FS Fire Security provides sustainable and certified cable repair, life extension, and fire protection solutions for the shipping and industrial sectors. The company produces turnkey projects for a range of offshore and onshore shipping applications, including petrochemical refineries, rigs, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels.
FS’s cable coating solutions help to extend the life span of electrical cables and protect them against damage from fires. The company’s cost-effective coating solutions limit the need for expensive and unnecessary cable replacements, helping clients to save money and resources. Cable coatings can be customised to suit each clients’ unique requirements and work to preserve the functionality of the cables over time. The coatings can be installed on live cables to minimise interruptions to regular operations and loss of production. Each situation is carefully inspected to identify problem areas and appropriate solutions are suggested. A cost indication is provided, and highly skilled FS technicians will carry out the work. After everything has been completed, clients will be provided with a comprehensive documentation package, including warranties, completion reports, type approvals, and testing.
The company is unique as both a manufacturer and turnkey applicator. FS products are not supplied to anyone else, meaning that all solutions are made with the highest level of quality control. Due to their unique design, FS’s cable solutions do not release harmful and potentially poisonous or corrosive smoke or gasses. All products are also LEED and EPA24 compliant, as well as solvent-free, asbestos-free, non-toxic, phosphate-free, and free from carcinogenic substances, making them as safe and environmentally friendly as possible. In addition, the company’s solutions have DNV ISO 14001 environmental management systems certification, which emphasises its commitment to sustainability and reducing any harmful impact on the environment.
Cable life extension for the shipping industry
The FS cable life extension programme helps to minimise unnecessary or premature cable replacements, which can be expensive and time consuming. Cable life extension is ideal for cables that are regularly exposed to the environment and could be damaged by extreme environmental conditions, heat, or UV rays. Cables in these conditions usually do not meet their expected service life and often need replacing earlier than usual. These elements all cause premature ageing, but FS’s cable life extension solutions have been proven to significantly prolong the expected operational life of cables. High voltage (HV) cables can become damaged when exposed to oil, dirt, or chemicals, which are commonly found onboard ships. Damaged cables become a safety hazard, so it is important to prevent damage as much as possible.
FS’s coating systems add a protective outer layer to cables, which restores and upgrades the insulation properties and improves fire safety. Derating the cables is not required, and the coatings do not damage the cables. When applied to UV damaged cables, FS’s coatings preserve and enhance the electrical integrity when the outer sheath of the cable is still in a relatively good condition. Acting quickly before the cables become more seriously damaged helps to avoid costly replacements or more intensive repairs.
While extending the life of cables saves money, it is also beneficial for the environment. The metallic elements of cables, including conductors and armour, can be easily recycled. However, the plastic, XLPE, and PVC components, which are often found in cable sheets and insulation, cannot be recycled, and are usually sent to landfills or incinerated. Prolonging the lifetime of existing cables therefore reduces the environmental impact that come with creating new cables or disposing of old ones.
Fire protection for shipboard cables
It is easy for a fire to spread quickly along electrical cables, and this is particularly dangerous in contained environments, such as onboard ships. FS’s class approved passive fire protection coatings can be applied to live cables, without disrupting operations. The company uses a specially designed intumescent coating system for partially sheltered or internal cables and an ablative coating system can be used for internal and external applications. All of FS’s coating solutions meet IEC Publication 60331 and 60332 specifications and undergo a hydrocarbon fire curve of 1100° for a minimum of 60 minutes. To ensure that the intumescent coating is completely fire resistant, it is tested at 830° for up to three hours.
FS’s intumescent cable coatings work by expanding to up to 100 times its original thickness to create a char foam that protects the electrical cables inside. The ablative coating protects the cables through a physical reaction that produces large amounts of water vapour to shield the cables from fire.
To prevent potentially fatal accidents or serious production losses, the company’s cable coatings protect against flame propagation and prevent small fires from escalating into larger incidents, which is especially dangerous onboard shipping vessels. Protecting cables again fire also reduces the impact from short circuits and stops cables from becoming a source of combustion, which can subsequently lead to the release of poisonous or toxic gasses. When burned, fire-resistant and flame-retardant coatings can mix with water or humidity in the air and create toxic hydrochloric acid, which can damage delicate electrical components and damage the structural integrity of concrete and steel. In contrast, FS’s cable coatings are safer and more efficient when compared to traditional flame-retardant and fire-resistant cables and have excellent mechanical resistance.
FS’s class and type approved cable coatings are recognised by global insurance companies and their use is widely recommended to protect critical cable routings and lower annual premiums. When compared to the lengthy installation of active fire protection systems and maintenance programmes, FS’s cable coatings are an easier and more cost-effective solution. Active systems only contain a fire, rather than extinguish it, and rely on complex mechanical configurations or manual activation. In contrast. FS’s fire protection coatings keep cables in service during the first critical stages of a fire, thus preserving the integrity and continuity of circuits and emergency service electrical components. Cables also do not need to be replaced following a fire, as the coating protects them from any damage.