EP4260914A1 - Fire protection device - Google Patents

Abstract

Fire protection device comprising a first mattress (1) and a second mattress (2) each provided with a first face (1a, 2a) provided with a layer of intumescent material (21), characterized in that said mattresses (1, 2) are arranged in two thicknesses on a wall (110) to be protected or around equipment (100) to be protected, for example a cable tray or a box, and are separated by a free space (e) by means of separator elements (6, 61, 62), said free space (e) being of thickness adapted to allow the expansion of the alveolar carbonaceous residue called char produced by said intumescent material of at least the first mattress during exposure to fire of the device placed around said equipment.

Description

Field of the invention

The invention relates to the field of protection of equipment such as cable trays, pipes, electrical boxes or valves, or protection of partitions by means of fire protection comprising an intumescent material.

Prior art

The protection of devices such as cable trays has been carried out since the 1980s using technical thermal insulation products with refractory fibers using alkaline earth materials such as alumina-silicate which are used particularly in installations high temperature industrial furnaces, for example for the heat treatment of steels or others. These insulating products have the particularity of having a very high melting point of around 1300 to 1450°C and very good mechanical strength, strong fire resistance and low shrinkage almost up to their melting temperature.

An example of fire protection using a fibrous insulating material of this type is known from the document FR2973252 A1 in the name of the plaintiff.

Technical problem

For buildings with high pressure pipes such as nuclear reactor buildings, the use of fibrous products should however be avoided because, in the event of rupture of such pipes, a powerful jet can destroy the protection of the cable trays. and carry fibers which risk clogging the filters used in such buildings.

Furthermore, fire protection using fibrous insulating materials limits the dissipation of heat produced by power cables and requires ventilation devices which increase the weight and bulk of the systems. Likewise, these solutions are inconvenient to install, particularly due to the emission of irritating fibers into the air and require the use of chemical components, such as ceramic glues, which are not without danger for the operators who handle them.

These technical products based on alkaline-earth-alumina-silicate (AES) refractory fibers are therefore prohibited in reactor buildings of the EPR (European pressurized reactor) and VVER (water-water power reactor translated into English) type.

On the market, there is also a fabric as a fire protection material (from the HAPUFLAM brand) resembling a 5x5 mm mesh impregnated with intumescent product but which has the disadvantage of being non-watertight, not very flexible and not very efficient. fire.

The use of intumescent products for such applications is developing and in particular the document EP 3 799 935 A1 proposes a fire protection cover, suitable for covering cable trays, pipes or other equipment to be protected from fire, comprising a fabric forming a support for an intumescent product and describes more particularly a fire protection cover which comprises a first layer consisting of a fabric of a material in particular a glass fabric resistant to heat above 500°C or a fabric with meta-aramid fibers and a second layer consisting of an intumescent material such as a silicone or other intumescent material acrylic, epoxy or PVC, said intumescent material containing graphite and/or silicate fillers. This document also proposes a method of installation according to which covering plates are superimposed in a staggered manner on elements to be protected in several thicknesses, and arranged not contiguous so that spaces are provided between these superimposed plates.

Summary

It is necessary to improve the fire resistance of fire protection devices for equipment or walls and the present disclosure proposes to do this a fire protection device comprising a first mattress and a second mattress each provided with a first face provided with a layer of intumescent material, such that said mattresses are arranged in two thicknesses on a wall to be protected or around equipment to be protected and are separated by a free space by means of separator elements, said free space being of thickness adapted to allow the expansion of the alveolar carbonaceous residue called char produced by said intumescent material of the first mattress during exposure to fire of the device placed around said equipment.

The device applies to elongated equipment, for example a cable tray or box-shaped equipment, such as an electrical cabinet, an electrical box, or equipment such as a valve or an element that is potentially combustible or likely to be damaged in a fire. This device has the advantage of offering good protection while maintaining a limited weight.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the second mattress is arranged with its first face facing the first mattress and the free space is of thickness adapted to allow the expansion of the alveolar carbonaceous residue called char produced by said intumescent material of each of said first and second mattresses during exposure to fire of the device placed around said equipment or on said equipment.

