( Room Integrity Testing Service )
Room integrity testing or RIT, is used to test the function of a gas operation system present in any room. It is important to check the proper functioning of a gas present system installed in the room to ensure that in case of a fire incident, it will work effectively to extinguish the fire.
How does it work?
In room integrity testing pressure is created in a room or the area where a gas suppression system is installed. Two things are measured in the room, one is the integrity of the room to make sure that the gas does not escape the room before extinguishing the fire. The second, thing to be checked is that the room is not packed too hard, to save the internal structure of the room from damage.
What is the minimum retention time?
It is ensured in the room integrity test that agent which has to extinguish the fire, will maintain the right concentration after attaining it, for a specific time period called โminimum retention timeโ.
BS EN 15004-1 suggests that the minimum retention time period of all gas fire extinguishing agents, should be ten minutes, but carbon dioxide should have a minimum retention time of twenty minutes. The fire should be properly extinguished, otherwise, there will be a chance of reignition of the fire.
So, a specific of an extinguishing agent should stay in the room for a specific time period. โRetention timeโ is that specific time for which an extinguishing agent should stay in the room.
There is also a โminimum protected heightโ. Estimated, this height starts from the base of the floor to the top of the equipment. Also a โresponsible personโ can refer the โminimum protected heightโ. One should consider the minimum protected height suggested by the โresponsible personโ. More
What type of systems need a Room Integrity testing?
FM200, NOVEC 1230, Co2, Integrin, IG55 and IG541, are the fire extinguishing systems that need room integrity test.
