Fried Food Security: Water Mist and Industrial Fryer Protection

The food industry plays a vital role in the global economy for the distribution of goods and produce. The 24/7 demands of a food/snack production facility cannot afford to incur downtime. The heated ovens and fryers within the facility are a probable cause for fire. Fires within this equipment can lead to production downtime or facility damage, which can result in hundreds of thousands of dollars in loss. Industrial fryers require fire protection systems that can detect and suppress fires immediately without harming people, equipment, the facility, or the environment. Marioff’s (HI-FOG) water mist suppression system meets all of that criteria and is an effective solution for industrial fryers.

What is the Hazard?

Industrial fryers produce many of the favorite snacks we find in our homes, such as fried chicken, fish, fries, and potato chips. The fried product passes through a large oil cooker, using vegetable oil or a similar combustible cooking oil. (Cooking oil is classified as a Class IIIB combustible liquid, meaning it has a flash point equal to or greater than 200°F.) As the product passes through the fryer, smaller pieces can burn off and ignite from the high temperature of the oil. The large quantities of combustible liquid as well as oil-soaked products or residue are the main fire hazards within the industrial fryer. Another possible hazard includes the heating equipment sources on the fryers such as boilers, furnaces, and industrial high temperature furnace heaters.

Why Water Mist?

Marioff water mist is a smart, efficient business solution to protecting industrial fryers. The high-pressure system creates tiny water particles that discharge from water mist nozzles. The mist discharge produces a cooling vapor over the entire oil surface within the fryer, extinguishing flames as well as preventing re-ignition during the cooling of the oil. Marioff systems use up to 90% less water than traditional sprinklers, while producing better or equivalent results. The suppression agent is water, which makes for an easier clean up, in-line with its efficient usage of water. This ensures food safety by not discharging chemicals or additives into the fryer that are not allowed by the FDA. There is also no added clean up expense for a discharge agent like foam or clean agent within the fryer.

Once the hazard analysis is complete, an integrated fire protection system can be designed (or updated) to ensure maximum protection in accordance with the latest NFPA 750 code requirements. The system will include heat detection along with water mist to provide maximum protection and uninterrupted performance. Our expertise in water mist fire suppression systems and a long-standing partnership with Marioff enables us to design and install systems at some of the biggest food industry facilities in the United States.

Contact our talented team of highly trained, licensed, and certified engineers and technicians today to protect your industrial food facility with a trusted fire protection business partner – Advanced Safety Systems Integrators.