>Our university is planning to install sprinkler system in NMR
>laboratories. I am interested to know (i) whether these systems are
>suitable for NMR laboratories,
1. I have always claimed that sprinkler systems
are totally inappropriate for NMR laboratories.
I had a long argument over this with the university
architect's department here when they built
our new building. I lost the argument on the
specious grounds that some day in the future
we would no longer be doing NMR and the rooms
would have some other use. After they finished,
construction, the state fire marshal inspected
and objected to the water sprinklers on the
grounds that they would be used around tanks
containing cryogens {aka the magnets}. He stated
that he wished the university architect's office
had discussed the use to which these rooms
were being put before installing the sprinklers.
{Of course, quite a few of the sprinklers were
installed too close to the walls in violation of
code.} Our state fire marshal had us place
aluminum deflectors around each sprinkler so
that the magnets would not get sprayed if they
ever went off. Of course, the sprinklers that
would have been over the magnets were removed
completely.
2. I presume that the rooms under discussion
do not have active magnets in them. If they
already contain active magnets, then I would
say that plumbing in the sprinklers is simply
not safe unless the magnets are discharged
and recharged. One cannot expect plumbers
to work in an environment with high magnetic
fields. The mere cost of this safety requirement
should discourage the operation.
>and (ii) if they are not suitable for NMR
>laboratories, are there alternativce fire extinguisher system/s to put
>in these laboratories.
I do not know of any suitable system.
Sincerely,
-- Bruce D. Ray bray@iupui.edu Operations Director NMR Center IUPUI Physics Dept. 402 N. Blackford St. Indianapolis, IN 46202-3273