I would like to ask about the fire hazard classification of the factory building
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Biological fermentation plant: The raw materials include ordinary protein sources (yeast powder, peptone, etc.), carbon sources (glucose), and inorganic salts (phosphates, magnesium sulfate, manganese sulfate); the product is the bacterial cells obtained through fermentation. The post-treatment steps involve separation and drying; the fermentation broth is subjected to centrifugation to separate the solid components from the liquid, thereby obtaining the bacterial cells, while the clear liquid is discharged for wastewater treatment ； The isolated bacterial cells are then mixed with rice bran and dried by air flow. Utilities include air compressors and chillers. I would like to ask the experts: what is the fire hazard classification for such a factory building? (The architectural design firm said it should be classified as Category C, but a similar large-scale biofermentation project I encountered before was classified as Category E.)
There should be two conditions for classifying as Category C: first, the presence of a liquid with a flash point of 60 degrees or higher, and second, the presence of flammable solids. Generally, for design firms, it is acceptable to fix the height but not the lower limit, so that they bear no responsibility in case of any issues.
Code for Building Design 3.1.2: When production activities with different fire hazards take place in the same factory building or within any fire compartment of such a building, the fire hazard classification for the production activities in that factory building or fire compartment shall be determined based on the part with the higher fire hazard. It can be determined based on the part with lower fire hazard when one of the following conditions is met: 1) The area occupied by the production area with higher fire hazard accounts for less than 5% of the total area of that floor or fire compartment, or in factories of categories D and E, the paint-making areas account for less than 10%; furthermore, in the event of a fire, it is not possible for the fire to spread to other areas, or effective fire prevention measures have been taken for the production areas with higher fire hazard ；
The two people upstairs are right; the “Code for Fire Protection Design of Buildings” must be strictly followed.
Standards and specifications must be strictly followed during design; otherwise, the review cannot be passed.
Thank you all for your answers. But I would like to consult you all regarding our actual situation. Our process involves dissolving various nutrients in water, then adjusting the volume, and pumping them separately into the seed tank and the fermentation tank; after adding the microorganisms, cultivation is carried out. During the cultivation process, sterile air must be introduced into the fermentation tank, and stirring must be maintained. Cooling water is circulated through the tank jacket to remove the heat generated during fermentation. What grade should such a process be classified as? Thank you all!
Based on what you said, classifying it as Category V is more appropriate. Are all the workstations located in one building? If they are not in the same building, the building before reprocessing should be of Class E, while the reprocessing section should be a Class C building. However, the Building Code classifies grain processing as Class C. The key is to determine whether these substances are flammable, difficult to ignite, or non-flammable; if they do not burn, classifying them as Category V is no problem. It is still the design from the design institute that takes precedence; it is their responsibility to **.
Thank you so much! I have conveyed Siena2008’s suggestions to the design institute, and this should be the final result!