Water Mist Fire Suppression Systems
Principals: Phirex Australia (FOGEX® / MISTEX®) · Hydrocore (HPWM)
Water mist suppresses fire using a fraction of the water a conventional sprinkler needs — around 90% less. Specially engineered nozzles atomise water into micron-sized droplets that flash to steam on contact with fire, removing heat and displacing oxygen at the seat of the fire. It combines the oxygen-starvation effect of a gas system with the cooling effect of a sprinkler, and causes almost no water damage to the assets around it.
The technology proved itself first at sea, then moved onto land after the Montreal Protocol banned halon. Modern nozzle engineering has made it practical for buildings — and Unitor India supplies two of the strongest ranges available.
Our Two Ranges
Phirex Australia — FOGEX® and MISTEX® Manufacturing since 1993, ISO 9001:2015 certified, with classification-society approvals from DNV, Lloyd’s Register, Bureau Veritas, ABS and RINA. The natural fit for marine, offshore, machinery spaces, military and heavy industrial applications.
- FOGEX® (high pressure): pipe bore down to 9 mm, 3/8″ BSPP nozzle fittings, flow rates as low as 3.4 to 22 LPM per nozzle, stainless steel pipe and fittings, fog-like distribution that entrains into recessed areas
- MISTEX® (low pressure): 6–20 bar operating range, 100–350 micron droplets generated through swirl chambers, galvanised / stainless / copper / HDPE pipe options
- Supplied as pump systems or self-contained Pressure Skid Modules (PSMs)
Hydrocore — High Pressure Water Mist (HPWM) UK-engineered high pressure water mist operating above 35 bar, typically around 100 bar, with micro-droplets at Dv0.99 < 1000 μm. Built for land-based building applications where installation practicality and aesthetics matter as much as performance.
- Precision-engineered nozzle range: closed nozzles for highly targeted response, open nozzles for higher fire loads and hazardous environments
- Very low water consumption allows small-bore stainless steel pipework
- Pipework routes discreetly through service ducts without compromising building design
- No chemical additives and stainless steel piping — corrosion resistant, long system life, low maintenance
- Fast recovery after activation: no agent to recharge, so downtime is measured in hours rather than the week a facility can lose with other systems
Shared Advantages
- Roughly 90% less water than a conventional sprinkler system — smaller tanks, smaller pipes, lower structural loading
- Removes both heat and oxygen; cooling effect prevents re-ignition
- Safe to activate in occupied spaces
- Minimal collateral water damage to equipment, stock and finishes
- Long droplet retention time — no room sealing required, unlike gaseous systems
- Similar footprint to a gaseous system, with nothing to refill
- Water only, no chemicals — nothing to dispose of, no PFAS exposure
Which Range for Which Project
| Application | Recommended |
|---|---|
| Marine, offshore, cargo pump rooms | Phirex FOGEX® |
| Machinery spaces, turbines, generator rooms | Phirex FOGEX® |
| Military and heavy industrial | Phirex FOGEX® / MISTEX® |
| Hotels, residential high-rise, hospitals | Hydrocore HPWM |
| Data centres and server rooms | Either — specified to room volume |
| Heritage buildings, museums, archives | Hydrocore HPWM |
| Commercial kitchens | Hydrocore HPWM |
| Car parks and plant rooms | Phirex MISTEX® |
Applications Data centres and server rooms · Machinery, turbine and generator spaces · Marine and offshore installations · Hotels, hospitals and residential high-rises · Heritage buildings, archives and museums · Commercial kitchens · Transformer enclosures · Military and defence facilities · Industrial process areas
Standards & Approvals NFPA 750 design basis · FM Approved (combustion turbines, machinery spaces, special hazard enclosures to 500 m³) · IMO MSC/Circ. 668/728 and 1165 for machinery spaces and cargo pump rooms · IMO MSC/Circ. 913 local application · DNV, Lloyd’s Register, Bureau Veritas, ABS and RINA classification approvals · MED wheel-marked nozzles · ISO 9001:2015 manufacture