Easy to retrofit fire sprinkler alternative
We developed Automist Smartscan® because we believed fire sprinklers could be better and have developed a solution that can operate faster, be more reliable and cause less damage.
We developed Automist Smartscan® because we believed fire sprinklers could be better and have developed a solution that can operate faster, be more reliable and cause less damage.
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Automist installers use a custom layout tool to create a specification drawing in minutes. The system automatically recommends sprayhead locations to mitigate the risk of obstruction.
A comparison of two fires; one protected by Automist Smartscan and one free burn, using a fuel package consistent with the specification of BS 8458. Testing conducted at Exova Warrington.
Whether you are a homeowner, landlord, property developer or insurance company, Automist Smartscan is a product that must be considered for your property. In 2016, global technology research and advisory company Technavio identified water mist and smart systems in the residential setting as emerging trends that had the potential to significantly impact the fire suppression market. It singled out Automist Smartscan as being at the vanguard of that wave.
Tom removed a wall, which meant that the only exit was through the kitchen and therefore needed to have a fire sprinkler installed to protect the escape route.
When Automist Smartscan's heat sensor detects a blaze, a jet releases a burst of targeted high-pressure mist, using 90 per cent less water than traditional sprinklers.
Once Gavin and Cecilia started working through their vision of an open plan living area, they were alerted to a possible restriction through building regulations. They were undergoing a loft conversion, and in effect adding another floor which meant the building required them to have separation (like a fire door) or a sprinkler system – as a fire door would block the flow of their open plan design, they decided that an Automist fire suppression system would be best.
“Independent third party testing has confirmed that Automist Smartscan is as effective and more efficient (less potential water damage) than sprinklers or conventional watermist products in suppressing fires to the related BS standards and it looks the business!”
Automatic fire suppression systems in the home are becoming more and more common place and given their universal support from both the Chief Fire Officers Association and Fire Authorities alike. Discussion around some of the myths and lack of knowledge and understanding of such systems led to an agreement to fit the James Dyson Award winning system in the kitchen area at Douglas Fire Station.
The video shows how Automist can protect inhabitants from a very serious furniture fire even in quite a large room of 8 by 4 metres with two open doors. According to FED measurements, a person in the unprotected room would most likely have died in under two and a half minutes, while with Automist the fire was suppressed and a trapped person would be expected to remain alive and conscious throughout the 30 minute test period.
We tested Automist Smartscan and a residential sprinkler in a real life furniture fire scenario. Automist Smartscan activated earlier & uses 90% less water resulting in minimal water damage to the living space. Both systems performed well and clearly demonstrate the benefit of active fire protection.
The main part of the brief was to create an open plan space on a split level ground floor so that everybody can be together or doing their own thing in the same space at the same time.
When we are out there pushing local communities to have residential sprinklers as a requirement, one of the best places for us to start as an example would be our own homes. We need to genuinely be the authority, professionally and personally.
Automist Smartscan was tested on three realistic fire scenarios at Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute (MFRI) of the University of Maryland. The tests were witnessed by numerous fire industry professionals and supported by Q-dot engineering and John "Sonny" Scarff.
Plumis and Blue Light Safety have assisted Chesire Fire and Rescue Service in testing Automist as a scooter suppression system. The tests showed that with a correct spray pattern, Automist is an effective solution for protecting scooter charging bays. When installed as a scooter suppression system, Automist should be activated by a smoke detector in the corridor and requires a customised wall mounting scheme for the nozzle assembly.
Automist uses water mist to extinguish a small kitchen fire. Water mist is created by forcing water through a specialised nozzle at high pressure (80 bar). In a fire, mist droplet turn into steam, stealing heat from the fire. This expansion of the water also limits the entry of oxygen into the fire, suffocating the burning fuel. Water droplets also screen radiative heat transfer across the room. Water mist is also an effective suppressant on chip pan fires.
A reliable and cost-effective solution, Automist’s under sink installation targets at-risk rooms such as the kitchen, where most fires start. Unlike other fire safety systems, Automist can be run from a standard domestic mains water supply, installing almost invisibly underneath a standard tap. Automist can be used for protecting ground floor escape routes after a loft conversion in open plan spaces.
Automist is an innovative yet simple fire protection system that combines best value and ease of retrofit with excellent aesthetics. Intended as an affordable alternative to sprinklers, Automist can be used to protect high risk categories such as student housing, care homes for the elderly, sheltered accommodation and flats with shared kitchens.
The watermist suppression ensures that the fire does not spread from the crib underneath the bed to the bedsheets above.
Tom Harned, Manager from Liberty Mutual explains his perspective on Automist Smartscan after witnessing a day of fire testing at MFRI.
Prof. David Purser (CBE) is one of the world’s leading toxicologists, he has worked for over 35 years on fire toxicity human evacuation behaviour and was awarded the Rasbash Medal by the Institution of Fire Engineers in 2013 in recognition of his contribution to the advancement of knowledge in fire behaviour. Plumis have been working with him on a Fire Engineering Expert Mini Lecture Series. Check out the episodes