GEA Fire Safety System

Our focus on the safety of your people and spray dryer

It’s well recognized that dust and powders generated in spray drying plants represent a potential fire and explosion risk. Here at GEA, we have always made safety a key priority for all of our technologies, to help protect all of your staff, and your equipment.

Our spray drying solutions are, where required, equipped with validated fire safety systems that comply with international regulations. We also work hard to keep improving our technologies, and we have developed an upgraded state-of-the art fire safety system that can monitor and detect fire and ignition risks in the spray dryer, and even shut the plant down automatically if necessary.

Automated safety system according to SIL 2 

GEA Fire Safety System (FSS) has 3 main Safety Instrumented Functions (SIFs) complying to SIL2 (IEC 61511) activating deluge water and safety emergency stops at the plant:

FSS has 3 main safety instrumented functions:

• Detecting a fire by measuring outlet air outlet temperature (SIF 1)
• Detecting an explosion by detecting open explosion vents (SIF 2)
• Manual activation by operator (SIF 3)

Fire deluge system

The GEA FSS functions on multiple levels to give you extra confidence that your personnel and equipment will be protected. Dependent on the fire or explosion risk detected, the system will automatically:

• Generate an alarm when either a potential safety risk or minor system failure are detected
• Stop the plant when a potential fire, or explosion risk are identified, or there is a major system failure
• Activate deluge water inside the plant and emergency stop the plant in the event that an actual fire or an explosion occurs

Full traceability and data review

Importantly, the fire safety system operates autonomously, and independently to the process plant control system. The fire safety system valves and sensors function and are programmed and controlled on a dedicated safety PLC that is usually sited in the control room. Event and alarm logs are retained for six months, so there is full traceability and historical data for review. 

Supervision and failure detection

The FSS also effectively monitors safety-related sub-systems, including a CO detection system, explosion suppression system, water supply, power supply and air supply. If any of these sub-systems are not operating within accepted limits the system will force a controlled plant shut down within a defined time delay.

Preventing microbial contamination

Deluge nozzles are installed in the drying chamber, VIBRO-FLUIDIZER® fluid bed, and bag filters. In the event that the system is activated to release deluge water the pipes and nozzles can subsequently be air purged to reduce the risk of microbial growth and contamination.

Safe water supply

A pump set for deluge water supply is available as an option for the fire safety system and is connected to a suitable water tank. The overall setup comprises a redundant pump system that is suitable as water utility for SIL 2 safety functions.

The standardized pump unit, configured for spray drying plants, is available as either an electric/electric or an electric/diesel variant. The first pump starts if the water pressure drops, but if this pump fails to maintain pressure a second pump will start at a lower pressure. 

In the electric/electric configuration of the system one pump is backed up by a UPS so that the water deluge system will always work, even in case of a mains power failure. A “ready to operate” signal is connected to the FSS panel, to make sure that production is only released when both pumps and UPS are functioning normally.