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Case study: KOMSA

WAGNER fire prevention protects KOMSA’s automated compact storage system

In 2017, KOMSA commissioned WAGNER to equip its automated compact storage at its headquarters in Hartmannsdorf (Germany) with innovative fire protection. Conventional fire protection systems with e.g. sprinkler technology are not effective: In the event of a fire, the extinguishing water does not even reach the source of the fire in the worst case, as the dense construction with the stacked containers prevent this. Active fire prevention with OxyReduct® is the appropriate solution here.

To optimize its logistics processes, KOMSA invested in a 675 m² and automated compact storage. It comprises approximately 25,000 plastic containers, each with a capacity of 70 liters. The containers are stacked on top of each other in an aluminium structure and automatically guided to the picking module. The high packing density requires an adaptable fire protection solution to protect the stored technical products and to maintain the flow of goods. KOMSA therefore relies on active fire prevention by means of oxygen reduction.

The automated compact storage was built at KOMSA in the main logistics building. The small load carrier compact storage system has ten picking modules. The totes are transported to and from the warehouse quickly and fully automatically by robots.

With the robot-supported compact warehouse, KOMSA has invested in the current and future requirements of its trading partners to have goods delivered as quickly as possible after ordering. KOMSA stores the technology of the future here: tablets, smartphones, laptops and routers, etc.

KOMSA is one of the leading European distributors and service providers for modern communication technology with headquarters in Hartmannsdorf, Saxony (Germany). More than 1,000 employees work in Germany and Poland.

Intelligent fire prevention concept ensures product availability

Risk analysis

  • Small load carrier
    The small load carrier containers behave like flammable liquids in case of fire.
  • Robots
    The batteries and charging stations of the robots are a potential source of fire.
  • Degree of automation
    High degree of automation and thus high proportion of installed electrical equipment. Overheating or short circuits can occur here
  • Packing density
    The compact storage method of the containers leads to a high packing density. A fire can spread unhindered.

Protection goals

Holistic fire protection that adjusts to any situation

To achieve the protection goals defined by the customer and taking into account the specific risks in the KOMSA warehouse, our project team developed an individual, holistic fire protection solution consisting of our OxyReduct® fire prevention technology in combination with TITANUS® aspirating smoke detectors for early fire detection.  

The active oxygen reduction system OxyReduct® system prevents fires from spreading, thus eliminating the risk of fire-related material losses or operational interruptions that might threaten a company’s existence. To achieve this, the oxygen content in the area to be protected is permanently lowered below the ignition threshold of the materials predominately housed there and maintained at this level in a controlled manner. This is done through the introduction of nitrogen, which is generated as needed from the air in the room using a physical filtration process.

Since there is still a risk of short circuits on cables and electrical components even in oxygen-reduced environments, the fire protection installed at KOMSA in combination with the highly sensitive TITANUS® aspirating smoke detectors becomes a holistic solution. TITANUS® aspirating smoke detectors detect even the finest pyrolysis particles at a very early stage and thus enable countermeasures to be taken in good time, such as shutting off the power supply.


Customer goals

  • Safe
    Active fire prevention system for permanent, reliable fire protection; conventional systems require a fire to initiate.
  • Easy
    Nitrogen is extracted directly on site from the ambient air. The plant is housed in a container outside the warehouse for this purpose.
  • Space-saving
    Almost no space is required in the compact storage system, thus full utilization of the storage system is guaranteed.
  • Flexible
    The fire protection solution easily adapts to any building shape and is scalable for future expansion.
  • Environmentally friendly
    In case of fire, no disposal of fire residues or extinguishing agents is necessary.

Customer Testimonial

Gernot Graebner, Executive Vice President Processes & Projects at KOMSA

Fire-related effects like high temperatures and smoke would contaminate and destroy our goods, as would extinguishing water. That would force us to interrupt our operating processes, thus disrupting our delivery capabilities - an absolute no-go for us. So it didn’t take us long to choose WAGNER’s OxyReduct® active fire prevention technology.

Frank Werner, KOMSA Project Manager

The key consideration for us was that this individual fire prevention solution by WAGNER can greatly minimise the risk of fire-related disruption.

Contact

Automated compact storage systems require innovative fire protection solutions. Active fire prevention protects operators from the consequences of a fire. This ensures the ability to deliver and operate. Feel free to contact us if you would like us to take on your fire protection challenge.

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