When planning updates for gas refineries, chemical plants or any other facility with hazardous materials, engineers often require that equipment meet specific fire codes and standards. In today’s post we’ll discuss the most common standard for equipment fire protection, UL1709.
About the UL 1709 Standard
The most common fire standard for equipment fire protection in the oil, gas and petrochemical industry is UL 1709. This Underwriter’s Laboratories® standard applies to the “Rapid Rise Fire Tests of Protection Materials for Structural Steel.” In layman’s terms, UL 1709 is a high temperature fire test to prove that fire protection materials can withstand exposure to high rise temperature fires.
A UL1709 test evaluates the performance of protective material through a test in a furnace capable of reaching 2,000°F (1103°C) within 5 minutes of operation. The materials must provide sufficient fire protection so that equipment maintains structural integrity for 30 minutes in a 2,000°F fire.
Sample test results from a UL1709 test of fire protection equipment.
Why Facilities Choose UL 1709
UL1709 fireproofing provides plant or facility workers up to 30 minutes to reach critical process control equipment to shut down flow of hazardous or highly flammable materials. This provides workers the opportunity to minimize the effects of an explosion or fire by preventing spreading to other locations.
UL1709 provides a rigorous standard for fire protection materials and products. Upon completion of a UL1709 test, manufacturers receive Underwriter’s Laboratories® certification documentation to verify completion.
Fireproofing Equipment to Comply With UL 1709 Standards
Three main types of passive fire protection systems that can be used to fireproof equipment in accordance with UL1709 standards:
- Fire Protection Blanket Systems
- Box/Enclosure Fire Protection Systems
- Fire Rated Coating Systems
Some manufacturers offer rigid fire protection systems that fully enclose process control equipment. Some box systems offer fire protection to equipment, but they can be difficult to customize for facilities with minimal clearance around machines and are often cumbersome to remove for routine equipment maintenance.
Intumescent paints and coatings provide another option for fireproofing equipment. Applied directly to equipment in manufacturer or vendor facilities, these coatings require extra equipment down-time and freight costs to transport the equipment from and back to the facility. Although these semi-permanent coatings offer a fire-resistant solution for equipment with little clearance, they hinder routine maintenance and corrosion inspection efforts.
Blanket fire protection systems, like those designed by UniTherm’s FirePro line, offer significant fire protection that meets the requirements of the UL1709 standard. Although some blanket systems provide a bulky layer around equipment, UniTherm blankets fit snugly around equipment. Designed solely from CAD drawings and easily installed on-site, FirePro blankets are created without the transit of equipment.
Manufactured with multiple layers of fireproof blankets and secured with a high-temperature strap and buckle system, UniTherm’s FirePro blankets are a flexible, removable and reusable fire protection solution.
To learn more about UL1709 fire protection for valves, actuators, enclosures or any other critical process control equipment, subscribe to the FirePro blog or contact us to learn more.