Integrating Passive Fire Protection and Ventilation
Introduction
Modern petrochemical plants, offshore platforms, LNG facilities and data centres require cable trunking systems that provide both fire protection and efficient heat dissipation. However, fully enclosed fire-rated systems often restrict airflow, increasing cable temperatures, reducing current capacity and accelerating insulation ageing.
Conventional Solutions
Intumescent Fire Coatings
Applied to cables within perforated trays, these systems offer good ventilation but provide limited fire protection during severe hydrocarbon or jet fires.
Ventilated Fire-Rated Ducts
Calcium silicate or cement-board duct systems improve airflow through ventilation openings. However, the ventilation grilles are rarely included in the overall fire certification, creating potential weak points.
Flexible Fire Jackets
Widely used in the Oil & Gas industry, removable fire blankets are easy to install but often suffer from poor appearance, limited durability and moisture absorption, reducing long-term reliability.
The DAKEN DFCT Solution
The DAKEN DFCT Fire-Rated Cable Trunking with Second-Generation Ventilation Grill combines fire protection and ventilation within one integrated system.
Constructed from an epoxy intumescent coating with reinforced structural panels, the system provides excellent rigidity, corrosion resistance and a clean architectural appearance while maintaining effective heat dissipation.
Unlike conventional designs, the ventilation grille forms part of the complete fire-rated assembly rather than being an independent accessory.
Certified Performance
The complete DAKEN DFCT system has successfully achieved:
- 180-minute Jet Fire Test at DNV Spadeadam Test Site
- Lloyd’s Register Type Approval
This demonstrates that ventilation and certified passive fire protection can coexist without compromising system integrity.
Key Benefits
- Integrated fire protection and ventilation
- Reduced cable de-rating through improved airflow
- High mechanical strength and long service life
- Excellent corrosion resistance
- Clean modular appearance
- Suitable for offshore, petrochemical, LNG, power generation and data centre applications
Conclusion
Traditional cable protection systems require a compromise between fire resistance and heat dissipation. The DAKEN DFCT Fire-Rated Cable Trunking eliminates this trade-off by integrating a certified ventilation grille into a fully fire-tested enclosure.
The result is a new generation of cable trunking that delivers reliable passive fire protection, effective thermal management and superior long-term performance for critical industrial infrastructure.