Fire alarm control panels from Advanced Electronics are at the heart of a new fire detection system for the world’s largest blood processing centre.
The new purpose built £60m facility for the National Blood Service, at Filton, Bristol was opened in July 2008 and will process 600,000 units of blood per year. The centre will offer a service to 14 million people and provide blood to 90 hospitals.
Three Advanced Mx-4400 fire panels and three mimic panels were installed by Bristol-based MAT Fire Systems, with close to 900 Hochiki devices, including 615 smoke detectors. Also installed were ten air sampling units, four extinguishant systems and a voice evacuation system. The three 4-loop Mx-4400 panels were installed around the centre and networked together to provide a single integrated solution. This allows any fire and fault condition, at any location, to be alerted on all the fire and mimic panels.
The Advanced mimic panels consist of a graphical map overlaid with LEDs to indicate fire zones. This provides the user with an unambiguous display of any fire and fault condition in the building. The mimic display can be either integrated into the front door of any Mx-4000 panel or mounted in a separate enclosure.
“The provision of open protocol solutions is a key element in any Mat Fire Systems design”, said Rick Coles, Managing Director of MAT Fire Systems. “The Mx-4400 panels fully support this, and their proven reliability and excellent customer service has meant that Advanced Electronics are now our preferred supplier for large scale projects such as this one.”
About Advanced Electronics
The company manufactures a range of intelligent control and indicating panels, software and peripherals for fire detection, smoke control and the emergency lighting market. The EN54 approved Mx-4000 series and the UL 864 approved Ax-Series fire systems offer enhanced features for the end-user, system designer and installer. Advanced also manufacture the LifeLine family of DDA-compliant fire safety products for the deaf and hearing impaired.
