Danger and damage from fire at refineries, petrochemical and offshore installations can be minimised by efficient protection of the systems controlling the plant.
Darchem Engineering has developed DARMATT to provide a flexible fire protection system which can dramatically reduce fire loss or damage by allowing a controlled shutdown of critical facilities.
DARMATT is designed for the protection of:
DARMATT flexible mattress system provides excellent fire protection due to its unique construction of compressed layers of ceramic fibre combined with layers of metallic foil. Ceramic fibre is renowned for its durability at high temperatures. The DARMATT system is entirely asbestos free.
DARMATT is fully tested and certified for use in high-rise hydrocarbon fires such as denoted in the UL1709 and BS 476 (Part 20) fire test curves. Such fires reach approximately 1100°C within minutes. DARMATT has also been successfully explosion tested to 1.1 bar overpressure.
Darchem Engineering has carried out extensive development work which, confirmed by test data, enables combinations of infil material to be specified to suit individual customer requirements. Designs are computer generated using Darchem Engineering's own Lloyd's certified programme.
The DARMATT flexible fire protection system has proved its worth under actual fire conditions where protection has been maintained while unprotected cable trays have been destroyed.
Typical DARMATT installations range from 15 minutes of certified fire protection up to a full 2 hours. The increasingly onerous conditions that fire protection is now required to meet has led to the development of versions of DARMATT that can withstand jet fires and greater blast overpressure.
Testing of the DARMATT system has been witnessed and approved by Lloyds, Det Norske Veritas and other specialist certifying authorities. These approvals have given process plant operators the confidence to specify DARMATT as an integral part of their policy to protect plant against the effects of fire and blast.
Darchem Engineering has a world wide reputation for quality and reliability. It is a recognised world leader in the design, development, manufacture and installation of Passive Fire Protection Systems for both onshore and offshore applications.
Darchem Thermal Protection DARMATT
DARMATT is a durable unique fire protection system, which provides passive resistance to high temperature and flame impingement for electrical, pneumatic, structural, and other systems in the event of fire.
To optimise the thickness of the insulation required, Darchem use their in-house "Offtranp" software program that is approved by Lloyds for this application. This program calculates the necessary thickness of insulation required taking into consideration the following fundamental factors:
Inspection Hatches / Access
Inspection hatches and access areas can be allowed for if required. A typical inspection hatch, as approved by Lloyds, is shown on the right. These hatches provide quick and easy entry to areas that require frequent access. In addition, penetrations for hydraulic tubing and valves can be designed into the DARMATT system to suit.
Fastening / Locking Mechanism Detail
The DARMATT system is held together by highly flexible PVC coated stainless steel multi strand wire lacing that helps to keep the jacket compact and integral. Tie loops are built into each panel to accommodate the lacing wire. As the wire is extremely flexible, the fastening of the panels is a simple task when the installation instructions are followed. This fastening system has been used on all DARMATT systems supplied by Darchem and to date there have not been any problems experienced either with installation or removal / re-installation of these systems.
