Mining vehicles and heavy mobile machinery operate in environments where fire risks can develop around engines, fuel lines, hydraulic systems, electrical equipment, transmissions and braking components. High operating temperatures, vibration, dust and demanding duty cycles make fire protection an important consideration for mining operators, equipment owners and fire protection contractors.
The ANWETECH AT-WET Water-Based Fire Suppression System is designed as an onboard fire suppression solution for diesel mining vehicles and heavy equipment. The system combines automatic heat-activated detection, manual emergency activation, a water-based extinguishing agent and high-pressure atomizing nozzles in an independent mechanical configuration.
The AT-WET system does not require an external electrical power supply for its mechanical activation process, allowing it to provide dedicated fire protection independently of the vehicle's electrical system. The source documentation identifies the engine area as the conventional primary protection zone while also listing electrical circuits, fuel and piping areas, hydraulic power-pump areas, transmissions and brake systems as potential protected areas.
Mining trucks, excavators, loaders and other diesel-powered mobile equipment combine several fire hazards within a relatively compact machinery compartment.
Potential fire-risk areas can include:
A fire developing inside an engine compartment may be difficult for an operator to see immediately. Equipment geometry can also create concealed areas where heat and flames develop before the fire becomes externally visible.
For this reason, an onboard suppression system should not depend only on the operator discovering the fire.
The AT-WET system provides two activation methods:
Automatic heat activation for unattended or early mechanical response.
Manual activation for situations where the operator or nearby personnel identify the fire first.
This dual activation approach provides an additional layer of operational flexibility for mobile equipment fire protection.
The AT-WET system uses a mechanical detection and actuation principle.
When a fire develops and the temperature at the protected area reaches the specified detector activation temperature, the heat-sensitive element operates. The detector releases the actuation medium through the triggering line toward the operating valve.
The operating valve then releases the extinguishing system, allowing the stored energy to drive the water-based extinguishing agent through the discharge piping and high-pressure atomizing nozzles.
The agent is distributed across the selected protection area to suppress or control the developing fire.
According to the source technical documentation, the automatic system response from actuation-device operation to actual nozzle discharge is ≤2 seconds.
If personnel discover the fire first, the system can also be manually activated through the dedicated manual trigger.
One of the key characteristics of the AT-WET system is its mechanically operated activation architecture.
The system is described as:
This is particularly relevant for mobile equipment because the vehicle electrical system itself may be located inside or near a potential fire-risk area.
The AT-WET activation process is therefore not dependent on the vehicle maintaining an electrical supply during the initial fire event.
The automatic detector uses a temperature-sensitive mechanical element.
The source documentation specifies two available activation temperatures:
141°C
182°C
When the selected activation temperature is reached, the detector operates and initiates the mechanical actuation sequence.
The documented thermal response time is ≤11 seconds after the response temperature is reached.
This mechanical arrangement allows the detection function to operate without relying on an electronic detection panel for system activation.
Detector selection and installation should be determined according to the actual vehicle configuration, expected normal operating temperatures and protected hazard areas.
Automatic detection is only one part of vehicle fire protection.
If an operator sees smoke or fire before the automatic detector operates, the AT-WET system can also be started manually.
According to the source document, the operator removes the safety pin and operates the manual trigger to activate the suppression system.
The documented maximum manual operating distance is 10 meters, while the manual actuator can be installed in different orientations depending on the vehicle arrangement.
A correctly positioned manual trigger can provide the operator with an accessible emergency activation point without requiring direct access to the fire area.
The AT-WET configuration covered by the source documentation uses:
Extinguishing Agent: S-100-AB-ST water-based extinguishing agent
Net Agent Capacity: 7 L
The nominal system configuration is based on the AT-WET 9L cylinder assembly.
The water-based agent is delivered through a dedicated discharge network and atomizing nozzles positioned around the intended hazard zone.
Rather than relying on a single discharge location, the system distributes the extinguishing agent through multiple nozzles, allowing the installation to target selected risk areas around the equipment.
The AT-WET 9L configuration includes six high-pressure atomizing nozzles.
The documented nozzle characteristics include:
The source document specifies an effective spray-distance parameter of approximately 1 meter and provides installation requirements for positioning the nozzles relative to the protected target.
The number and position of nozzles should be engineered around the actual equipment geometry rather than treating every machine as having an identical layout.
An excavator engine compartment, for example, has a different internal configuration from a mining truck, wheel loader or other mobile machine.
The AT-WET system uses separate functional piping for actuation and agent discharge.
The actuation circuit transmits the mechanical activation signal from the heat detector or manual trigger to the system operating mechanism.
The documented actuation pipe diameter is:
10.2 mm
The discharge circuit distributes the water-based extinguishing agent from the cylinder toward the high-pressure atomizing nozzles.
The documented discharge pipe diameter is:
12 mm
The source documentation specifies SUS304 materials for the system piping arrangement, using metal rigid pipe in combination with stainless-steel flexible connections.
Separating detection/actuation and extinguishing-agent discharge functions creates a straightforward mechanical operating architecture suitable for mobile-equipment applications.
For a vehicle fire suppression system, rapid delivery of extinguishing agent is important once the system has activated.
