire-fighting protection are given.Three rooms, respectively having a volume of 500,1000 and 1500 m3, havebeen examined.The required kilograms for the chemical gases have been shown. For each sin-gle product, both chemical and inert, the numbers of cylinders are quoted.

COMPARISON BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT FIRE-EXTINGUISHANTS

MINIMUM QUANTITY OF CYLINDERS

EXTINGUISHANT CYLINDER CAPACITY 500mc 1000mc 1500mc

HFC 125 120 Lt 3 (325 Kg) 6 (650Kg) 9 (975 Kg)HFC 227ea 120Lt 3 (313 Kg) 5 (625 Kg) 7 (938 Kg)HFC 23 120 Lt 3 (287 Kg) 6 (573 Kg) 9 (860 Kg)NOVEC 1230 120 Lt 3 (390 Kg) 6 (780 Kg) 9 (1169 Kg)

IG 01 80 Lt/140Lt 12/8 24/15 35/21IG 100 80 Lt/140Lt 13/8 26/16 39/22IG 55 80 Lt/140Lt 13/8 25/15 37/21IG 541 80 Lt/140Lt 12/8 24/15 35/21

EXTINGUISHING AGENT O.D.P G.W.P. A.L.T.

HFC 23 0 14800 32.6HFC 125 0 3800 36.5HFC 227ea 0 9400 0.243FK-5-1-12mmy (Novec) 0 1 0.14

EXTINGUISHING AGENT O.D.P G.W.P. A.L.T.

IG 01 0 0 0IG 100 0 0 0IG 55 0 0 0IG 541 0 0 0

ENVIRONMENT IMPACT

THE ENVIRONMENT SAFEGUARD_05

INERT GASES_06

FIRE-FIGHTING SYSTEMS USING INERT GASES

In the last decade there was a constant increase in the use of inert gases inthe fire-fighting field. This is due to:scepticism concerning the chemical gases, caused by the high costs thecompanies had to stand for the dismissal at first of Halon and then of HCFC.above all the fact that undoubtedly the fire-fighting systems using inert gasespresent positive aspects, such as a reasonable cost- both as regards the system and the recharging- and the great respect of the environment.As regards the technical aspects it is important to underline that reliabilityand efficacy in the extinguishing phase are reached with mathematical certainty through an extremely accurate application of the standards, beingthose concerning the building material criteria and those related to the system.

NEW GENERATION VALVESTo reach such important targets, Gastec-Vesta designed and certified a newseries of valves for inert gas fire-fighting systems.Such valves are produced in two similar versions as regards the working prin-ciples but they have different diameters and flows (VSR 1 cylinder connection1” and VSR 114 cylinder connection 1 1/4”).The main technical features of such valves are the following ones:

Big flow

Recharge on site with specific dedicated connection and interception tap

Double threshold pressure switch for the pressure check

Pressure gauge

Safety disc

Solenoid test with discharge of micro quantities of gas to test the pressureswitch, the pressure gauge and solenoid without discharging the cylinder.

Certification according to UNI EN 12094-4 n °0068-CPD-038/2008 dated31/03/2008 of the valve and its actuators.

300 bar 300 bar 300 bar

mm 80 litres 140 litres 180 litres

A 1780 1790 1770

B 1840 1850 1830

C 2310 2310 2290

D 270 360 406Tare Kg 120 205 233

Tolerance: ±30mm/±5 Kg

1.Cylinder

2.Protective cap

3.Discharge valve

4.Discharge hose

5.Telescopic non return valve.

TECHNOLOGY AT 200 AND 300 BARBesides the traditional cylinders filled at 200 bar, Gastec -Vesta , the firstcompany in this field- chose to offer also cylinders capacity of 80 litres andof 140 litres conditioned at 300 bar, granting the customers an interestingsaving and efficacy.Moreove, from September 2009, also 180 liters cylinders at 300 bar will beavailable.

INERT GASES_07

Argon 100 % IG01

Nitrogen 100 % IG100

Argon 50 % - Nitrogen 50 % IG 55

Argon 50% - Nitrogen 42% - CO2 8% IG541

The cylinders can be filled with:

®

®

AUXILIARY COMPONENTSTo complete the cylinders assembly, Gastec-Vesta produces auxiliary compo-nents, always maintaining the highest level of quality and reliability and easyinstallation.

