Novec 1230
Fire Suppression System

Novec 1230 (chemical name: dodecafluoro-2-methylpentan-3-one, also designated FK-5-1-12) is a next-generation clean agent fire suppressant developed originally by 3M as a sustainable replacement for HFC-based clean agents including FM-200. It is a colorless, odorless, electrically non-conductive liquid at room temperature that vaporizes rapidly upon discharge to flood a protected enclosure as a gas.

Novec 1230 has a boiling point of 49°C — stored as a liquid under its own vapor pressure, it requires no pressurization for storage (unlike many other clean agents). When the system activates, Novec 1230 is expelled from its cylinders using nitrogen pressure, travels through the distribution piping as a liquid, and vaporizes as it exits the discharge nozzles — flooding the protected volume uniformly as a gas within seconds.

The agent suppresses fire primarily through heat absorption: Novec 1230 has an exceptionally high heat of vaporization, absorbing large quantities of thermal energy from the combustion zone as it vaporizes, rapidly reducing the fire’s energy below the self-sustaining combustion threshold.

No other fire suppression agent — clean agent, inert gas, or conventional — matches Novec 1230’s combination of environmental performance metrics. These are not marketing claims but measurable physical and chemical properties:

Novec 1230’s atmospheric lifetime of just 5 days is the shortest of any fire suppression agent — compared to FM-200’s 34-year atmospheric persistence. This means that even if a Novec 1230 system discharges, the agent breaks down naturally within days with negligible cumulative environmental impact. This is the core reason Novec 1230 is described as the most sustainable halon alternative available and why organizations with science-based emissions targets increasingly specify it over FM-200.

Highest Human Safety Margin of Any Clean Agent

Novec 1230 has a NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) of 10% by volume — the highest of any clean agent specified in NFPA 2001. Its design concentration of 5.3–5.6% by volume is significantly below this NOAEL, providing a safety margin of nearly 2:1 between the working concentration and the level at which any adverse effects would be observed. This is the widest safety margin of any commercially used clean agent, giving Novec 1230 the best human safety profile in the clean agent category.

Fast Suppression — 10 Seconds or Less

Despite working purely through heat absorption (with no chemical combustion chain interference), Novec 1230 achieves fire suppression in 10 seconds or less at its design concentration — matching FM-200’s suppression speed. This is possible because of Novec 1230’s extremely high heat of vaporization: the agent absorbs enormous quantities of thermal energy as it vaporizes in the fire zone, collapsing the combustion process faster than an oxygen-depleting agent could achieve at equivalent concentration.

Zero Residue — Zero Secondary Damage

Novec 1230 is neither corrosive nor electrically conductive. It leaves absolutely no residue after discharge — the agent simply vaporizes and disperses. Protected servers, switchgear, archival documents, artworks, and instruments are in exactly the same condition post-discharge as they were before, except the fire is out. Equipment inspection and return to service can begin immediately after ventilation — without decontamination, drying time, or equipment cleaning costs.

Lowest Design Concentration of Any Clean Agent

At a design concentration of just 5.3–5.6% by volume, Novec 1230 requires less agent to protect the same volume than FM-200 (7–8%) or CO2 (34%). This translates directly into fewer cylinders, smaller cylinder storage footprint, and lower agent cost per protected cubic meter — partially offsetting the higher per-kilogram cost of Novec 1230 compared to FM-200.

Stored as a Liquid — Compact Footprint

Novec 1230 is stored as a liquid under its own vapor pressure, with nitrogen used only as an expellant. The liquid storage density means that Novec 1230 achieves a cylinder footprint comparable to FM-200 — significantly smaller than inert gas systems that require multiple large high-pressure cylinders to store equivalent suppression capacity in gaseous form.

Suitable for All Fire Classes

Novec 1230 effectively suppresses Class A (ordinary combustibles), Class B (flammable liquids), and Class C (electrical) fires — making it suitable for the complete range of hazards found in data centers, control rooms, and other protected environments where multiple fire hazard classes may be present simultaneously.

Future-Proof Regulatory Compliance

With a GWP of less than 1 and an atmospheric lifetime of just 5 days, Novec 1230 is not subject to HFC phase-down regulations and is unlikely to face regulatory restrictions in any foreseeable future regulatory scenario. Organizations installing FM-200 systems today face a real risk that tightening HFC regulations — already in progress in the EU and under discussion globally — could restrict FM-200 recharging or require system replacement within the system’s operational lifetime. Novec 1230 eliminates this risk entirely.

1. Continuous Detection — Cross-zoned smoke detectors (typically two independent detection zones) monitor the protected enclosure 24 hours a day. A single zone activating triggers pre-alarm only
2. Pre-Discharge Alarm — When the cross-zone condition is confirmed (both zones activated), audible multi-tone sounders and visual strobes activate inside and at all access doors to the protected space — mandatory evacuation warning
3. Pre-Discharge Time Delay — A programmable countdown (typically 30 seconds per NFPA 2001) allows complete evacuation before agent release. The abort station can halt the sequence if the alarm is determined false
4. HVAC Shutdown & Enclosure Sealing — HVAC systems serving the protected space de-energize and fire-rated dampers close automatically, sealing the enclosure to retain Novec 1230 at design concentration during the hold period
5. Cylinder Valve Opens — The solenoid actuator opens the cylinder valve, releasing Novec 1230 under nitrogen expellant pressure into the distribution piping
6. Liquid-to-Gas Discharge — Novec 1230 travels through the piping as a liquid and vaporizes as it exits the precision-orificed discharge nozzles, flooding the protected volume uniformly as a gas within 10 seconds
7. Fire Suppression — Novec 1230 absorbs heat from the combustion zone, rapidly reducing the fire’s energy below the self-sustaining threshold. Oxygen levels in the room remain normal — no oxygen depletion occurs
8. Hold Period — Per NFPA 2001 and ISO 14520-5, a minimum of 85% of design concentration must be maintained for at least 10 minutes after discharge to ensure complete suppression and prevent re-ignition
9. Post-Discharge Ventilation — After fire suppression is confirmed by qualified personnel, the space is ventilated. Novec 1230 disperses within minutes — its 5-day atmospheric lifetime means even the ventilated agent has negligible environmental impact
10. System Recharge — Discharged cylinders are sent for recharging. The system is reset to automatic standby

