Fike ProInert2 Inert Gas Fire Suppression

The natural choice for critical asset protection.

ProInert2 is Fike’s inert gas fire suppression system that uses the air we already breathe, not chemical agents, to protect high value facilities across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Delaware, and Maryland. It combines IG 55 and IG 541 inert gas blends with a patented constant flow valve to deliver sustainable, people safe, and data center friendly fire protection.

As part of SSI’s clean agent fire suppression portfolio, ProInert2 offers a fully engineered solution for critical spaces that cannot afford water damage or downtime.

Quick Facts At A Glance

• Agent type: Inert gas, IG 55 and IG 541 blends of argon, nitrogen, and a small amount of carbon dioxide.
• Design goal: Lower oxygen just enough to stop combustion while remaining safe for people in the room.
• Key technology: Patented constant flow valve that holds pressure steady during discharge.
• Environmental profile: Zero ozone depletion potential, effectively zero global warming potential, zero atmospheric lifetime.
• Approvals: UL and FM listed system components when installed per Fike design guidelines.

What Is ProInert2

ProInert2 is an inert gas fire suppression system that uses naturally occurring gases instead of synthetic chemicals. These gases are already present in the atmosphere and are safe for use in normally occupied spaces when systems are engineered correctly to current standards such as NFPA 2001 clean agent guidance.

IG 55 and IG 541 gas blends

• IG 55: A 50 percent argon and 50 percent nitrogen mixture, both naturally occurring gases.
• IG 541: A blend of nitrogen, argon, and about 8 percent carbon dioxide, often referred to as an Inergen equivalent in standards and technical literature.

During a discharge, ProInert2 floods the protected space with one of these blends, reducing the oxygen level from the normal 21 percent down to a concentration that will not support combustion but remains within accepted exposure limits for people based on NFPA 2001 and related safety studies.

The Constant Flow Advantage

Traditional inert gas systems release agent at a very high initial pressure. That can create a sharp pressure peak in the room, require heavy wall piping, and drive large pressure relief vent sizes. ProInert2 uses a patented constant flow valve to control this discharge profile.

How constant flow works

• The valve modulates cylinder outlet pressure so the agent flows at a steady, controlled rate.
• The system still meets the industry requirement to discharge within about 60 seconds for total flooding applications.
• Room pressure rise is smoother, which helps protect the enclosure and simplifies venting design.

Design and cost advantages of constant flow:

• Smaller, lower pressure piping from the cylinder bank to the nozzles in many designs.
• Reduced vent area and related construction cost for pressure relief openings.
• Fewer cylinders because ProInert2 uses 300 bar storage, which packs more inert gas into each tank.
• More flexible cylinder placement and long pipe runs for equipment rooms that are not adjacent to the hazard.

Protecting Data Centers And Hard Drives

Modern hard disk drives can be sensitive to high sound pressure levels and vibration. Independent tests and technical papers have shown that discharge noise near or above critical levels can temporarily disrupt or damage drives in dense data halls, which is why acoustic performance matters for inert gas systems.

ProInert2’s controlled discharge and engineered nozzle designs help limit turbulence and sound levels compared to systems that vent gas at full cylinder pressure. When combined with good room acoustics and layout, this supports reliable data center operation through both the fire event and the suppression discharge.

For deeper background on the relationship between fire suppression discharge noise and hard drive performance, many engineers refer to technical resources such as 3M HDD acoustic FAQs, acoustic discharge whitepapers, and studies on data center availability and noise.

How Inert Gas Suppression Works

Inert gas systems extinguish fires by reducing the oxygen concentration and absorbing heat in the flame zone while keeping a safe oxygen level for people. Industry sources note that most fires cannot sustain combustion once oxygen drops below roughly 13 percent by volume, while properly designed inert gas systems maintain concentrations that are within accepted exposure limits for brief evacuations.

Key points for ProInert2 designs

• Agent fills the enclosure as a gas and reaches under raised floors, above ceilings, and inside equipment racks.
• Systems are sized to meet design concentrations for Class A, B, and C hazards under NFPA 2001 and related standards.
• Discharge time is typically 60 seconds or less to stop the fire before it grows or spreads.
• No residue is left behind, so there is no clean up of chemical powder or water.

For a broader overview of inert gas and clean agent systems, many designers consult articles from NFPA, US EPA SNAP listings for total flooding agents, NIST technical updates related to NFPA 2001, and professional guidance available through the Fire Suppression Systems Association.

Technical Overview: IG 55 Versus IG 541

ProInert2 can be engineered with either IG 55 or IG 541 based on risk, room geometry, and local code requirements. Both are inert gases that use components already present in the atmosphere.

Property	IG 55	IG 541
Composition	50 percent nitrogen, 50 percent argon	Approx. 52 percent nitrogen, 40 percent argon, 8 percent carbon dioxide
Extinguishing method	Reduces oxygen and cools the flame zone	Reduces oxygen, cools flame, and includes a small amount of CO2 to support breathing response
Typical use	Data centers, control rooms, archives, critical electronics	Similar applications where standards and approvals favor IG 541
Environmental profile	Zero ozone depletion potential, essentially zero global warming potential	Zero ozone depletion potential, effectively zero global warming potential
Storage pressure	Up to 300 bar in ProInert2 cylinders	Up to 300 bar in ProInert2 cylinders

In practice, both blends give facility owners a future ready, non halocarbon option that complements SSI’s 3M Novec 1230 and FK 5 1 12 clean agent solutions, ECARO 25 systems, and FM 200 clean agent systems.

