AT A GLANCE
The Berenice International Airport (BIA) in Egypt is a newly constructed airport hub designed to stimulate tourism and attract visitors to Egypt’s Red Sea coast region. The project plays a pivotal role in Egypt’s 2030 vision to create a stronger, more prosperous and more vibrant nation.
The BIA spans a massive compound area and is comprised of a total of thirty-seven (37) different buildings. Mircom partnered with the Egyptian Airports Company (EAC) and Telecommunication Engineering Consultant Office (TECO Egypt) to successfully deliver the requirements of a UL Listed intelligent networkable fire alarm system and a UL Listed centralized graphical management software workstation. The Mircom solution was completed well within the requested 16 month timeline without issue or delay.
PROJECT BACKGROUND & SCOPE
The BIA consists of a corridor totaling 3,650 meters in length and 60 meters in width for a total site area of 219,000 square meters. The airport apron can accommodate up to 8 aircrafts simultaneously and the terminal can process up to 600 passengers per hour.
The project includes a 58-meter-high control tower, and 37 technical, administrative, and service buildings including:
| • Air traffic building | • Housing facility building |
| • Terminal building | • Soldier mess |
| • Airside guard house (2) | • Weapons storehouse building |
| • Guard house buildings (2) | • Warehouse office facility |
| • Project gate building | • Fire fighting building |
| • Airport maintenance building | • Meteorology building |
| • Mosque | • Garage building |
| • Water tank building | • Airport waste building |
| • Water tank chlorination | • Security building |
| • Water Tank | • Permission building |
| • Chiller building | • Gate security buildings (2) |
| • West water treatment buildings (2) | • Lighting substation building (2) |
| • Electrical substation buildings (6) | • Lighting building |
| • Electrical station building |
CHALLENGE
The EAC requested a UL Listed networked addressable fire alarm system with centralized graphical software for the project. The challenge in implementing the system was working with the massive compound area and the vast distance between the BIA’s 37 buildings, as well as the location of the airport relative to the distance from TECO Egypt’s national headquarters (over 1,000 km).
An additional challenge was the request by EAC to have a master fire alarm control panel (MFACP) programmed to monitor and control all buildings in the network, and to have all fire alarm control panels (FACP) displaying and controlling only local events for each building.
Despite the obstacles of distance and various advanced programming requests, Mircom was expertly able to fulfill all client requirements within the precise timeline in an efficient and effective manner.
THE MIRCOM SOLUTION
To address the challenges presented by the BIA, EAC chose Mircom’s FleX-Net for its robustness and ease of programing. The solution encompassed nine (9) FleX-Net control panels connected by fourteen (14) kilometers of single mode optical fiber network.
FleX-Net panels offer modular configuration to meet a wide variety of applications. Designed for peer-to-peer network communications, the FleX-Net Series allows for up to 63 nodes, while providing reliability, flexibility, and expandability. It also has capability to allow for multiple customer configurations in real time for end users. FleX-Net is designed to be upgradeable in the future with end users having the ability to further customize the system in the event of building upgrades or renovations.
The FleX-Net Fire Alarm system is also configured with integrated smoke control management and BACnet/IP for high-level software integration within a building management system (BMS).
A major advantage of FleX-Net’s programming is that it can be executed from any single FACP throughout the BIA, without requirement for programing each panel individually.
During the final stages of the BIA project, EAC requested to designate the FACP in the Terminal Building as the MFACP. This was easily achieved by utilizing FleX-Net’s Node Grouping feature to monitor building events within specific locations rather than utilizing its default global events design.
Mircom’s Open Graphic Navigator (Open GN) was also selected by EAC for its UL Listed 3D centralized fire alarm graphic management software. Open GN provides real-time local or remote monitoring and control of buildings and campuses. As a powerful integration tool, Open GN allows operators to monitor remote sites from multiple workstations.
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- Open GN provides 3D troubleshooting for the entire campus, which is the perfect solution for this large campus property where being able to guide emergency personnel to precise locations is crucial.
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- Open GN provides 2D troubleshooting for a specific area or layout.
SYSTEM SUMMARY
The BIA installation incorporates nine (9) FleX-Net Series networkable fire alarm control panels with more than 2,500 initiating and notification field devices, seven (7) Intelligent addressable expander power supply units (INX-10A), 350 notification devices, 900 spot type detectors and 1250 modules. It also includes the Mircom Open Graphic Navigator (Open GN) 3D central graphic station.
The BIA fire alarm system also utilizes special application fire detection devices provided by Mircom including explosion proof heat detectors, explosion proof smoke detectors, hydrogen gas detectors, aspiration smoke detectors and a linear heat detection system.
INSTALLATION AND TEAM
Mircom was very honored to partner with Telecommunication Engineering Consultant Office (TECO Egypt) on the BIA project. TECO Egypt’s work focused on the supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the Mircom system. The TECO Egypt team consisted of two (2) commissioning engineers and four (4) technicians. The main contractor on the project was Hassan Allam Technologies.
Mircom’s Global Applications Team based in Canada also expertly assisted in the implementation of the system by providing technical and programming assistance during the commissioning phase of the project.
“We ‘Hassan Allam Technologies’ hereby would like to thank you very much for the outstanding contribution to the successful opening of Berenice International Airport … we confirm our full satisfaction of TECO, Mircom’s ESD’s serious commitment and professional performance.”
– Ahmed Elzayat – Project Manager
Hassan Allam Technologies
CONCLUSION
Mircom’s FleX-Net and Open GN centralized fire alarm management solutions at the Berenice International Airport were a resounding success. The EAC is thoroughly satisfied with the deliverables provided by Mircom and TECO Egypt. Despite challenges faced in protecting the massive area, our solution’s flexibility and robustness allowed all challenges to be faced head on and surpassed.
The EAC was deeply impressed with the adaptability of Mircom’s systems and the technical features of the FleX-Net and the Open GN 3D graphic software. Mircom and TECO Egypt’s output demonstrated our mutual commitments to excellence, and our ability to successfully execute on a wide array of challenges.
The successful completion of the BIA project has resulted in another strong validation of Mircom’s solutions, as well as the addition of more satisfied Mircom clients and partners moving forward.
