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NIFPS TRANSFORMER FIRE PROTECTION

MADE IN INDIA

Two layers of protection. One controller. Every step confirmed.

The VIBA Dual- Layer Transformer Fire Protection System stops an internal fault from turning into an explosion and puts out a fire that starts outside the tank. A panel in your control room confirms each action as it happens. 

For oil filled transformers and reactors
New and existing units
Motorised valve with position feedback
Works through an AC power failure

WHY IT MATTERS

Above 10 MVA, fire protection is the law. Most fires start outside the tank

India's electricity safety regulations require an automatic fire protection system on every transformer of 10 MVA and above. The National Building Code names water spray or nitrogen injection for these units. A transformer fire takes months to recover from.

2.4 - 4%

of transformers cause a fire over 40- year life

70 - 80%

of fires below 300 kV start at bushings and cable boxes, outside the tank

10 MVA

the size above which automatic protection is required

Figures: CIGRÉ Working Group A2.33 via T&D World; CEA safety regulations 2023; NBC 2016 Part 4, cl. 3.4.6.3.1.

HOW IT WORKS

Watch it respond to a fault and to a fire

Choose a scenario and step through it, or press Play all. The red panel on the right mirrors VIBA's indoor HMI panel.

THE TWO LAYERS

Inside the tank and around it

LAYER 1 · INSIDE

Nitrogen injection (NIFPS)

Acts on an internal fault before oil can ignite.

  • Isolates the conservator so it cannot feed a fire.

  • A motorised valve drains hot top oil to relieve tank pressure.

  • A motorised valve injects dry nitrogen to stir and cool the oil and keep oxygen out.

  • Starts only on two independent signals, after the breakers are confirmed open.

LAYER 2 · OUTSIDE

High-pressure water mist or water spray

Acts on fire at bushings, cable boxes and oil spills.

  • 200 bar mist from three rings around the tank, or high velocity water spray to IS 15325

  • Cools the tank, cuts oxygen at the flame, shields neighbouring equipment

  • Zone valve per bay: only the affected transformer discharges

  • Nitrogen-driven mist option works without electricity

THE HARDWARE

OUTDOOR PANEL AND INDOOR CONTROL PANEL

An outdoor cubicle beside the transformer and an indoor panel in the control room. A completely designed, manufactured and installed by VIBA.

Outdoor NIFPS Cubicle

  • Holds the nitrogen cylinders, oil drain valve and nitrogen valve.

  • Every valve is motorised, with no mechanical lever release.

  • Each valve reports how far it has opened, so the control room sees it happen.

  • Viewing windows show nitrogen pressure and status without opening the doors.

Indoor control-room panel with HMI

  • Touch-screen HMI shows each step of the sequence as it is confirmed

  • Time-stamped event log with operator acknowledgement

  • Indicator lamps for alarms and system health at a glance.

  • Output to SCADA by potential-free contacts and Modbus

IN THE CONTROL ROOM

An HMI panel that shows proof, not just an alarm

Most systems light a lamp or send one alarm to SCADA. VIBA's indoor panel has a touch-screen HMI that shows each step as it is confirmed in the field: breakers open, conservator isolated, drain valve open, nitrogen pressure proven, mist flowing.

  • Time-stamped event log for investigation and insurance

  • Continuous health checks: nitrogen pressure, detector circuits, valve positions, DC supply

  • Output to your SCADA by potential-free contacts and Modbus

  • Nitrogen cannot be released until the drain valve reports open

APPLICATIONS

Every Industry has transformers

Transmission and distribution substations 

Power transformers, ICTs and reactors

Railways and metro

Traction and receiving substations

Industrial plants

Steel, cement, chemicals, auto and pharma

Mining and defence

Mine substations, ordnance and naval sites

Data centres and IT parks

Where an outage costs the most

Solar parks and battery storage

Remote, water-scarce pooling substations

STANDARDS AND TESTING

Build to Indian Building Codes

Designed to the Central Electricity Authority's generic nitrogen injection specification and the National Building Code. Components carry the approvals their standards require.

CEA generic NIFPES specification; NBC 2016 Part 4

PESO-approved cylinders; FRLS and fire-survival cables

Witnessed performance test with a government-recognised lab

ISO 9001:2015 · DPIIT Startup India · NSIC / MSME

QUESTIONS

Common Questions

Is a fire protection system mandatory for my transformer?

Yes, if it is rated 10 MVA or above. India's electricity safety regulations require an automatic fire protection system, and the National Building Code names water spray or nitrogen injection for transformers above 10 MVA.

Can it be fitted to an existing transformer?

In most cases, yes. We survey the site and the transformer drawings, and agree any tank connections with you and the transformer maker before installation.

What happens if the station loses power?

The controller and the motorised valves run on the station's DC battery supply, so the system keeps working through an AC power failure. The nitrogen-driven mist needs no electricity to discharge.

Could it operate by mistake?

It needs two independent signals and confirmed breaker opening before it acts, and the nitrogen valve cannot open until the drain valve reports open.

Why motorised valves?

A motor-driven valve can report its exact position back to the control room and be operated remotely from the HMI panel. The operator sees each valve open, instead of assuming a lever has tripped.

Water spray or water mist: which should I choose?

Water spray suits sites with a fire water system already in place. High-pressure mist suits sites short of water or space. We help you choose during the site survey.

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