Ideal Applications For ProInert2

ProInert2 is best suited for high consequence spaces where water is not acceptable.

• Data centers, server rooms, and cloud infrastructure facilities.
• Telecommunication switch rooms and network operations centers.
• Control rooms for industrial processes, power generation, and manufacturing.
• Archives, museums, libraries, and document repositories.
• Healthcare imaging suites with MRI, CT, and other diagnostic equipment.
• Financial trading floors and command centers where downtime carries high cost.

ProInert2 also fits well into long term environmental strategies where owners are monitoring the impact of the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act on halocarbon based clean agents and future refrigerant availability.

Resource Library And Downloads

Detailed data sheets and safety documents support engineering, maintenance, and compliance.

• IG 541 data sheet
• ProInert IG 55 extinguishant data sheet
• ProInert2 IG 55 agent storage cylinder data sheet
• IG 55 safety data sheet
• IG 541 safety data sheet

SSI also provides system level guidance through its clean agent overview and industrial and special hazard fire suppression pages, which explain how inert gas systems fit alongside other solutions such as specialty water mist and CO2.

Why Choose Suppression Systems Inc For ProInert2

Clean agent and inert gas systems are only as effective as the engineering and support behind them. SSI has designed, installed, and serviced special hazard fire suppression systems since 1983, including Fike ProInert2, Novec based systems, ECARO 25, FM 200, and specialty water suppression for a wide range of industries.

What you get with SSI

• Hazard analysis, enclosure integrity review, and detailed hydraulic calculations for ProInert2 systems.
• Turnkey design and installation coordinated with your mechanical, electrical, and IT teams.
• Integration with conventional or intelligent fire alarm control panels and early warning detection.
• Inspection, testing, and maintenance programs that align with NFPA, insurance, and local code requirements.
• Emergency response and system recharge service when a discharge occurs.

SSI serves facilities throughout the Mid Atlantic and Northeast and can coordinate ProInert2 alongside other specialty water suppression, CO2, and dry chemical systems when a layered protection strategy is needed.

Frequently Asked Questions About ProInert2

What is the difference between IG 55 and IG 541 in a ProInert2 system

IG 55 is a simple 50 percent nitrogen and 50 percent argon mixture. IG 541 is a three gas blend of nitrogen, argon, and a small amount of carbon dioxide. Both are inert gases with zero ozone depletion potential and effectively zero global warming potential. The choice between them depends on design preferences, standards, and specific hazard needs.

Is inert gas fire suppression safe for people in occupied rooms

Yes, when the system is engineered and installed correctly. ProInert2 is designed so that oxygen is lowered just enough to stop combustion while staying within the limits set by NFPA 2001 and related guidance for short term human exposure. Occupants should evacuate promptly after a discharge, but the system is intended for normally occupied areas.

How many ProInert2 cylinders will my project need

That depends on room volume, design concentration, and whether the system uses IG 55 or IG 541. Because ProInert2 uses 300 bar storage, each cylinder holds more agent than older 150 or 200 bar systems. This often reduces the total number of cylinders and the footprint of the cylinder bank. SSI provides project specific budgets once basic room data is available.

Can ProInert2 protect long pipe runs or equipment on multiple floors

Yes. ProInert2’s constant flow technology and 300 bar storage allow long horizontal and vertical pipe runs when designs are completed using Fike’s engineered flow calculations. This makes it possible to place the cylinder bank in a remote equipment room while protecting hazards several floors away.

Does inert gas fire suppression noise damage hard drives

High sound pressure levels can affect some hard disk drives, which is why acoustic performance is now a standard part of many data center fire protection discussions. ProInert2’s controlled discharge helps limit peak sound levels compared to systems that vent at full cylinder pressure. SSI also considers room acoustics, nozzle placement, and vendor research on safe sound levels when designing systems for critical IT environments.

How does ProInert2 compare to chemical clean agents like FK 5 1 12 or ECARO 25

Chemical clean agents such as FK 5 1 12 and ECARO 25 are excellent choices where very compact storage, rapid discharge, or specific design constraints favor them. ProInert2 provides a non halocarbon alternative with inert gas, zero global warming potential, and no future phase down pressure from regulations such as the AIM Act. SSI designs all three technologies and can compare them side by side for your project.

Plan Your Inert Gas Strategy

Whether you are designing a new data center, upgrading legacy Halon or HFC systems, or adding protection to critical control rooms, ProInert2 gives you a sustainable, high performance inert gas option.

Share your floor plans, room dimensions, and risk priorities with SSI. Our engineering team will recommend a ProInert2 configuration, or a combination of clean agents and special hazard systems, that balances safety, environmental impact, and long term serviceability for your facility.

To get started, contact SSI’s clean agent specialists through the site or call the number listed on our main fire suppression page.