- Tests A–E were completed at 2.5m and 3.5m installation heights at Baltic Fire Laboratory.
- The nozzle is intended for residential applications, including care homes, HMOs, hostels and student accommodation.
- The manufacturer claims low-pressure water mist can reduce stored water requirements by up to 50% compared with conventional sprinklers.
The UK manufacturer whose products are available in the Middle East, said tests A–E were successfully completed at installation heights of 2.5m and 3.5m at Baltic Fire Laboratory, an ISO/IEC 17025-accredited facility with accreditation for the test method.
The announcement follows the withdrawal of BS 8458:2015 and the introduction of BS EN 14972-17, which establishes fire test requirements for residential water mist systems. The new protocol works alongside BS EN 14972-1, covering system design, installation, inspection and maintenance.
According to iCO Products, its concealed low-pressure nozzle is the first of its type to pass the new test programme. The company previously announced that its high-pressure nozzle had also passed testing to the standard.
The test results could support the specification of low-pressure water mist systems in residential settings such as care homes, houses in multiple occupation (HMOs), hostels and student accommodation.
iCO Products says systems incorporating the nozzle may be suitable as an alternative to sprinklers in appropriate residential applications in buildings up to 45m high, provided they are correctly designed and installed in accordance with BS EN 14972-1 and the manufacturer’s design, installation, operation and maintenance (DIOM) instructions. The maximum tested nozzle installation height is 3.5m.
Water mist systems use fine droplets to help control or suppress fires. Compared with conventional sprinkler installations, lower water demand can reduce the capacity required for storage tanks and pumps, potentially freeing up valuable space in buildings. iCO Products claims its low-pressure systems can require up to 50% less stored water than conventional sprinkler systems, although actual savings will depend on the system design and application.
Greg Farmer, Business Development and Partnerships Manager at iCO Products, said: “We wanted to make sure our new concealed low-pressure nozzle had robust, independent evidence of its performance before we brought it to market, so successfully completing the BS EN 14972-17 testing is a really important milestone for us.”