This embodiment improves fire resistance and prevents the intumescent material of the second mattress from being degraded by thermal convection and flames outside the device.

This device is easy to implement, has a reasonable weight and size while offering significant fire protection.

Preferably, the free space is a space of fixed thickness between the two mattresses, around the perimeter of the equipment to be protected or opposite the wall to be protected, and the separator elements are produced by means of height spacers defining the thickness of the free space and mechanically fixed to a frame part of an envelope of said equipment or attached to said equipment or said wall.

The free space between the mattresses constitutes a volume that the intumescent material will fill when exposing the device to the heat of a fire, this material thus forming an effective barrier over a period determined by a fire protection standard.

According to alternative or complementary embodiments:

- the equipment to be protected being a cable tray covered by the device or a parallelepiped box on which the device is positioned, the spacers can be fixed on first studs fixed on said frame at the level of lateral parts of first opposite faces of said equipment and extend beyond said first faces to produce an overhanging part defining the thickness of the free space between said mattresses parallel to second faces of said equipment perpendicular to said first faces.

- the equipment to be protected being a cable tray covered by the device or a parallelepiped box on which the device is positioned, the reinforcement may include crosspieces carrying the first studs arranged on the equipment, said studs passing through a first layer of mattress and producing, with complementary fixing means such as nut/washer assemblies or self-locking washers, means for fixing said spacers.

- the equipment to be protected being a cable tray covered by the device or a parallelepiped box on which the device is positioned, the armature may include a mesh on which are fixed plates carrying said first studs, said first studs passing through a first mattress layer and producing, with complementary fixing means such as nut/washer assemblies or self-locking washers, means for fixing said spacers.

Said spacers may comprise a first plate bearing on the first mattress, pierced with at least one hole for receiving a first stud, said first fixing plate comprising at least one first end provided with an upright extending perpendicularly to said first plate and itself ending in a second plate extending parallel to said first plate and on which the second mattress rests.

The device can be adapted to protect a wall and include third studs fixed to the wall, passing through the first mattress and receiving spacers adapted to keep the second mattress separated from the first mattress by a distance forming said free space.

Said mattresses may include a second face provided with a textile support for fixing said layer of intumescent material. The textile support can use glass fibers, synthetic fibers, ceramic fibers, carbon fibers or even a metal mesh. Fixing the intumescent material to the textile support can be carried out by coating, gluing or calendering.

Said textile material can be covered on its face opposite to its face receiving the intumescent material with a finishing coating produced using a heat-ceramizable and/or decontaminable material.

The device may include a third mattress comprising an endothermic material placed between the first mattress and the device or between the first mattress and the second mattress.

A layer of fire-stopping material may be placed between the first mattress and the device.

• a. - une étape de pose d'un premier matelas recouvrant ledit équipement ou ladite paroi et pourvu d'une couche de matériau intumescent sur une première face du matelas opposée à une seconde face du matelas en contact avec l'équipement ou la paroi ;
• b. - une étape de pose d'éléments séparateurs définissant un espace libre;
• c. - une étape de pose d'un deuxième matelas sur les éléments séparateurs, ledit deuxième matelas comportant sa première face pourvue d'une couche de matériau intumescent tournée vers la première face du premier matelas.

The present disclosure further relates to a method of protecting equipment or a wall by means of a device as described above and which comprises:

• has. - a step of laying a first mattress covering said equipment or said wall and provided with a layer of intumescent material on a first face of the mattress opposite a second face of the mattress in contact with the equipment or the wall;
• b. - a step of installing separator elements defining a free space;
• vs. - a step of placing a second mattress on the separator elements, said second mattress comprising its first face provided with a layer of intumescent material facing the first face of the first mattress.