Such components are:

Discharge hoseTelescopic non return valvesSolenoid actuators (24 V cc)Pneumatic and manual actuatorsFittings and pneumatic flexible hoses Vent valvesCalibrated orificesPressure switchesSafety valvesStandard nozzles and silenced nozzlesSelector valves with pilot cylinders operationOverpressure dampersGas refilling kit on the installation site

REFILLING ON SITEAs regards the gas inert fire-fighting systems, for the systems composed ofseveral cylinders, it is important to provide the system with a refilling circuiton site, thus avoiding to move the cylinders.

INERT GASES_08

INERT CDT SIEMENS GAS SYSTEM

Gastec-Vesta proposes the CDT system (Constant Discharge Technology) forall the applications where it is absolutely important to use an inert gas systemable to discharge the agent in a constant and controlled way.

Such technology has been developed by the German company, with whichGastec-Vesta has been cooperating for a long time, through a constantexchange of technologies, products and services.The new technique uses inert gas technology pressurized at the stocking pressure of 300 bar, with a constant discharge at 60-80 bar.

With the gas discharge at a constant and controlled rate, it is possible to reduce the total surface ( and consequently the number) of overpressuredampers.The gradual discharge allows also to reduce in such cases the diameters of thepipes to be installed.The CDT Siemens technology can be applied only using 80 liters cylinders at300 bar.All the components are certified according to UNI EN 12094 standards.

INERT GASES_09

CHEMICAL GASES_10

FIRE-FIGHTING SYSTEMS USING CHEMICAL GAS

The fire-fighting extinguishants defined “chemical” are always very commonlyused in the fire-fighting field.After the definitive dismissal of Halon 1301 and HCFC, the actual standardsallow the use only of those products that are good at fire-fighting but thatcan also limit the environmental impact.

The chemical gas fire-fighting systems are anyway irreplaceable for all therisks where the following results are required:

Very quick fire-extinguishment ( the gas discharge must take place in a maximum time of 10 seconds)

Personnel safety even for the people involved during the discharge

Safeguard of equipments or materials in the protected enclosures

Very low environmental impact of the fire extinguishant.

NEW GENERATION VALVESAlso for the chemical gas Gastec-Vesta has designed, tested and certified anew series of valves.Also in this case they are always high technology products with a cylinderconnection of 2 1/2 ” and of 3 ”.The main features of such valves are the following ones:

High flow

Double threshold pressure switch to control the pressure

Pressure gauge

Interception tap for solenoid or pneumatic control connection

Safety disc

Removable pin for valve piston lock (transport safety and valve test)

Extinguishant recharge connection with interception tap

Solenoid test with discharge of micro quantities of gas to test the pressureswitch, the pressure gauge and solenoid without discharging the cylinder.

Certification according to UNI EN 12094-4 n ° 0068—CPD-161/2008

1. Extinguishant outlet2.Pressure gauge3.Safety disc4.Pressure switch connection5.Connection:

solenoid/man act./pneum.pneum.att.man. /pneum.act/protractor

6.Pneumatic outlet for slave cylindersactuation

7.Safety lock8.Extinguishant charge tap9.Solenoid or pneumatic actuator connection

Test pressure:480 barEnd scale pressure gauge:250 bar

Weight:8.1 Kg.G

CHEMICAL GASES_11

CHEMICAL GASES_12

EXTINGUISHING PRODUCTSGastec-Vesta uses for its own systems only gas fire extinguishants manufac-tured and granted by primary importance manufacturers (Du Pont and 3M),that offer not only the certification of origin but also products coming from high quality and reliability production procedures.Generally the cylinders are pressurized at 42 bar (high pressure) but also 25 bartanks (low pressure) are available.

The systems can be manufactured with different products:

AUXILIARY COMPONENTSTo complete the cylinders assembly, Gastec-Vesta produces auxiliarycomponents, always maintaining the highest level of quality, reliability andeasy installation.

