ThermaLimits, Inc., is a California-based company that has demonstrated a new cost-effective removable transformer fire wall system that is taking special notice by electric utilities nationwide. Transformer fire walls are essential in power substations to protect the critical and hard to replace transformers by containing the fire to its point of origin. Outages associated with transformer fires can cost customers and utilities hundreds of thousands of dollars per hour. These large transformers have delivery times of 18 to 24 months on a rush basis.

Fire walls for electric utility substations are not new. However, the product that ThermaLimits offers is new. The company has designed a TruFireWall™ that has passed both the four-hour fire wall rating and hose stream tests at 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, unlike traditional concrete, masonry, or glass reinforced composite walls.

The principal advantage to the electric utilities is that the new fire walls are only two inches thick, as compared to a foot or more for traditional concrete, which will explode or “spall” due to the moisture contained in the concrete. In addition, concrete loses more than 70% of its design strength at the temperatures reached in an oil fire. In total contrast, the ThermaLimits’ material maintains its strength and integrity throughout the oil fire temperature range, thus protecting the utility substation’s assets.

The innovative fire walls are made of environmentally friendly, field-proven, and domestically available materials. The fire walls are easy to assemble using grooved columns and slide-in panels. A typical ThermaLimits fire wall can be installed in one day with no special training using prefabricated components and standard tools. The walls are quickly assembled with low-capacity boom trucks due to relatively light-weight panels and columns. The walls can also be easily configured in different wall arrangements and dimensions as needed.

ThermaLimits has partnered with Oldcastle Precast, who has been a leader in the concrete precast industry for decades. Currently, Oldcastle has a network of 80 precast manufacturing plants throughout the United States, providing top quality components, prompt and economical delivery, and continued customer support.