For the documented AT-WET configuration:
Effective discharge time: 16–20 seconds
The system therefore provides a sustained discharge rather than only a momentary release.
The technical documentation also specifies an automatic system response time of ≤2 seconds from trigger-device actuation to actual nozzle discharge.
This combination of rapid activation and distributed discharge is intended to deliver extinguishing agent across the targeted machinery area.
Mining equipment frequently operates under vibration, impact, dust and changing environmental conditions.
The AT-WET source documentation specifies an ambient operating temperature range of:
-40°C to +60°C
It also describes application in environments involving vibration, impact and dust contamination.
These characteristics make the system particularly relevant when evaluating fire protection for heavy mobile machinery used in demanding industrial operations.
A vehicle fire suppression system should focus on the locations where ignition sources, fuel or combustible fluids may be present.
The AT-WET documentation identifies the following potential protection areas:
The diesel engine area is listed as the conventional primary protection area.
Heat, fuel, lubrication fluids and electrical components may be concentrated within the compartment, making nozzle positioning around the engine an important part of system design.
Hydraulic power-pump areas and hydraulic-related zones may also be included in the protected layout.
Fuel lines and related piping can form part of the selected fire-protection area.
Electrical circuits and components may be protected where required by the equipment configuration.
Vehicle transmissions are also identified as potential protection zones.
Brake areas may be considered depending on vehicle type and identified fire risk.
These protection areas are specifically identified in the source documentation.
Based on its documented vehicle and mobile-equipment design, the AT-WET system can be evaluated for applications such as:
For excavators, loaders, mining trucks or other equipment types, the final installation should be designed according to the actual machine structure, identified hazard zones and available nozzle positions rather than applying one universal piping arrangement.
The extinguishing cylinder can be installed either:
Horizontally
or
Vertically
When installed horizontally, the pressure gauge should face upward.
The source documentation specifies a full-circle clamp arrangement for cylinder fixing.
This installation flexibility can be useful for heavy machinery where available space inside or around the equipment may be limited.
The documented system consists of the following principal components:
The system therefore combines detection, actuation, agent storage and distributed discharge components into one vehicle fire suppression package.
The effectiveness of a vehicle suppression system depends heavily on nozzle placement.
Nozzles should be positioned so that the spray can reach the selected hazard area without unnecessary obstruction.
The AT-WET technical documentation specifies an installation spacing of approximately 300–500 mm between nozzles for the documented configuration.
The nozzle protective covers should also remain installed to prevent debris from entering the nozzle opening.
For pipe installation, the original instructions require secure tightening of the nozzle assembly and verification that the discharge pipe cannot easily rotate or separate after installation.
This is particularly important on mining and heavy equipment because vibration can affect piping and fittings over extended operating periods.
An onboard fire suppression system must remain ready even if it has not discharged for a long period.
Routine inspection of the AT-WET system includes checking:
The source maintenance instructions specify weekly, monthly and periodic inspections for different components.
After any discharge, the extinguishing agent must be replenished and the system restored by qualified personnel before the machine returns to protected service.
| Parameter | AT-WET 9L Configuration |
|---|---|
| System Type | Automatic Water-Based Fire Suppression System |
| Extinguishing Agent | S-100-AB-ST Water-Based Extinguishing Agent |
| Agent Quantity | 7 L |
| Activation | Automatic Heat Activation + Manual Activation |
| Activation Principle | Mechanical |
| External Electrical Power for Activation | Not required |
| Driving Medium | Nitrogen |
| Number of Nozzles | 6 |
| Nozzle Material | SUS304 |
| Nozzle Type | High-Pressure Atomizing |
| Spray Angle | 80° |
| Automatic Response Time | ≤2 s from trigger operation to nozzle discharge |
| Effective Discharge Time | 16–20 s |
| Detector Temperatures | 141°C / 182°C |
| Discharge Pipe Diameter | 12 mm |
| Actuation Pipe Diameter | 10.2 mm |
| Nozzle Spacing | 300–500 mm |
| Ambient Temperature | -40°C to +60°C |
| Cylinder Installation | Horizontal or Vertical |
These values are based on the supplied AT-WET 9L technical documentation.
The AT-WET concept combines several characteristics that are useful when designing onboard protection for mining and heavy mobile machinery.
Automatic heat detection provides mechanical fire-trigger capability, while the manual trigger gives operators another method of activating the system.
Mechanical actuation helps keep the suppression function independent from the vehicle electrical supply.
Six high-pressure atomizing nozzles allow extinguishing agent to be distributed around selected machinery risk areas.
The system uses the documented S-100-AB-ST water-based extinguishing agent.
The documented nozzles and system piping use SUS304 material.
The system is intended for diesel mobile machinery operating under vibration, impact and dusty conditions.
Together, these characteristics make ANWETECH AT-WET a practical fire suppression option for project engineers, mining operators, heavy-equipment companies, fire protection contractors and system integrators evaluating onboard machinery protection.
There is no single nozzle arrangement that should automatically be applied to every vehicle.
Before designing an AT-WET system, the equipment should be reviewed to identify:
The final protection arrangement should then be developed around the actual risk zones of the individual machine.
This approach is particularly important when working with excavators, mining trucks, wheel loaders and other machinery because the internal compartment layout varies significantly between models.
