Thanks to the years-long experience in the field of controlled and modified atmospheres, Marvil realized already in 2005 the first automated warehouse with an ORS Oxygen reduction system.

At that time it was a seminal technique; starting from the idea of extinguishing fire with inert gases, we thought about protecting commodities by keeping the values required for extinction, so as to inhibit the spreading of fire, but not the access of persons, by keeping oxygen at values allowing breathing inside rooms.

This was the birth of the Oxygen reduction system ORS, and since then development of knowledge and technologies went on without disruptions.

At that time no rules were in force in matters of ORS systems, and for such installations long lasting authorization procedures by way of derogation had to be followed before the competent institutions. Anyway, as said technique became more and more popular, especially in big-sized warehouses and data-centers, it evolved thanks first to German guide-lines and then to Austrian directives, and finally to the publication of the European regulation EN16750. Now it is a well consolidated fire-prevention technique.

Fire-prevention by ORS is simple – oxygen is kept at concentrations that hinder the flaring of flames. For a combustion reaction to take place, three elements are needed: a combustible, a combustive element and ignition. If one of them is lacking, no combustion can occur.