The active fire prevention system from WAGNER has been protecting the British Library’s Newspaper Storage Building in London since 2014, following the installation of a WAGNER fire protection solution in the Additional Storage Program six years earlier.
Whether it’s the Magna Carta, da Vinci’s notebooks, or the Gutenberg Bible: Most of the works housed at the British Library are unique and, in some cases, several centuries old. Their destruction would represent an irreparable loss to our cultural heritage.
As early as 2008, when the Additional Storage Program (ASP) opened, the British Library relied on active fire prevention using the OxyReduct® oxygen reduction system and had positive results. When the Document Storage Centre was expanded in 2014 to include the Newspaper Storage Building (NSB) in order to meet the ever-increasing space requirements, the operator therefore once again opted for a comprehensive fire protection solution from WAGNER.
The oxygen reduction system with membrane technology installed in the ASP building in 2008 was replaced in 2018 by a new OxyReduct P-LINE ® . The costs for maintenance, operation, and general overhaul of the old system would have exceeded the limits permitted by British regulations for public buildings. In this way, the operator optimised the operating costs for fire protection in the ASP building.
RISK ANALYSIS
The fire risk in the British Library is particularly high because of the fire load: the collections are largely paper and would burn quickly. The high shelves, with their tight spaces, provide ideal conditions for the rapid spread of fire. Even small amounts of soot and smoke, as well as low levels of heat, can damage or even destroy documents. The use of water to extinguish fires is not possible at the British Library due to the structure of its storage facilities, the materials involved, and the irreplaceable nature of the exhibits.
PROTECTION GOALS
SOLUTION
The solution for the British Library's fire protection requirements is an OxyReduct® oxygen reduction system for active fire protection. OxyReduct V-LINE ® systems have been installed in the stacks of the NSB. They reduce oxygen levels by controlled injection of nitrogen extracted from the ambient air using Vacuum Pressure Swing Adsorption (VPSA) technology. This reduces the oxygen level in the protected area to a defined protection level. A potential fire is deprived of oxygen as soon as it starts, preventing it from developing or spreading.
The system was combined with early fire detection using TITANUS PRO·SENS ® aspirating smoke detectors to create a holistic protection package for the British Library. The aspirating points are located above the chimneys and continuously sample the ambient air. The TITANUS® aspirating smoke detectors are highly sensitive and detect even the finest smoke particles, allowing countermeasures to be taken in good time.
The VisuLAN® hazard management system collects the messages from the fire protection systems so that targeted measures can be initiated in the event of an emergency.
A look inside the British Library's Newspaper Storage Building in London
CUSTOMER BENEFITS
VdS-approved and certified fire protection solution for reliable protection of historic buildings, earliest possible fire detection.
Flexible planning: The fire protection solution can be flexibly adapted to new conditions in the event of expansion.
Allows authorised personnel to have constant access to the protected area.
Low cost of ownership – high energy efficiency in operation.
CUSTOMER VOICE
“OxyReduct with VPSA technology is not only effective in terms of safety, but also in terms of low operating costs.”
Fire protection from WAGNER preserves values and protects people and cultural assets. We will be happy to advise you personally.
