Sprinkler system keeps incipient fire under control

'Extended coverage' sprinklers for new building Van Mossel in Waalwijk

Commissioned by Bouwbedrijf Van de Ven, SPIE Nederland is realizing the automatic sprinkler system in Van Mossel's new logistics center with headquarters. "The sprinkler system detects and signals an incipient fire at an early stage and keeps it under control, so that fighting it by, for example, the fire department is controlled," says Marc Vunderink of SPIE Nederland. "This limits the damage and ensures the continuity of this beautiful company for a long time."

For the design of the sprinkler system, a baseline fire safety document (UPD) was prepared by the fire safety consultant. For the projection, SPIE applied so-called "extended coverage" sprinklers in consultation with this consultant. These sprinklers require a higher pre-pressure than traditional sprinklers and have a larger spray area. As a result, fewer sprinkler heads are ultimately needed overall.

Central 3D BIM model

Both design and coordination were carried out in a 3D BIM environment, Vunderink says. "By working together with all construction partners in one central BIM model, mutual communication and coordination is more unambiguous, transparent and efficient. This makes deviations between construction partners a thing of the past and greatly reduces failure costs. Clients also gain earlier insight into the intended end result because they can look into the virtual model."

Zonechecks

In addition to designing in BIM, so-called "zone checks" were chosen; a durable test system that allows you to test fire sections automatically and remotely, without consuming hundreds of gallons of contaminated test water. "This also prevents the supply of fresh, oxygen-rich drinking water from accelerating the corrosion process in a sprinkler system, thus maintaining the condition and reliability," said Vunderink. "This makes the zone check a life-extending solution. Moreover, you save a lot of time in the management and maintenance of this sprinkler system!"