The method may include, prior to the installation of the first mattress, the installation on the wall or the equipment of a frame carrying studs, for which during the installation of the first mattress the studs pass through said first mattress, for which the elements separators in the form of spacers are fixed on the studs and for which the second mattress is fixed on the spacers by means of retaining plates and fixing means passing through the second mattress.

The method may include the installation of connecting rods to join two by two the spacers arranged on two opposite faces of the equipment.

In the case where the spacers on the same face are separated, the process may include the installation of links to join the spacers arranged on the same face of the equipment in pairs.

Characteristics of the device are included in the appended claims.

Brief description of the drawings

• En figure 1: Une vue en perspective éclatée d'un premier exemple de réalisation d'un dispositif de la présente divulgation ;
• En figure 2 : Une vue en perspective éclatée d'un deuxième exemple de réalisation d'un dispositif de la présente divulgation ;
• En figure 3 : Une vue de face coupe de l'exemple de la figure 2 ;
• En figure 4 : Une vue en perspective écorchée d'un troisième exemple de réalisation d'un dispositif de la présente divulgation ;
• En figure 5 : Une vue en perspective écorchée d'un exemple de matelas selon la présente divulgation ;
• En figure 6 : une vue en perspective d'un quatrième exemple de réalisation d'un dispositif de la présente divulgation ;
• Aux figures 7A et 7B : des vues de face d'exemples de réalisation supplémentaires d'un dispositif de la présente divulgation.

This disclosure will be better understood on reading the following description of non-limiting embodiments accompanied by the drawings which represent:

• In figure 1 : An exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of a device of the present disclosure;
• In figure 2 : An exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of a device of the present disclosure;
• In Figure 3 : A cut front view of the example of the figure 2 ;
• In figure 4 : A cutaway perspective view of a third embodiment of a device of the present disclosure;
• In figure 5 : A cutaway perspective view of an example of mattress according to the present disclosure;
• In Figure 6 : a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a device of the present disclosure;
• To Figures 7A and 7B : front views of additional exemplary embodiments of a device of the present disclosure.

Detailed description of embodiments

The present disclosure concerns a fire protection device comprising, as shown in particular in figure 1 , a first mattress 1 and a second mattress 2 each provided with a first face 1a, 2a provided with a layer of intumescent material 21. Such an intumescent material is a material which swells to at least five to ten times its thickness when exposed to fire and which produces a alveolar carbonaceous carbonization residue (called char in English). Such a material is made for example from a silicone elastomer, in particular crosslinkable by polycondensation or polyaddition, or another type of elastomer, such as polyurethane, acrylic, flexible PVC or other, formulated so as to make it intumescent.

The intumescent material may in particular comprise fillers such as expandable graphite, hydrated silicates traditionally used for this or ammonium melamine and pentaerythritol polyphosphates.

According to figure 5 the mattresses comprise at least two layers, the layer of intumescent material 21 and a layer of textile support 20 with high thermal resistance.

The textile support layer 20 of the intumescent material is for example a textile such as a glass textile for fixing said layer of intumescent material. The intumescent material can be fixed to the support by coating, gluing or calendering.

The textile support can also be made with synthetic fibers, ceramic fibers, carbon fibers or even a metal mesh.

• éviter l'exposition directe du char à l'érosion du four, en particulier si le support textile de nature minérale est recouvert d'un revêtement de finition céramifiable, c'est à dire d'un matériau qui crée une couche céramique lors d'une exposition au feu ;
• mieux maitriser l'expansion du char grâce aux propriétés barrières du support textile ;
• augmenter la résistance mécanique du char grâce à l'effet de compaction induit par l'expansion convergente du matériel intumescent de chaque matelas.

