Server Room Fire Suppression and EPO

[spsnyder]

Is it standard practice to connect the fire suppression system into the required EPO (645.10). In other words, if the fire suppression system dumps, the power to all equipment in the server room is killed.

This is not a code issue, but I am interested in standard industry practice. Thank you for your help.

 

[ron]

During clean agent dump, depending on the configuration, you may need the FACP (releasing panel) to shutdown HVAC to preserve concentrations within the room, but not always.
I never shutdown power when dumping clean agent unless forced to by the owner or AHJ (and then I argue with them anyway).
I just went to investigate an accidental dump of inergen at a site, and although they were without HVAC for more than 1 hour, the load density in the room was low enough that they had almost 0 failures of equipment/operations.
If the power was shutdown, then it is guaranteed loss of service.

 

[spsnyder]

Ron,

I agree with you on not wanting to stop the equipment on fire suppression dump. As an aside, running the A/C in the room in a room after the dumping of the fire suppression helps the fire suppression system. Thanks for your feed-back.

 

[ron]

spsnyder,

running the A/C in the room in a room after the dumping of the fire suppression helps the fire suppression system.

This is not the case if the dump is designed for the below floor area only and doesn't have enough concentration if forcibly distributed throughout the room. Sometimes the system is design to account for leakage through perforated floor tiles, racks, etc but not to be blown by CRAC units all around.