TECO Americas Announces FireBag® Thermal Actuated Gas Shutoff Device

TECO Americas announces the FireBag® — a line of thermally actuated gas shut-off valves used to control the flow of natural, propane or butane gases.

Many existing emergency gas shut-off devices require manual manipulation — a poor solution in emergency fire situations. The FireBag provides a much better solution by automatically discontinuing the flow of gas when the ambient temperature reaches 100º C (212º F). With this device, gas is automatically discontinued in fire situations to avert fire escalation and potential gas explosions.

“The FireBag’s thermally activated gas shut-off device provide much needed protection in both industrial and residential gas applications,” observes Bill Farrell, president of Assured Automation.

According to the NFPA, the U.S. fire departments face 2,110 home fires a year where natural gas is the first material ignited, and 1,170 home fires a year where LP-gas is involved with the start of a fire. Most home gas fires originate in the kitchen at the stove or gas range.

“Gas appliances manufactured in Europe routinely include thermal actuated gas shut-off safety devices, resulting in a significant decrease in the danger of gas ignited fires,” Farrell points out.

The FireBag® domestic product line includes:

• G4T404 for utility-supplied gas pipes, heating systems with radiant pipes, and hot air generators
• G2T50 for utility-supplied gas meters
• G4T10 for gas boilers and wall heaters
• G2T40 for gas appliances such as stoves ( ranges) and gas radiators
• G4TF for thermal stations

The FireBag® industrial product line includes:

• G4T404 for varnishing and paint booths
• TASF for gas motors
• G4TF for commercial ovens

The FireBag® has been used throughout the world to provide automatic thermal interruption of gas in paint booth applications, water heaters, stoves and ranges, radiator and gas utilities.

Although US fire codes and certifications for thermally activated shutoff devices currently do not exist, the FireBag® conforms to internationally established codes and standards. For example, the European UNI EN 1775 Standard requires all indoor gas pipelines be designed, built and protected to prevent explosions in the case of fire as well as spreading of the fire itself. The FireBag® conforms to this standard as well as the European Directive 90/396/CEE, the German Firing System Directive and DVGW TRGI 86/96. It also is certified for the German National Standard DIN 3586.