When it comes to fire safety in commercial kitchens, few systems offer the innovation and reliability of a CaptiveAire Fire Suppression system. Whether you manage a restaurant, school, church, or any facility with a commercial kitchen, understanding this system—and how it differs from traditional options like ANSUL—is essential for keeping your people, property, and operations protected.
What Is a CaptiveAire Fire Suppression System?
CaptiveAire’s fire suppression systems are designed specifically to protect commercial cooking operations. They are built with compliance in mind—they meet NFPA 17A (Standard on Wet Chemical Extinguishing Systems) and NFPA 96 (Standard for Ventilation Control and Fire Protection of Commercial Cooking Equipment).
CaptiveAire offers two leading fire suppression solutions:
- CORE Fire Protection System: An integrated water-based wet chemical system, built into the hood (hood, filter, duct/plenum) with electric detection, real-time monitoring, and automatic cleaning features.
- TANK Fire Suppression System: A more modular solution with a remote chemical agent tank, electronic detection, supervised loops, and overlapping nozzle coverage. It is beneficial when hood geometries or kitchen configurations make the CORE system less practical.
Key Components of CORE vs. TANK
Here are some specifics on how these two systems are structured, what they offer, and where one might be more suitable than the other (via captiveaire.com) :
| Feature | CORE System | TANK System |
| Detection & Activation | Also uses an electronic, solid-state Firestat set similarly (≈ 360°F or rapid temperature rise). Electric detection, supervised loops, and a manual activation device. Battery backup in the event of a power failure. | Also uses an electronic, solid-state Firestat set similarly (≈ 360°F or rapid temperature rise). Electric detection, supervised loops, and a manual activation device. Battery backup in the event of a power failure. |
| Monitoring & Supervision | Similar control package: TANK control board monitors detection loops, manual pull station, system pressure, etc. Fault codes, alarms, and battery backup. 24/7 monitoring of suppression agent availability (full tank) is included. | Similar control package: TANK control board monitors detection loops, manual pull station, system pressure, etc. Fault codes, alarms, and battery backup. 24/7 monitoring of suppression agent availability (full tank) is included. |
| Suppression Agent / Firefighting Method | Wet chemical agent delivered via total flood protection nozzles over appliances, and spray bar behind filters for duct/plenum, with water + surfactant to help penetrate grease and cool surfaces. | Wet chemical suppression; overlapping nozzles (up to 36 inches apart; 35-50 inches above the cooking surface), which provides flexible positioning. Spray nozzles include metal blowoff caps to prevent grease buildup from obstructing the orifice. |
| Cleaning / Self-Maintenance Features | CORE has integrated self-cleaning for duct and plenum: a duct/plenum spray bar that, during the hood’s wash cycle (end of cooking period), sprays hot water + surfactant for ~3 minutes to reduce grease build up. | N/A |
| Flexible Layout / Appliance Changes | CORE has integrated self-cleaning for ducts and plenum: a duct/plenum spray bar that, during the hood’s wash cycle (at the end of the cooking period), sprays hot water and surfactant for ~3 minutes to reduce grease buildup. | TANK also supports overlapping coverage, allowing appliances to be swapped or changed, gives flexibility. |
| Certifications / Listings | The CORE Fire Protection Fire System is ETL Listed under Report number 104229452COL-002 to UL Standard 300 and ULC/ORD-C1254.6-1995 | The TANK system is UL listed under file number EX27953 to meet requirements of UL 300; ULC Listed to meet requirements of ULC/ORD-C1254.6 and UL/ULC 1254 |
How the System Works (vs. ANSUL and Mechanical Systems)
To help you understand what this means in practice, here’s a comparison:
- Traditional mechanical systems (like many ANSUL setups) often use fusible links or heat-sensitive metals that melt/activate at a specific temperature. These are reliable but generally slower to respond, and require replacement of links when they are activated or damaged.
- CaptiveAire’s CORE and TANK systems use electronic detection (solid state sensors, Firestat, supervised wiring loops), which can detect both the rate of rise in temperature and exceeding set thresholds. Electronic activation tends to be faster, more reliable, and easier to integrate with alarms, power cutoffs, and system diagnostics.
In both CORE and TANK:
- When the temperature or the rate of heat rise crosses the threshold, the system triggers.
- The suppression agent is discharged through nozzles over the cooking surface and into the ducts/plenum.
- Power to gas/electric cooking equipment must be shut off (via electric gas valves/shunt trip breakers), to prevent fuel feeding the fire.
- A remote manual pull station is available in case automatic detection doesn’t trigger or needs manual intervention.
Inspection & Maintenance: Staying Compliant
To ensure your CaptiveAire system performs when you need it, maintain it properly. Compliance with NFPA 17A and NFPA 96 requires:
- Semiannual inspection by a certified technician: check detection sensors, control board, electrical connections, battery backups, pressure in agent tanks, nozzle integrity, orifice cleanliness, and manual activation devices.
- After discharge or whenever major work is done on cooking appliances or hood/ductwork, testing and possibly recalibrating sensors.
- Routine cleaning of hood filters, duct, and plenum surfaces to reduce grease build-up (which both improves fire safety and keeps sensors/nozzles working well). For CORE systems, the built-in self-cleaning spray bar helps in the duct/plenum, but frequent human cleaning is still necessary.
- Verifying certificate/listing compliance: Ensure the system remains listed under the relevant UL/ETL/ULC standards, and that any replaced components are approved parts.
Why CaptureAire Might Be Right for Your Kitchen
Some of the advantages of these systems in real operational settings:
- Faster detection and activation → reduces fire damage risk.
- More flexible layouts and appliance changes without wholesale redesign of suppression coverage.
- Integrated monitoring enables faults to be identified early, allowing for preventive maintenance before failures occur.
- Self-cleaning (for CORE) helps reduce grease accumulation in ducts and plenums, which is a common fire hazard.
- Compliance with NFPA 96 & 17A built-in; keeping audit/inspection risk lower.
Call Us for Installation, Inspection, and Service
If you’re ready to upgrade, install, or ensure your fire suppression system is in top shape, Mid-South Safety Services has you covered.
- We perform semiannual inspections and maintenance to ensure you stay compliant, safe, and ready.
- We service and repair system components—sensors, control boards, nozzles, suppression agent, etc.
📞 Call Mid-South Safety Services today to request a quote or schedule your next CaptiveAire Fire Suppression system consultation. Protect your people, your kitchen, and your business.