Water mist fire suppression systems in data centers: IXcellerate experience

In a world where downtime means losses, data centers must be designed not only to meet current requirements but also to prevent failures before they occur. Therefore, IXcellerate’s approach to selecting fire protection is structured as one of the key areas of engineering infrastructure: applying the most advanced technologies, planning for long-term operation, and forecasting potential risks.

One such solution is the automatic fire suppression system based on high-pressure water mist (WM) — an effective, environmentally friendly, and most importantly, human-safe method for local fire suppression in areas with electrical equipment.

Water mist (WM) in data centers is a fire suppression system that uses distilled water sprayed under high pressure through specialized sprinklers in the form of fine-dispersed mist (water mist).

The finest water droplets instantly evaporate in the combustion zone, simultaneously removing heat (cooling effect) and displacing oxygen with steam (reducing oxygen concentration). This creates a “water curtain” that screens thermal radiation — protecting adjacent equipment from overheating and preventing fire spread.

Key advantages of water mist

• No requirement for data hall isolation: Unlike gas systems, which require completely isolated spaces for effectiveness, water mist works even with open air flows and leaks
• Human safety: Distilled water does not conduct electricity, making it safe when in contact with operating equipment
• Minimal equipment damage: The system uses 90% less water than conventional sprinklers

The technology’s versatility is confirmed by its wide application spectrum: water mist is actively used beyond the data center industry — on cruise ships, in theaters and concert halls, museums, operating rooms, laboratories, and high-speed trains.

IXcellerate holds leading positions in the Russian data center market, becoming one of the first colocation providers to implement water mist systems as a key element of data center fire protection. The company began using this technology in 2013 in its first data center, MOS1.

HI-FOG® system in MOS1 and MOS2 data centers

The data centers MOS1 and MOS2 use the high-pressure water mist fire suppression system HI-FOG® manufactured by Marioff. The choice of this particular system is due to its proven reliability — it is approved by the International Maritime Organization for use on ships and is successfully applied in such landmark facilities in Russia as the Bolshoi Theatre and Moscow Metro.

The implementation of HI-FOG® brought IXcellerate several strategic advantages:

• Architectural flexibility: The need to divide machine halls into airtight compartments for gas suppression was eliminated. In large machine halls, this allowed for the placement of additional racks and reduced capital costs for wall construction and infrastructure duplication.
• Operational efficiency: Colocation client equipment can be flexibly placed in a large hall, enclosing the required area with temporary partitions and organizing individual access and video monitoring according to tenant requirements.
• Economic benefit: The water mist system does not require regular replacement of expensive fire extinguishing substances — recharging after activation is reduced to replenishing water supplies.
• Environmental safety: Water is non-toxic, harmless to personnel and the environment, does not cause equipment corrosion, and does not require special ventilation after activation.

Innovative solution in MOS5 data center

The MOS5 data center implements the most modern approach to fire protection using a high-pressure water mist automatic fire suppression system combined with an automatic gas fire suppression system installed in several machine halls based on customer requirements. This facility demonstrates the evolution of IXcellerate’s technological solutions and the implementation of advanced safety principles.

Pre-action system operating principle

Each machine hall equipped with water mist represents a separate dry sprinkler section with an area of 800 to 1000 m². The system operates on a pre-action scheme, which ensures maximum reliability and eliminates false activations. In standby mode, pipelines are dry, under slight air pressure, and water is held by a closed valve.

To begin water release, two events are required simultaneously: a “Fire” signal from detectors and heating of a specific sprinkler to the activation threshold.

This two-level protection system virtually eliminates the possibility of false activation: if the alarm system triggers erroneously, water will not be supplied without confirmation from the thermal sensor of the sprinkler above the server rack. Conversely, in case of accidental mechanical damage to the sprayer, the system will not begin water supply without a fire signal.

The technical solution for sprinkler placement demonstrates the scale and thoughtfulness of the system: they are located more than 200 meters from the pump station, which became possible due to the high pressure in the system and the use of corrosion-resistant pipelines.

The data center building is also protected by a high-pressure water mist internal fire water supply system. Cabinets are located in corridors, and with a 30-meter hose reel, any point in the machine hall can be reached.

Modular system architecture

The water mist system in MOS5 is assembled on a modular principle: stainless steel pipelines do not require welding, are easily configured, bypass adjacent engineering structures, and allow for rapid scaling of protection during replanning.

The modular approach ensures not only technical flexibility but also economic efficiency, allowing the system to be adapted to the changing needs of the data center without significant capital investment.

Years of experience using water mist in IXcellerate data centers has highlighted the main advantages of this approach:

Local (point) suppression: Activation occurs only where temperature has risen, which favorably distinguishes the system from gas fire suppression that fills the entire hall with extinguishing agent, requiring personnel evacuation.

Personnel safety: Water mist poses no threat to human health, does not require room sealing, and staff can continue to save equipment during system operation.

Minimization of false activations: The system is designed so that even if a sprinkler is damaged without a signal from the fire alarm system, water will not flow.

Economic efficiency: A water mist station can service dozens of machine halls without the need to install separate units for each, significantly reducing installation and maintenance costs.

Operational flexibility: Due to modularity, the system can be supplemented or modified without stopping data center operations.

Understanding the uniqueness of each data center project, engineers from IXcellerate’s R&D department have developed a methodology for creating customized solutions that optimally combine various types of fire suppression systems.

At customer request, within colocation services, variants using both water mist and gas fire suppression systems can be implemented in one data center. This hybrid approach allows:

• Accounting for specific requirements of different customers
• Optimizing protection for various data center zones
• Balancing investments in engineering protection

Each solution is based on comprehensive technical and economic analysis, including assessment of equipment configuration, machine hall architecture, and SLA requirements.

Analysis of global trends shows that the data center fire protection industry is on the verge of significant changes driven by environmental requirements and technological progress.

Environmental factor as a driver of change

Tightening environmental requirements are becoming the main driver of the transition from traditional systems to more environmentally friendly solutions. Traditional halon fire extinguishing agents (Halon, HCFC, HFC) are gradually being phased out due to their ozone-depleting effect, high global warming potential, and PFAS content. In this context, water mist systems gain competitive advantage as a completely environmentally safe alternative: the technology uses only water, creates no harmful by-products, and consumes 5-10 times less water than traditional sprinkler systems.

Market forecasts

According to an Acumen Research and Consulting report, the global water mist fire extinguishing system market was valued at $1,034.5 million in 2024 and is projected to reach $1,520.5 million by 2033, demonstrating a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.4%.

This data indicates growing recognition of water mist technology advantages and confirms the correctness of IXcellerate’s strategic choice in favor of this solution.

Integration with Artificial Intelligence technologies

The future of fire protection in data centers is linked to the integration of artificial intelligence technologies and hybrid solutions. Modern systems are evolving toward creating intelligent security complexes capable not only of responding to fires but also predicting their occurrence.

Key technological directions:

• Multi-level sensor networks with real-time environmental analysis
• Aspiration systems capable of differentiating smoke from dust and analyzing air gas composition
• Machine learning algorithms for early anomaly detection
• “Smart” equipment condition monitoring modules with self-diagnostic functions

IXcellerate experience demonstrates that water mist systems represent not just an alternative to traditional fire suppression methods, but a qualitatively new approach to ensuring data center safety.

Water mist technology successfully combines the requirements of modern engineering infrastructure: high suppression efficiency, environmental safety, operational flexibility, and economic feasibility. More than a decade of operational experience confirms the correctness of choosing this technology as the foundation for long-term development of fire protection systems.