Novec 1230 and FM-200 are the two leading clean agent options for data centers and server rooms. Both suppress fire in 10 seconds and leave zero residue — but they differ significantly on several important dimensions:

Bottom line: Choose Novec 1230 when environmental performance, long-term regulatory compliance, or the widest human safety margin are priorities. Choose FM-200 when agent cost, local availability, and the most proven global installation track record take precedence. Both deliver equivalent fire suppression performance for data centers and server rooms. Our engineering team can advise on the optimal choice for your specific facility. See our FM-200 system page for full details on that option.

Laboratories & Pharmaceutical Facilities

Research laboratories, pharmaceutical manufacturing quality control rooms, and analytical instrument rooms contain equipment and materials that cannot be exposed to water, foam, or chemical residue. Novec 1230’s clean discharge and high human safety margin make it ideal for environments where personnel may be present when suppression occurs.

Telecommunications & Network Infrastructure

Telecommunications exchange buildings, BTS equipment rooms, and network operations centers that have adopted green building or sustainability frameworks specify Novec 1230 as the clean agent that aligns with their environmental commitments without compromising protection performance.

UPS Rooms & Electrical Switchgear

High-value UPS systems, main distribution boards, and electrical switchgear rooms benefit from Novec 1230’s electrical non-conductivity and zero-residue discharge — the agent can be safely discharged into energized electrical environments without risk of short circuit or equipment contamination.

Banking, Finance & Insurance Facilities

Banks, financial institutions, and insurance companies protecting server infrastructure, trading systems, and document vaults increasingly specify Novec 1230 as part of their ESG and green finance commitments, recognizing that fire suppression agent selection is a quantifiable component of a facility’s environmental impact reporting.

• Novec 1230 Cylinder Assembly — Cylinders containing liquefied Novec 1230 with nitrogen expellant; sized for the total agent quantity required for the protected volume. Because of Novec 1230’s low design concentration (5.3–5.6%), fewer cylinders are typically required than for FM-200 for the same protected volume
• Cylinder Valve & Solenoid Actuator — Opens automatically on signal from the control panel; mechanical pull-pin provides manual backup activation independent of electrical power
• Liquid Distribution Piping — Novec 1230 travels through the piping network as a liquid (unlike gaseous clean agents), vaporizing at the nozzle orifice — allowing smaller pipe diameters than equivalent gas-phase systems
• Discharge Nozzles — Precision-orificed nozzles positioned by hydraulic calculation to achieve uniform agent distribution throughout the protected volume within the 10-second discharge time. Nozzle design accounts for the liquid-to-gas phase transition at the orifice
• Suppression Control Panel — Manages detection input, pre-discharge sequence, time delay, abort function, and solenoid valve actuation. Provides automatic and manual modes; battery-backed for operation during power failure. Integrates with the building fire alarm system
• Cross-Zoned Smoke Detectors — Typically addressable photoelectric or VESDA (Very Early Smoke Detection Apparatus) detectors in cross-zone configuration; two zones must activate to initiate the suppression sequence
• Pre-Discharge Warning Devices — Audible multi-tone sounders (minimum 94 dB) and visual strobes inside the protected space and at all access points
• Abort Station — Allows authorized personnel to halt the discharge countdown if the alarm is determined to be false; must be actively held throughout the delay period to prevent discharge
• Gas Discharge Indicator Lamps — Illuminate above all access doors when the discharge sequence is active, warning personnel not to enter
• HVAC Shutdown & Door Release Interface — Automatically de-energizes HVAC systems and closes fire dampers on alarm to seal the protected enclosure
• Cylinder Pressure Monitoring — Continuous pressure monitoring with low-pressure supervisory alarm if agent loss from leakage is detected between inspections

Per NFPA 2001 and ISO 14520-5, a minimum of 85% of the design Novec 1230 concentration must be maintained for at least 10 minutes after discharge. Leaks through cable penetrations, raised floor openings, unsealed HVAC connections, and door gaps allow agent to escape and atmospheric air to re-enter — potentially allowing re-ignition before the hold period is complete.

PT Totalfire Indonesia performs mandatory door fan enclosure integrity testing (per ISO 14520 Annex C and NFPA 2001 Annex B) at commissioning of every Novec 1230 system. The test uses a calibrated fan to measure the enclosure’s equivalent leakage area and calculate predicted agent retention time. All leak points are identified and sealed before the system is certified. This is a standard — not optional — component of our commissioning scope for every gaseous suppression system installation.

• FM-200 (HFC227ea) System — The most widely installed clean agent globally; ideal when agent cost and local availability take priority over environmental performance
• Inert Gas System — Zero GWP naturally occurring gas blend; for applications where zero environmental impact from the agent itself is the primary requirement
• CO2 System — Cost-effective total flooding and local application suppression for unoccupied industrial hazards, turbines, and process equipment

• Sprinkler System — Automatic water-based suppression for the broader facility surrounding the Novec 1230-protected enclosure
• Wet Pipe System — For offices, corridors, and common areas adjacent to the protected server room or archive
• Fire Hydrant System — Manual large-scale suppression for the overall facility
• Water Spray System — For transformer and industrial equipment protection in the same facility