Kidde Argonite User Manual

A UTC Fire & Security Company

Argonite

System Description

FEATURES

®

Effective: July 2012

K-38-1000

• Inert Gas Clean Agent Fire Suppression

• Safe for Personnel and Equipment

• Leaves No Residue

• Environmentally Friendly

DESCRIPTION

Kidde Argonite® Fire Protection Systems are clean
agent, automatic extinguishing systems that use Argonite
(IG-55) and consist of four basic components and their
associated accessories:

• Argonite Cylinders and Components,

• Completer Kits,

• Control Panels,

• Detection and Alarm Devices.

Argonite is an inert gas mixture, in equal parts, of Nitro­gen and Argon. Both substances are naturally occurring
and present in the atmosphere. Argonite is safe for use in
occupied spaces and poses no threat to the environment.

1. Argonite Components consist of the agent cylinders,
cylinder racking and the agent discharge nozzles.

2. The Completer Kits provide all the basic compo­nents necessary to operate the Argonite cylinders.
The kits consist of hoses, connection fittings, pres­sure gauges, actuation devices required to operate
the cylinder valve and warning signs to be displayed
in the area(s) protected by an Argonite fire extin­guishing system.

3. The Control Panels vary in features and complexity
but in all cases are used to monitor the detection,
actuate the alarms, initiate the agent discharge and
control auxiliary functions such as shut down of vital
equipment and ventilation dampers.

4. The Detection and Alarm devices provide fire detec­tion by means of thermal or smoke detectors, audi­ble and visual pre-alarm warnings and annunciation
of the Argonite discharge.

• Actuation by Solenoid or Manual Actuator

• Three Available High-pressure
(2900 PSI [200 bar]) Cylinder Sizes

• FM Approved/ULC Listed

AGENT DESCRIPTION

Argonite is a mixture of 50% pure Nitrogen and 50% pure
Argon. Argonite contains only naturally occurring sub­stances, and as such, has no ozone depletion potential
and no direct global warming potential.

Argonite extinguishes by means of reducing the oxygen
content within a room to the point at which fire can no
longer burn, but without compromising the safety of indi­viduals present. There are no toxicological factors asso­ciated with the use of Argonite. Argonite will not
decompose or produce any by-products when exposed
to a flame from a fire condition.

Most Argonite systems are designed to extinguish fires
with a minimum agent concentration of 37.9% achieved
within one minute. This results in extinguishment of the
fire and an oxygen concentration of 13%.

Argonite is stored as a gas within the cylinder assembly.
It is available at a storage pressure of 2900 PSI (200
bar).

USABLE CYLINDER CAPACITY

Siz e Fill

English Metric at 2900 PSI at 200 Bar

972 cu. in.

15.9 L

*

9.57 lb. 4.34 kg

4079 cu. in.

66.7 L

*

40.15 lb. 18.21 kg

4893 cu. in. 80.0 L 48.13 lb. 21.83 kb

Cylinder

Area Covera ge @

38% Concentration/70°F (21°C)

15.9 L

*

228.8 ft.3 (6.47 m3)

66.7 L

*

959.8 ft.3 (27.17 m3)

80.0 L 1150.6 ft.

3

(32.58 m3)

A

B

Cylinder Size

Dimension

A

B

(Diameter)

15.9 L

*

39.07 in.

(992.38 mm)

7.00 in.

(177.80 mm)

66.7 L

*

64.41 in.

(1636.10 mm)

10.49 in.

(266.45 mm)

80.0 L

68.81 in.

(1747.77 mm)

11.25 in.

(285.75 mm)

Three cylinder sizes are available (see Table 1).

Table 1. Cylinder Capacity

CYLINDER AND VALVE ASSEMBLY

Argonite cylinders are available in three different sizes.
The 2900 PSI (200 bar) cylinders are uniquely color
coded to allow for quick and easy identification. The cyl­inders are red with yellow-green at the cylinder shoulder.

Because Argonite is stored as a gas, the cylinders have
no dip tube and can be mounted in either the vertical or
horizontal position.