Such components are:

Discharge hoses

Telescopic non return valves

Solenoid actuators (24 V cc)

Pneumatic and manual actuators

Fittings and flex hose s

Vent valves

Pressure switches

Safety valves

Nozzles

Selector valves

Overpressure dampers

40 litri 100 litri 120 litri 180 litri

mm 2 1/2” 2 1/2” 3” 3”

1. Cylinder A 1180 800 1470 1670

2.Protective cap B 1270 890 1580 1780

3.Discharge valve C 1810 1430 2120 2320

4.Discharge hose D 235 406 400 406

5.Non return valve Tare Kg 45 65 110 115

Tolerance: ±30mm/±5 Kg

CHEMICAL EXTINGUISHANTS

GENERIC COMMERCIAL COMPOSITION MANUFACTURERNAME NAME

HFC 23 FE 13® HFC 23 DuPont/USAPF 23® HFC 23 DuPont/USA

HFC 227ea FM 200® HFC 227ea GLCC/USAFE 227® HFC 227ea DuPont/USA

HFC 125 FE 25® HFC 125 DuPont/USAFK-5-1-12mmy2 Novec® 1230 CF3C2C(O)CF(CF3)2 3M/USA

CHEMICAL GASES_13

NOVEC™ 1230

Novec™ 1230 is the real news as regards the use of chemical gas extinguishantsin the fire-fighting field.

Novec™ 1230 is identified in the standards ISO UNI EN 15005 with the name FK5-1-12 and the following chemical formula CF 3 CF 2 C(O)CF(CF 3 )2 .It is a3M USA product with exclusive rights of worldwide distribution, it ispatented in every country in the world.It contains no bromine, no chlorine and has no ozone depletion potential(ODP=0). Moreover ALT and GWP values are very low.The product usage is similar to that of the other chemical gas extinguishants.

The advantages of this product are the following:

Very quick fire extinguishment before the equipments inside the enclosurecan be damaged

IItt iiss cchheemmiiccaallllyy iinneerrtt and with no consequences on the electronic equipmentsinside the enclosure

It is very clean and consequently it produces no waste after the discharge

It is harmless for the people possibly present in the protected enclosure during and after the discharge with a remarkable margin compared to the dangerous concentrations

No electric conductivity

Low extinguishant concentration similar to Halon 1301

No thermal shock to the installed equipments both during and after the discharge

TANKS TECHNOLOGYTo follow a costs control policy for the end customers, Gastec-Vesta hasdeveloped the possibility to use medium and large capacity tanks, instead ofcylinders.The opportunity to install these tanks nearby the enclosures to be protected,allows to reduce considerably the numbers of tanks, of the valves and of theiraccessories also of the pipeline.The TPED certification of the tank and the use of valves with the piston lockallow to transport such charged and pressurized tanks in complete safety.

Chemical formula CF3CF2C(O)CF(CF3)2

Molecular weight 316State liquid

Boiling Point 48°CVapour pressure at 25°C 0.4 bar

Gas density at 25°C 13,6 Kg/m3

Liquid density at 25°C 1600 Kg/m3

Liquid viscosity at 25°C 0.49 mPa s

NOVECTM 1230 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

DOOR FAN TESTAs specified in UNI EN 15004 standard, for all the enclosures where gas fire-fighting system are installed, it is necessary to check the enclosures tightness.The test is compulsory and wants to demonstrate that once the fire-fightingsystem has been activated, the enclosure tightness is good enough to ensurethat the design concentration remains for a period of time enough to allow acomplete extinguishment (at least 10 minutes).

OVERPRESSURE DAMPERSFor all the enclosures with gas fire-fighting systems, during the executivedesign the necessity of overpressure dampers, must be checked, in order toavoid overpressure damages.

OXYMONITOR ® UNITThe use of gas fire-fighting systems requires the exact calculation of the volume to be protected.Anyway sometimes the enclosures have unknown net volume because itchanges in relation to the filling degree. This occurs above all for warehousesand archives. In this way the oxygen could decrease to values below the breathability rateby personnel present during the discharge.This situation may be dangerous for the people.For such specific cases, Gastec-Vesta has designed and patented the first and unique INTELLIGENT DISCHARGE CONTROL SYSTEM called OXYMONITOR®.Inside the enclosures some oxygen concentration detectors are installed.In case of the fire-fighting system activation, the detectors can inform a special electronic control unit about the decrease of the oxygen concentrationto the minimum breathability rate.As a consequence the control unit blocks the discharge. The oxygen detectorswill then signal when the oxygen concentration reaches the maximumre-ignition limits.The control unit will start again the discharge and such procedure isautomatically active until in the cylinders there is gas.

