If you own a restaurant, you may already understand the importance of establishing fire safety protocol and routines in your restaurant and kitchen. If you have provided your employees with the necessary training involving fire safety equipment, it is important to keep that equipment cleaned and maintained properly to make sure it is available for quick and efficient use of a fire occurs. However, fires can still take place even if all the equipment is in proper working condition. For this reason, it is important to have a restaurant fire suppression system installed in your kitchen and understand how it works.
Fire Suppression System Operation
A great number of restaurants have fire suppression systems that function via a fusible link. This is a mechanical device containing two pieces of metal connected together through special alloy that melts when it is exposed to a specific predetermined temperature. When a fire is present in it melts the alloy, the link disconnects and triggers the discharge of the fire extinguishing chemical.
In addition, a reliable restaurant fire suppression system will stop the flow of fuel to all gas-fired cooking equipment in the kitchen – this eliminates the production of heat to the source the fire at the same time. Often one of these systems can defeat flames with any kitchen in a matter of seconds. The systems are very valuable and effective in preventing the spread of fires that could potentially damage the entire kitchen or the entire building.
Extinguishing Agents
Modern kitchens today cook with higher temperatures and more concentrated heat than many of the past – they often make use of vegetable-based cooking oils as well that produce fires that are more difficult to quash.
Restaurant fire suppression equipment in modern kitchens utilizes chemical extinguishing substances. These agents are dispensed onto blazing hot cooking oil which triggers the creation of a soapy layer on the oil’s surface. As the oil is cooled down and separated from the source of oxygen that gives it life, the fire is extinguished. As well, these wet chemical agents are highly effective at preventing the oil from igniting once again after it has been extinguished.
Fire suppression systems and restaurants are often installed within a restaurant exhaust hood and are designed to coordinate with equipment they are designed to protect. Nozzles within the system are directed at specific locations in order to most effectively defend the equipment from damage due to a fire. In addition, the systems effectively protect hood plenums and ducts that are vulnerable to fire because of the grease they accumulate over time.
