VATIS UPDATE Article

Tech firm Plumis, the United Kingdom, has developed Automist Smartscan system to target firefighting water mist jet on areas where fire is present. As a result, the system reportedly uses 90 percent less water, causing much less water damage while offering the same fire-fighting performance as ceiling systems.

First of all, a single ceiling-mounted device senses when there’s excessive heat in the room. This activates the wall unit, causing it to scan the room with its infra-red pyrometer. When it detects the hottest point in the room, it shoots a stream of water mist at that location, continuing to do so until the heat signature lessens to the point that it no longer poses a threat.

The wall unit can apparently be installed much more easily than a ceiling sprinkler system. It doesn’t require its own water tank or additional piping, instead just running off the existing water system via a 3/4-inch hose attachment. Additionally, it’s only 50 mm (2 in) deep, so not much behind-the-wall room is necessary.