Wagner Group: OxyReduct in Heathrow Airport. Terminal 5 is the latest extension of the international airport London-Heathrow. Since its completion in 2008, it has a capacity of 30 million passengers per year. The terminal is used almost entirely by British Airways (BA). Within the infrastructure at the terminal two new computer centres are housed operated by British Airways, which will be reliably protected from fire by a solution named “OxyReduct”.

Situated in the west of Britain’s Capital City London-Heathrow, with more than 67 million airline passengers, has the most passengers in Europe and the third-most worldwide. The construction of the new terminal began in 2002. The terminal consists of a 396-metre-long and 176-metre-wide main building as well as two adjoining buildings, each 442 m long and 42 m wide.

All in all, up to 60 airplanes can be dispatched at the same time. British Airways is occupying the new terminal almost completely itself. It was BA’s goal to make logistic operations even more pleasant, easier and more service-oriented for their customers.

To guarantee this, British Airways is using the most modern IT technology and to achieve this, the availability of the data processes must be protected stably and reliably. The slightest down-time of any system would be unimaginable for a flight operator which has to consistently function 24 hours a day.

And so, the risk assessment given to the Fire Risk Managers at British Airways was always consistent: “We can‘t afford a fire”.

24 Hours of Safe Networking

At the site of Terminal 5 there are two IT areas, one EDP room with a volume of 1,400 m3, as well another EDP room of volume 950 m3: OxyReduct, which received the acceptance from British Airways doesn’t react to a fire event like a conventional extinguishing or water mist system, merely minimising possible damage, but it actively avoids a fire before it can occur.

According to the definition of the materials located in the computer centre the oxygen content of the whole protective area will be reduced by introducing enough nitrogen so that the suitable substances can‘t burn any more.

The goal of the Risk Managers of British Airways was achieved: Fires can be avoided.

Contact:

Lars Schröder
Wagner Group GmbH, Langenhagen, Germany
Tel.: +49 511 97383 0
Fax: +49 511 97383 140
info@wagner.de
www.wagner.de