Frederiksborg Castle

Fire Protection of the Prison Tower at Frederiksborg Castle

In connection with the renewal of the copper roof on the Prison Tower at Frederiksborg Castle, the Danish Agency for Palaces and Cultural Properties wanted to replace the old sprinkler system without compromising the tower’s general appearance and aesthetic impression.

State-of-the-art fire suppression for historic prison tower: A blend of safety and aesthetics

Fire Eater was tasked with designing an efficient and reliable Inergen fire suppression system tailored to the unique requirements of the Prison Tower.

Throughout the project, great care was taken to conceal the installation as much as possible out of respect for the building’s historical significance and overall appearance.

The task included:

Removal of the old sprinkler system.
Design and sizing of the system’s scale and piping.
Installation of Inergen pipes and nozzles.
Installation of a new detection system in the tower’s two domes and the large tower room.
Installation of controls and pressure cylinders in a basement in a building 25 meters from the Prison Tower.

A robust but discreet solution

Due to the difference in the ground level between the Prison Tower and the building where the pressure cylinders and control center are located, an unconventional solution with a high-pressure hose underground was chosen instead of steel pipes. Therefore, two standard sewer pipes were placed in the ground for protection of the high-pressure hose (DN40) and cables respectively.

Special Considerations During the Design Phase

Access to the top domes is only possible using scaffolding
Access to the top domes is only possible using scaffolding, so an aspiration system was chosen for detection in the domes, as it does not require frequent service.
Aspiration pipes to the domes had to run externally
Aspiration pipes to the domes had to run externally in some places, so galvanized steel pipes were used to protect against the elements.
An aspiration system in the domes combined with wireless detectors
An aspiration system in the domes combined with wireless detectors in the tower room ensures effective fire detection.
Minimal intervention in the building was a requirement
Minimal intervention in the building was a requirement, so the conduits for the removed sprinkler pipes were reused for routing pipes and cables.
Avoiding cables as much as possible
Wireless detectors were used to avoid cables as much as possible.
Concealing both pipes and nozzles as much as possible
To conceal both pipes and nozzles as much as possible, they were placed between beams and rafters wherever feasible.
The natural ventilation was a major challenge for the efficiency of the Inergen system
A natural ventilation opening of about 3-4 cm around the bottom of the tower, which ensures effective air circulation, was a major challenge for the efficiency of the Inergen system. This was solved with a ContinuOxy solution, where Inergen is added for an additional 15 minutes to ensure as effective extinguishing and as long duration as possible.*

*For more information on ContinuOxy solutions, contact Fire Eater A/S.

An Effectively Protected Prison Tower

The Inergen system in the Prison Tower at Frederiksborg Castle is an example of how heritage buildings can be protected with advanced fire suppression systems using Inergen as the extinguishing agent, respecting and preserving the visual impact of the historical building. Inergen systems are characterized by quickly and effectively extinguishing a fire without causing damage to furnishings or buildings. Inergen does not harm the environment and is safe for humans.

Facts

Client

Frederiksborg Castle

Location

Hillerød, Denmark

Industry sector

Heritage buildings and valuable items – cultural heritage

Protected area

Prison Tower

Facts

Area to be protected

Fire protection of the Prison Tower at Frederiksborg Castle

56 cylinders 80L 300 bar Inergen

28 cylinders ContinuOxy

Contact person, Fire Eater

Jesper Pallesen

jepa@fire-eater.com

Tel: +45 2835 6863

Fire Protection of the Prison Tower at Frederiksborg Castle

State-of-the-art fire suppression for historic prison tower: A blend of safety and aesthetics

The task included:

A robust but discreet solution

Special Considerations During the Design Phase

Access to the top domes is only possible using scaffolding

Aspiration pipes to the domes had to run externally

An aspiration system in the domes combined with wireless detectors

Minimal intervention in the building was a requirement

Avoiding cables as much as possible

Concealing both pipes and nozzles as much as possible

The natural ventilation was a major challenge for the efficiency of the Inergen system

*For more information on ContinuOxy solutions, contact Fire Eater A/S.

An Effectively Protected Prison Tower

Facts

Facts

Other customer cases

Trosvik Maritime

E.ON Kemsley

Frederiksborg Castle

The Supreme Court

If you want to know more about Inergen and our solutions, write to us.