Recently I-Cat conducted live fire testing on a fully operational conveyor belt in conjunction with Sasol. “This was a world first, and resulted in a new specification for conveyor belt protection that has already been adopted by various mines,” Andro Gibhard of I-Cat Fire Division comments.
The Sasol test determined that conventional powder systems are totally inefficient when it comes to Class A rubber fires, including conveyor belts and rubber tyres on mining vehicles.
The rubber retains the heat and, if not cooled properly, will simply result in the fire re-igniting. I-Cat has also designed systems specifically to assist with underground fires to scrub smoke and allow people to evacuate any effected area safely.
“The technology has already been proven in some of the harshest working conditions imaginable,” Andre says.
Our systems are particularly efficient because they offer cooling as the primary means of suppression. Most systems are designed to reduce oxygen and suppress the fire with a smothering effect. However, the problem here is that, as soon as you introduce more oxygen, the fire will re-ignite, rendering the equipment defenceless”.
Andro Gibhard
I-Cat Fire Solutions
Tel: 086-112-4228
Email: info@i-cat.co.za
