Data centre design is continually evolving due to AI workloads, higher power densities  and new technologies such as immersion cooling.  Expertise in water mist fire protection that understands these changing needs and compliance with evolving fire standards is crucial to data centre continuity.

Read more about the latest fire risk considerations that Fireworks Fire Protection is discussing with data centres today:

1. Increased Fire Risk Due to Higher Power Densities

AI workloads require high-performance computing (HPC) and specialized accelerators, which lead to significantly increased power consumption per rack from 5-10kW to 50-100kW or more.

Higher power densities generate greater heat loads, raising the risk of electrical faults and fire if cooling systems fail or components overheat.

Fireworks’ water mist fire protection solutions act faster and more efficiently to cool components and prevent fire spread and reignition compared to traditional fire suppression methods such as gas-based or sprinkler systems.

2. Compatibility with Liquid Cooling Technologies

Data centres are transitioning to new cooling technologies such as immersion cooling to manage heat.

While these technologies reduce heat, they introduce new fire risks, such as dielectric fluid leaks, potential short circuits, and localized overheating in high-density configurations.

“Water mist systems are uniquely suited for these environments as they can safely be used alongside data equipment, immersion cooling tanks and other liquid-based heat management systems” advised Fireworks Managing Director Derek Killaspy. “In addition, they do not leave conductive residues such as dry chemicals.”

3. Effective Suppression for Lithium-Ion Battery Fires

AI processing units often use high-capacity lithium-ion UPS systems, which can lead to thermal runaway. Water mist provides the most effective heat absorption properties, making it the  preferred solution for protecting server racks with lithium batteries.  Fireworks fire protection solutions are tested and approved in accordance with FM5560 for HC2 and HC3 areas including electrical energy storage rooms and lithium ion batteries in server racks.

4. Air velocity in data halls

Air velocity is a challenge for all fire suppression systems as high air flow can potentially activate the wrong sprinkler or mist nozzle. The  water mist solutions used by Fireworks overcome this challenge, as they are FM approved for data halls with air velocity of up 1.7m/s  (the maximum air velocity in data halls permitted by FM is 1.5m/2).

5. Improved Fire Containment in Densely Packed Data Halls

AI infrastructure requires dense server arrangements, increasing the risk of fire spread between components.

Water mist systems effectively create a fine mist barrier to help contain fire spread.

6. Fire protection that adapts to scalable and modular data centre infrastructures

Data centres architectures today are designed with scope for scalability and flexibility. Water mist fire protection systems can grow and adapt with the changing needs of data facilities, for example if co-locators change or the data hall expands. This ensures future-proof fire protection.

7. Environmental benefits

Water mist systems use significantly less water than traditional sprinklers, aligning with data centre sustainability goals. Fireworks water mist fire protection solutions for data centres have been shown by independent auditors to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 70% compared to other systems. Fire protection has a key role to play in improving the sustainable credentials of data centres.

8.FM 5560 compliance

Fireworks Fire Protection solutions are FM Approved for all areas of data centres, including  data processing equipment rooms, subfloors, raised floors, technical rooms, storage rooms, loading bays, and offices.

Expertise in evolving fire protection needs for data centres

As data centres transition to higher power densities and liquid cooling  technologies needed for AI processing chips, expertise in future-proof fire protection strategies is crucial.

For more advice or to book a meeting with  Fireworks Fire Protection at Data Centre World London 2025 on stand DC070 contact enquiries@fireworks-ltd.com