The first intumescent mattress 1 or internal mattress in direct contact with the equipment to be protected, presents its intumescent face towards the outside in order to allow the free expansion of the tank. The intumescent mattress of the second mattress or external mattress can be placed with the intumescent side, either towards the inside or towards the outside. However, a preferred configuration will be that described in the figure 1 where the intumescent layers 1a, 2a of the first and second mattress are opposite each other so that the textile side of the second mattress or external mattress 2 is oriented towards the outside. This configuration has three advantages:

• avoid direct exposure of the tank to furnace erosion, in particular if the textile support of a mineral nature is covered with a ceramifiable finishing coating, that is to say a material which creates a ceramic layer when exposure to fire;
• better control the expansion of the tank thanks to the barrier properties of the textile support;
• increase the mechanical resistance of the tank thanks to the compaction effect induced by the convergent expansion of the intumescent material of each mattress.

In a simple coated configuration, one of the faces of the textile is coated with the intumescent layer. This can be of variable thickness. In a double-coated configuration, the face of the textile layer opposite its face receiving the intumescent material is covered by a second layer 22 which may be an intumescent layer or a finishing coating which is preferably decontaminable and/or ceramifiable.

The finishing layer of the second mattress facing the outside can be made with a decontaminable elastomeric silicone material for example, or a possibly decontaminable ceramifiable material such as a material comprising mineral fillers for example silicate salts, carbonates, metal oxides in a silicone binder or an endothermic material, in particular metal hydrates in an elastomeric silicone binder. The ceramifiable layer turns out to be interesting because it leads at high temperature to the formation of a more compact ceramic barrier and therefore likely to better protect the tank against thermal erosion.

The finishing layer of the first mattress facing the equipment can, however, be covered with a different material, for example a fire-resistant material or an endothermic material.

The device can also include an additional mattress comprising an endothermic or thermal insulating material which can be placed in the form of plates 50, as in Figure 7A , arranged either between the device and the first mattress or as shown in Figure 7B an additional mattress, here in the form of plates 51, comprising an endothermic material between the first and the second mattress. In this example the plates 51 are held by the spacers and the studs 4 for the upper and lower plates and by links such as metal ties for side plates. Arranging a layer of plates of endothermic material between the two mattresses has the advantage of allowing, during the release of water vapor during the degradation of this endothermic material exposed to heat, to delay the carbonization of the layers of intumescent material and to thus prolong the effective duration of the protection.

As seen above, the textile support can include a metal mesh, in particular steel which makes it possible to improve the mechanical and dimensional stability at high temperature of the carbon protection as well as that of the protected element - in particular of the cable trays which tend to decline with increasing temperature.

As part of the figure 1 , the mattresses are arranged in two thicknesses around equipment 100 to be protected, such as a cable tray. The first faces 1a, 2a of the mattresses 1 and 2 are arranged opposite each other and are separated by a free space e by means of separator elements 61. The free space is of thickness adapted to allow the expansion of the carbon residue alveolar or char produced by said intumescent material of each of the mattresses during exposure to fire of the device arranged around said equipment. This space can be defined to limit the expansion of the material in order to make the tank more dense.

A configuration for which the intumescent material of the second mattress is turned towards the outside of the device can be envisaged and in this case the height of the free space is reduced to be adapted to the expansion of the intumescent material of the first mattress only.

The free space is a space of fixed thickness between the two layers, around the perimeter of the equipment to be protected or opposite the wall to be protected and the separator elements 61 are here produced by means of spacers comprising lugs 61a resting on the first mattress at the level of first opposite faces of the cable tray, uprights 61b, of height defining the thickness of the free space, in a direction perpendicular to said first faces, and a plate 61c parallel to said first faces, extending transversely with respect to a longitudinal direction of the cable tray and of length such that the spacers protrude transversely to this longitudinal direction on each side of the cable tray to space the second mattress transversely from the first mattress along two second opposite faces of the cable tray perpendicular to said first faces.

According to this embodiment, the separator elements are mechanically fixed to a frame 3 made by crosspieces attached to the cable tray.

The crosspieces support first studs 4 fixed on the crosspieces near the longitudinal edges of the first opposite faces 101a, 101b. To fix the spacers, the first studs pass through the first mattress 1 and are received in holes 61d in the spacers, complementary fixing means 5 such as washers and nuts or self-locking washers ensuring the connection between the studs and the spacers.

