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C120-H007-05EN 99
8.2 Details
(2) Kinds of fire extinguishing agents
Ideally, any fire extinguishing agents to be used in the computer room and the data
storage room should not contaminate the equipment or storage media, be harmless to
the human body, and be environmentally friendly.
Table 8.1 lists fire extinguishing agents and their characteristics.
(3) Fire extinguishers and fire extinguishing equipment
Fire extinguishers and fire extinguishing equipment that is installed in the computer
room and the data storage room are described below.
a) Portable fire extinguishers
Portable fire extinguishers are used to extinguish fires in their early stages. Use of
gas-based fire extinguishers or carbon dioxide fire extinguishers is recommended.
Care must be exercised, however, in using carbon dioxide fire extinguishers to avoid
oxygen deficiency or suffocation.
The number of portable carbon dioxide fire extinguishers that needs to be installed by
room size is as follows:
z Rooms measuring from 20 m
2
to 50 m
2
(220 ft
2
to 540 ft
2
)
One portable carbon dioxide fire extinguisher filled with 3.2 kg (7.0 lb) of carbon
dioxide per room.
z Rooms measuring from 50 m
2
to 100 m
2
(540 ft
2
to 1080 ft
2
)
Two portable carbon dioxide fire extinguishers filled with 3.2 kg (7.0 lb) of carbon
dioxide per room.
z Rooms measuring over 100 m
2
(1080 ft
2
)
One additional fire extinguisher for each additional 50 m
2
(540 ft
2
).
Table 8.1 Characteristics of fire extinguishing agents
Fire extinguishing agent Characteristics
Carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide will not contaminate devices or media but it does
require care to avoid human suffocation. Also when sprayed, it
can turn into a white mist or condense on equipment surfaces due
to its low-temperature.
Halon gas Use of halon gas should be avoided, since it leads to
contamination of the ozone layer.
Powder and foam Use of powder and foam should be avoided, since it
contaminates equipment and mediums.
Water Water is not suitable for extinguishing electrical fires in their
early stages, but may be required for extinguishing larger fires.