AFEX fire suppression systems are designed and purpose-built to protect heavy off-road equipment from the threat of fire. At the heart of these systems is the AFEX Control Unit, which employs the latest in microprocessor technology to detect, and provide audible and visual signals to the operator, for any fire-related problem or alarm condition. These alerts are stored on the Control Unit’s internal log for subsequent troubleshooting and are shown on the onboard LCD display in the local language. Using dedicated outputs from the AFEX Control Unit and inputs on the telematics system, end users can monitor for problem, alarm and discharge status. Beyond that, for autonomous vehicle applications, the AFEX system can be configured to discharge when signaled by the vehicle remote control.
The Control Unit is FM approved, CE marked, and certified for use in Russia and Australia. Compact enough for console mounting, the box itself is sealed to protect the internal components, and its battery provides a year of stand-alone power. It utilizes a customizable harness with standardized connectors for efficient installation and water-tight connection. The unit supports two discrete detection circuits, which allows users to monitor two separate parts of the machine independently. Able to support two separate electric actuators, systems may be designed to have secondary discharges when desired. There is no limit to the number of tanks the unit can support. Programming is simple with the integrated screen, and push-button actuation is available.
The AFEX fire suppression system itself is designed for redundant system activation; in the event of an electrical system failure, the system can still be actuated manually. The agents used in the system are an A:B:C dry chemical, an environmentally friendly liquid agent or a combination of the two agent types. As hot-running Tier 4 engines become more common in the field, these dual agent systems will often be the right approach as they take advantage of both the fast knockdown of the dry chemical and the cooling effect and suppressive properties of the liquid agent.