The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a global nonprofit organization, established in 1896, devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards.
NFPA delivers information and knowledge through more than 300 consensus codes and standards, research, training, education, outreach and advocacy; and by partnering with others who share an interest in furthering our mission.
Since the first 2010 introduction in the NFPA 850 Recommendation of Transformer “Fast Depressurization Systems,” the inclusion of this technology in Generating Plants has sharply reduced financial costs and death of persons due to potential transformer explosions and fires.
The NFPA 850 Recommended Practice for Fire Protection for Electric Generating Plants and High Voltage Direct Current Converter Stations includes guidelines to prevent transformer explosions and fires to avoid harm to plant personal, loss of assets, environmental damages, and business interruptions.
The TRANSFORMER PROTECTOR (TP) complies with the NFPA recommendation of Fast Depressurization Systems for all Power Plants and Substations Transformers, under the code 850.
- NFPA 850 (Recommended Practice for Fire Protection for Electric Generating Plants and High Voltage Direct Current Converter Stations),
The introduction of the 2015 edition of NFPA 850 stands:
“Fast Depressurization Systems were recognized, and recommendations for the use of these systems included”
“Fast Depressurization System: a passive mechanical system designed to depressurize the transformer a few milliseconds after the occurrence of an electrical fault” (Chapter 3)
Depending on arc location and transformer size, the TP is activated within 0.5 to 20 milliseconds by the first dynamic pressure peak of the shock wave, avoiding transformer explosions before static pressure increases.