Before the introduction of Novec 1230, fire suppression in sensitive environments such as data centers, museums, control rooms, and critical medical facilities faced a dilemma: how to extinguish fires rapidly and effectively without damaging expensive equipment, irreplaceable archives, or harming occupants.
Traditional agents like halon offered effective suppression, but their high ozone depletion potential led to international phase-out agreements. Inert gases and CO₂-based systems often required large storage volumes and posed asphyxiation risks in occupied areas. Water-based systems, while common, were completely unsuitable for electronics or valuable materials. The result was a gap: industries needed a clean, fast-acting, low-residue agent that wouldn’t compromise safety or sustainability.
Introduced as a next-generation solution, Novec 1230 (FK-5-1-12) quickly became a preferred alternative. According to data from 3M and independent fire safety institutions, installations using Novec 1230 have shown a fire damage and downtime reduction rate of up to 80% in critical infrastructure compared to conventional water-based systems—demonstrating both its effectiveness and system uptime benefits.
What is Novec 1230?
Novec™ 1230 (chemical name: dodecafluoro-2-methylpentan-3-one), developed by 3M, is a clean agent fire suppressant classified as a fluorinated ketone. It is designed for total flooding systems and is stored as a liquid but discharges as a gas, enabling rapid and residue-free fire suppression in sensitive environments.
Approved under standards such as NFPA 2001 and UL 2166, Novec 1230 meets strict performance and safety benchmarks for clean agent systems. It features a zero ozone depletion potential (ODP) and a global warming potential (GWP) of less than 1, making it a highly sustainable alternative to hydrofluorocarbon-based agents like HFC-227ea and FM-200.
| Attribute | Value / Description |
| Chemical Name | Dodecafluoro-2-methylpentan-3-one |
| Agent Type | Clean Agent (Fluorinated Ketone) |
| Boiling Point | 49.2°C (120.6°F) |
| Vapor Pressure (20°C) | ~0.4 bar |
| Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) | 0 |
| Global Warming Potential (GWP) | < 1 |
| NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) | 10% by volume |
| Typical Discharge Time | ≤10 seconds (per NFPA 2001) |
| Residue | None (non-conductive and non-corrosive) |
Novec 1230’s fire suppression mechanism is primarily physical cooling and heat absorption rather than chemical inhibition, allowing it to disrupt combustion without compromising air quality or visibility. Its high safety margin for occupied spaces and minimal environmental impact make it ideal for applications where both life safety and asset protection are paramount.
As of 2025, Novec 1230 has been adopted in over 60% of new clean agent systems deployed in data centers, archives, and healthcare facilities across North America, reflecting a growing industry preference for environmentally responsible suppression agents.
Where Is Novec 1230 Used?
Novec 1230 fire protection fluid is widely deployed in mission-critical environments where traditional suppression methods may cause unacceptable damage or downtime. These include:
Data Centers: In high-density server environments, Novec 1230 provides rapid suppression (<10 seconds) without electrical conductivity or post-discharge residue. As of 2025, industry data shows that over 62% of hyperscale data centers in North America use Novec 1230 or similar clean agents as part of their primary fire suppression system.
Telecommunications Hubs: Due to its non-corrosive and non-conductive properties, Novec 1230 is ideal for network control rooms and base transceiver station shelters. It ensures equipment integrity while meeting NFPA 2001 and UL 2166 standards.
Museums, Archives, and Libraries: Cultural heritage institutions use Novec 1230 systems to avoid water damage to irreplaceable artifacts. For example, the Library of Congress upgraded its suppression systems in 2023 to include Novec 1230 across all special collection storage vaults.
Aviation and Transportation Infrastructure: Major U.S. airports such as JFK and LAX have installed Novec 1230 systems in air traffic control towers and baggage control centers to ensure FAA-compliant suppression with minimal downtime risk.
Healthcare Facilities & Cleanrooms: In sensitive pharmaceutical labs and surgical data centers, Novec 1230 provides high safety margins with a No Observable Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL) far above normal design concentration, ensuring both human safety and system integrity.
To meet varying protection needs, Novec 1230 is integrated into both engineered systems (custom-designed for large volumes) and pre-engineered systems (compact, modular units). These systems are backed by UL/ULC listing, FM Approval, and compliance with the latest NFPA 2001 (2022 edition), ensuring regulatory acceptance across jurisdictions.
Risk & Regulatory Considerations
Novec 1230 is widely regarded as one of the cleanest and safest fire suppression agents available today. It has zero ozone depletion potential (ODP) and an extremely low global warming potential (GWP <1), making it a preferred alternative to older agents like FM-200. It’s approved under the U.S. EPA’s SNAP program and meets NFPA 2001 standards for clean agent systems.
However, because Novec 1230 is a synthetic fluorinated chemical, it is being reevaluated under emerging environmental regulations, especially in the European Union. While there is no ban or phase-out planned in the U.S. as of 2025, future policy shifts remain a possibility.
Compared to other agents, Novec 1230 offers a strong safety profile in occupied spaces, requiring relatively low concentrations to suppress fires. By contrast, CO₂ systems can pose serious asphyxiation risks, while inert gases like IG-100 and IG-541 are environmentally safe but often require more space and higher discharge pressures.
In short, Novec 1230 strikes a balance between safety, environmental responsibility, and space efficiency—but its long-term regulatory outlook should be monitored by system designers and facility managers.
As facilities become more reliant on mission-critical electronics and data infrastructure, the need for clean, effective, and regulation-compliant suppression systems has never been greater.
While regulatory landscapes continue to evolve, Novec 1230 remains a reliable and forward-looking solution. Whether you’re upgrading legacy systems or specifying protection for a new facility, understanding your suppression agent’s capabilities—and its future viability—is essential.
Flarenix is a professional manufacturer of clean agent fire suppression systems. We provide a variety of Novec 1230 fire suppression systems and have a proud technical team to provide you with professional fire suppression system industry solutions. Contact Flarenix experts to explore more efficient fire extinguishing solutions.
