Electrical fire safety solutions showcased at 2026 Data Center Korea
Rapid growth in data center size and power consumption makes fire prevention a key challenge
Solutions target five vulnerable areas, including battery rooms and server racks, to contain thermal runaway and early-stage fires
CEO Park Jong-seok says suppressing fires at their point of origin and preventing their spread can support reliable service
As data centers grow in size and power consumption alongside the AI industry, preventing electrical fires and limiting the spread of damage are emerging as important challenges.
Data centers contain concentrations of electrical equipment in areas including battery rooms, electrical rooms and server racks. Because fire risks vary with the characteristics of each type of equipment, calls are emerging for tailored safety measures that address each area's risks, from fires spreading through battery thermal runaway to abnormal heating in electrical equipment and ignition inside power supply components.
SFEX Tech, a company specializing in electrical fire safety technology, showcased electrical fire safety products and solutions including SFEX Thermal Barrier, SFEX Guardian System and SFEX Inside at 2026 Data Center Korea, held at the aT Center in Yangjae, Seoul, from November 4 to November 6. At the exhibition, SFEX Tech focused on five major fire-prone areas in data centers, explaining the risks and response measures for each.
Battery rooms: SFEX Thermal Barrier to prevent fire spread
Rooms housing lithium-ion batteries for uninterruptible power supplies, or UPS systems, face a high risk of fires spreading as battery thermal runaway propagates to adjacent racks. The fire that caused extensive damage at the National Information Resources Service's Daejeon headquarters in September 2025 also occurred during preparatory work to relocate lithium-ion batteries for the computer room's UPS system to the basement.
This prompted the government to conduct fire safety inspections at 163 data centers nationwide and develop supplementary measures. SFEX Thermal Barrier, which can help contain such incidents, is a fire-resistant partition installed between battery racks to inhibit the transmission of flames and heat to adjacent equipment during a fire. Incorporating it at the design stage of a new data center allows both fire containment and efficient use of battery room space to be considered.
Raised access floors: SFEX Hi-100 for early-stage fire response
Power cables are concentrated beneath raised access floors, creating the potential for overheating or short circuits. Delayed detection of a fire also carries the risk of smoke spreading to surrounding areas. SFEX Hi-100 is a sticker-type automatic fire suppression product activated by temperature changes and designed to respond to early-stage fires when installed close to potential ignition points. It provides supplementary fire protection in spaces that people cannot readily access.
Electrical room distribution boards and UPS panels: SFEX Guardian System to monitor warning signs
Electrical faults in distribution boards and UPS panels, including poor connections, insulation deterioration, localized overheating and arcing, can lead to fires. SFEX Guardian System is an integrated solution that uses thermal imaging, gas and ultrasonic sensors, together with a video camera, to monitor electrical equipment for signs of abnormal conditions. Linking it with SFEX automatic fire suppression devices can establish a response system covering anomaly detection, initial fire suppression and notification of personnel.
Integrated server rack power strips: SFEX Inside to address internal ignition
In the high-density power environments of AI servers, overloading, heat at contact points and electrical tracking caused by dust can increase fire risks inside power strips. SFEX Inside is a standalone automatic fire suppression product that incorporates a suppression function inside a power strip. It activates at approximately 150°C to extinguish a fire through localized cooling at the ignition point. A key feature is its ability to respond to early-stage fires inside power supply components without external power, separate piping or detectors.
Outdoor air-conditioning unit control panels: SFEX Line and SFEX AP Tape for fire prevention
The outdoor units of air-conditioning systems that cool data centers are often installed outside, and extended unattended operation can make it difficult to identify warning signs immediately. Fires inside enclosed control panels may also go undetected for longer.
SFEX Tech proposed using SFEX Line to suppress early-stage fires inside control panels together with SFEX AP Tape to help prevent fires from spreading along cables.
SFEX Tech CEO Park Jong-seok said, “At this exhibition, we presented ways to address fire risks from multiple angles through products suited to each area of a data center. The key is to consider both initial suppression at the point of ignition and prevention of fire spread to adjacent equipment. Through this approach, we will contribute to improving electrical fire safety in data centers and reducing the risk of equipment damage and service interruptions caused by fires.”
Original Korean article: Electric Times
English brief by Korea Wind Intelligence, koreawindintel.com
