FK-5-1-12 / NOVEC 1230

When fire breaks out in server rooms, data centres, museums and other sensitive environments, sometimes the solution can be as damaging as the fire. The Kidde ECS 500PSI fire suppression system uses FK-5-1-12 or NOVEC 1230, a fluorinated ketone (Dodecafluoro-2-methylpentan-3-one) compound of carbon, fluorine and oxygen, that powerfully fights fire yet is safe for property, people, and to the environment. It looks like water but doesn’t cause the damage normally associated with water because it contains no moisture. The result is lower repair bills and less impact on business.

FK-5-1-12 or NOVEC 1230 has no harmful impact on the environment. It has an atmospheric lifetime of only five days while the closest chemical alternative has an atmospheric life time of 33–36 years.

Federal Government regulations for Ozone Depleting Substances and Synthetic Greenhouse Gases (ODS and SGG), places usage restrictions on chemicals that are defined as controlled substances due to their potential to harm the atmospheric environment. As an environmentally safe inert carbon-based chemical, FK-5-1-12 or NOVEC 1230 is exempt from this legislation.

FK-5-1-12 or NOVEC 1230 is colourless, electrically non-conductive and has a low odour. It suppresses fire primarily by physical mechanisms due to its relatively high heat capacity with minimal effect on the available oxygen. This allows people to see and breathe, permitting them to leave the fire area safely. 

Notably FK-5-1-12  or NOVEC 1230 fluid is acceptable for use in occupied spaces when used in accordance with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program rules. 

Protect your sensitive business data and equipment with a Kidde ECS 500PSI fire suppression system using FK-5-1-12 or NOVEC 1230.