Sprinklers a sound gigafactory option

Photo by Yaoqi on Unsplash

In the UK we have seen plans for at least three of these facilities. The latest, Britishvolt, is set to build a Gigaplant in Northumberland capable of manufacturing enough batteries for 300,000 electric vehicles each year. 

Iain explains: “It may be a surprise to many but a key fire protection component in current gigafactories and existing ones are automatic fire sprinklers. The array of processes under one roof, scale and complex hazards means a flexible protection system is needed to protect the general facility and those working within it. Automatic fire sprinklers are ideal for this purpose, with specific protection elements for individual processes.

“Some may question whether it is appropriate to use sprinklers. In August 2018, a Tesla Gigafactory in Nevada suffered limited damage when a fire broke out in the production area late in the evening. The installed sprinklers suppressed the fire which was finally extinguished by the fire service. The facility returned to production the next morning, demonstrating the effectiveness of sprinkler systems as the perfect tool for physical resilience and business continuity.”

For more information, visit www.business-sprinkler-alliance.org