{Re}habitat

This topic includes information related to gas and vacuum systems that are installed in laboratory and healthcare facilities during construction. Gas and vacuum systems deliver compressed air, gas and processed water to point of use locations within a facility. They also serve to remove or dispose of general wastewater, chemical waste and vapors.

Wet-pipe sprinkler systems are the most common fire suppression systems.  In a wet-pipe system, either the water supplied by the municipality or the water supplied from a fire pumping station provides constant pressure for the system.  When a sprinkler in this system is activated through melting of its fusible link, water is immediately discharged onto the fire.  Water will flow until the fire is extinguished and until the fire marshal shuts off the water supply.

Fire is a chemical chain reaction. Molecules of a flammable material contain stored energy. When they are heated to a certain point, they react with oxygen, releasing that energy in the form of heat. This heat energy then causes other nearby flammable molecules to react with oxygen, continuing the cycle. Fire needs the heat, oxygen, and a fuel of flammable material to continue burning. Fire-extinguishing systems work by separating one or more of the key elements from the equation. Fire is impossible without oxygen. Likewise, if there is no heat, fire cannot spread. And, obviously, if there is no fuel, there is nothing to burn.