ACCESSORIES_14

FIREFIGHTER®Firefighter ® is an innovative system to protect electric control panels or smallenclosures at fire risk.It is a welded tank charged with gas extinguishant ( example HFC 227ea orNovec™ 1230) at low pressure (18 bar),connected to a “bivalent” hose that hasa double function: detector (for fusion, when a certain temperature isreached) and distribution nozzle on the risk area (through the hole caused bythe temperature increase).The system is completely independent and requires no control unit or electronic detectors .The system activation signal can be remote reported by a pressure gauge thatindicates the occurred discharge.Firefighter®has been tested in a Test Laboratory that certified the compliancewith the intended uses.

SPECIFIC SOLUTIONS FOR RAILWAYS The protection of electric compartments both of the railway carriages and ofthe engines has always been a difficult problem.The presence of strong magnetic fields and the continuous mechanical stresshave always prevented the use of traditional fire fighting systems, with electronic detectors and control panels connected to the fire-fighting systemsolenoid-actuated.To solve such a problem, Gastec-Vesta, working with the most important experts of the sector, has developed some systems that have been producedin series afterwards and used to protect:

Traction inverters

Static groups

Battery compartments

Extra rapid switches

Electric cases

Such systems use , according to the situation, different extinguishant productsboth inert (for example Nitrogen or Argon) and chemical (Novec™1230 or HFC227ea).

ACCESSORIES_15

QUALITY AEROSOLPursuing a policy based on maximum quality of the products and onenvironmental respect, Gastec-Vesta, thanks to a commercial agreement withFirePro®, can propose equipments and solutions that use an aerosol technology(UNI CEN/TR 15276), commercialized in Italy with A.E.S. trademark (AerosolExtinguishing Systems).A.E.S. generators are modular type generators, from the smaller ones that contain few grams of product till models containing Kg.5.7 solid compound.The applications can be very interesting above all in the cases where the modularity is fundamental (for example for the protection of boat enginecompartments, of small boiler rooms etc.).They can be used together with automatic fire-detection systems that controlthe activation in case of fire or it is possible to produce cheap and performing“stand alone ” systems activated by “thermocord” a particular cable that incase submitted to the heat of starting fire, can transmit to “A.E.S.” generatorsthe required thermal energy activate them

“WATER MIST” SYSTEMSIn the last few years the use of high pressure water mist systems has largelydeveloped in fire-fighting applications. Gastec-Vesta, following its policy ofstrict application of the standards (UNI CEN/TS 14972),proposes such systemsin the applications where the use of water allows a good extinguishment action without causing damages to the protected objects.“Water Mist” systems can be composed of cylinders containing demineralizedwater pressurized at 200 bar with nitrogen or of pump assemblies takingwater from suitable tanks.The certification of such system shall include besides dimension data, hydraulic calculations and the design, also the “Test certification” carried outon a real scale, issued by a notified laboratory that certifies in a certain andunequivocal way the reliability of the system use for the hazards to beprotected.

RECHARGES AND RETESTPeriodically (generally every ten years) the pressure tanks should be testedagain by specialized companies that empty the tanks, check the pressure andnew recharge again. Such procedures should be carried out in presence ofjurisdiction authorities .In Pogliano Milanese the service of recharge and retest of all the cylinders iscarried out not only for the fire-fighting field.The retest operations frequency allows a quick service for the customers andlimits the problems connected to such procedures.

Outletchamber

Aerosol

Solid compound(not pyrotechnic)

Naturalmineral

refrigerant

Dischargenozzle

ALTERNATIVE SYSTEMS_16

REFERENCESThousands of systems have been set-up by several installation companiesusing systems manufactured by Gastec-Vesta in the last decades.Such systems have been employed for the main product fields:

Chemical and gas-oil companies

Electrical power companies

Mechanic and automotive factories

Telecommunication companies

Data management companies

Bank and Insurance agencies

Ministry offices

Government archives

Notary Record Offices

Libraries

Museums

REFERNECES_17

TransGuard® is the new integrated solution -detection and extinguishment - for the safety of rolling stocks:the electric compounds are protected byFireFighter® systems and passengers compartment are protected with Water Mistsystem, dimensioned to extinguish fire,according to the new European Standards.

Via Torquato Tasso, 2920010 Pogliano Milanese (Mi)

T +39.02.9396891F +39.02.93282342

www.gastecvesta.com - info@gastecvesta.com

is a Company trademark