The cylinder valve, required for all system cylinders,
allows for connection of the cylinders into the system.
The valve provides connections for electric, pneumatic
and manual release of the cylinder contents, as well as a
discharge outlet, connected by a discharge hose, to the
distribution piping.

The actuator operates on a 1 to 10 ratio requiring only
300 PSI (21 bar) for the 2900 PSI (200 bar) system to
operate the valve. The following are the connections pro­vided on the valve.

Figure 1. Argonite Cylinder

Table 2. Argonite cylinder Area Coverage

EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION

The Kidde Fire Systems Argonite Fire Protection System
can be released electrically, manually or pneumatically.
The following is a description of the various components
associated with the systems.

* DISCONTINUED

Figure 2. Cylinder Dimensions

Table 3. Cylinder Dimensions

- 2 -

1. Manual/Pneumatic Actuator Connection:

DISCHARGE

HOSE

CYLINDER

VALV E

PRESSURE GAUGE
WITH SUPERVISORY
PRESSURE SWITCH

PILOT HOSE
(TO SLAVE CYLINDERS)

SOLENOID, 24 VDC

MANUAL ACTUATOR

M25 x 1.5

FRONT VIEW

M25 x 1.5

SIDE VIEW

FILLING
OUTLET

FILLING
GAUGE PORT

CONNECTION TO
ARGONITE CYLINDER

HANDLE FOR
FILLING ONLY

1/4” BSP
PILOT CONNECTION

BURST DISC
(21 PSI [300 BAR]
SETPOINT)

Part Number

Cylin der

Assembly

(Filled

Cylinder/Valve)

Description

38-100159-001

15.9 L

*

200 bar; DOT and TC versions

38-100667-001

66.7 L

*

200 bar; DOT and TC versions

38-100800-001 80.0 L 200 bar; DOT and TC versions

Note:

DOT=Department of Transportation (US)
TC=Transport Canada

Description

Completer Kits

Primary (Qty.)

P/N

38-109802-001

Slave (Qty.)

P/N

38-109803-001

Solenoid Valve 1 0

Pressure Gauge with
Supervisory Pressure Switch

11

Manual Release 1 0

Pilot Hose #1 1 0

Pilot Hose #2 1 0

Pilot Hose #3 0 1

Bleeder Valve 1 0

Tee piece for hose connection 2 1

Discharge Hose 1 1

Inle t St e m A sse m b ly 1 1

Note: If cylinders are used in a Main/Reserve system, use decal
P/N 31033 (Main Decal) and P/N 31034 (Reserve Decal).

Each cylinder valve must be fitted with either a Pilot or
Slave type actuator.

The Pilot actuator provides a manual (pull pin turn han­dle) actuator and connections from an electrical solenoid
and pressure switch assembly. The pilot actuator also
has connections to adjacent slave cylinder actuators to
discharge entire groups of cylinders virtually simultane­ously.

The Slave actuator is purely pneumatic; it receives pres­sure from the pilot actuator and opens its associated cyl­inder valve.

2. Solenoid Valve, Pressure Gauge and Supervisory
Pressure Switch Connection:

This is a threaded port that serves for the connection of
one of the following:

• Solenoid Valve, Pressure Gauge and Supervi­sory Pressure Switch for pilot actuator connec­tions.

• Pressure Gauge and Supervisory Pressure
Switch for slave actuator connections.

3. Discharge Outlet:
The cylinder valve outlet is connected to the distribution

piping by a flexible hose with 1/2-inch steel fittings.

Additional features of the valve include a Burst Disc,
designed to rupture upon excessive internal pressure,
and an external Bleeder Valve with indicator that acts as
a pressure relief valve.

Figure 4. Argonite Cylinder Valve

Table 4. Argonite Cylinder and Valve Assembly Data

* DISCONTINUED

COMPLETER KIT COMPONENTS

Either a pilot or a slave completer kit is required to com­plete the installation of each Argonite cylinder.

Table 5. Completer Kit Data

Figure 3. Argonite Cylinder and Valve Assembly

- 3 -