The spacers 61 arranged on an upper face of the cable tray are secured in pairs to the spacers 61' arranged under a lower face of the cable tray by means of rods 11, for example threaded rods held by nuts 12 tightening the spacers together around the cable tray.

Once the first mattress and the spacers installed, the second mattress 2 is positioned on the spacers which maintain the spacing between the mattresses all around the cable tray. To fix the second mattress, second studs 7 secured to the spacers pass through the second mattress which is held by plates 9 and complementary fixing means such as as self-locking washers 8 or nuts screwed onto the studs which may in particular be threaded.

In the example of the figure 2 , the sleepers 3 of the figure 1 are replaced by a trellis 31 on which the first studs 4 are fixed, the latter can include to do this a base 41 in the form of a plate shown in Figure 3 coming to block under the trellis or a foot welded to the trellis or any other means of attachment to the trellis.

Furthermore, the spacers 6 are here separate spacers arranged transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the cable tray, at the four corners of the cable tray. Here again, said first studs 4 pass through a first layer of mattress and produce, with complementary fixing means 5 such as nut/washer assemblies or self-locking washers, means for fixing said spacers.

The spacers 6 comprise a first plate 6a resting on the first mattress, pierced with at least one hole 601 for receiving a first stud, said first fixing plate comprising at least one first end provided with an upright 6b extending perpendicularly to said first plate and itself ending in a second plate 6c extending parallel to said first plate and on which the second mattress rests.

To hold the spacers together, rods 11 such as threaded rods and nuts 12 join the spacers in pairs arranged on an upper face and under a lower face.

Likewise, the spacers facing each other on the same face are connected by a link 10 such as a rigid metal wire which provides support for the second mattress 2 which will surround the cable tray over the spacers leaving between the two mattresses space allowing the expansion of the charcoal residue.

In the case of the figure 4 , said mattresses are arranged in two thicknesses on a wall 110 to be protected. Here also the faces 1a, 2a of intumescent material of the mattresses are arranged opposite each other and are separated by a free space e by means of separator elements in the form of cylindrical spacers 62 arranged on studs 5 passing through the first mattress 1 held on the studs by fixing means 5 such as self-locking washers or nut/washer assemblies or any other locking means adapted to hold the mattress in position on the studs.

In this embodiment, the spacers can also be connected by rods or links not shown to improve the support of the second mattress. The second mattress is held on the spacers by means of plates 9 retained by holding means 8 such as self-locking washers.

According to Figure 6 , the mattresses are arranged in two layers around box-type equipment. In this case the box is for example placed on the ground and covered with the first and second mattresses on five of its faces. The first faces of the mattresses 1, 2 are here also arranged opposite each other and separated by a free space e by means separator elements made by spacers 6 similar to those of the embodiment of the figure 2 , said free space e here also being of thickness adapted to allow the expansion of the alveolar carbonaceous residue called char produced by said intumescent material during exposure to fire of the device placed around said equipment. The mattresses include several flaps cut so as to surround all of the accessible faces of the housing and the spacers are arranged on opposite faces of the housing on the first mattress 1 in the number necessary to maintain the spacing of the second mattress 2 relative to the first mattress. In this configuration, plates 9 are also arranged on the second mattress and fixed on second studs to hold the second mattress in position.

Back to the figure 2 , the device may include an additional mattress 30, in particular a mattress comprising an endothermic or thermal insulating material above the second mattress.

• une étape de pose d'un premier matelas 1 recouvrant ledit équipement 100 ou ladite paroi 110 et pourvu d'une couche 1a de matériau intumescent sur une première face du matelas opposée à une seconde face 1b du matelas en regard de l'équipement ou de la paroi ;
• une étape de pose d'éléments séparateurs définissant un espace libre;
• une étape de pose d'un deuxième matelas sur les éléments séparateurs, ledit deuxième matelas comportant sa première face pourvue d'une couche de matériau intumescent tournée vers la première face du premier matelas.

The method of protecting equipment with the device described may include:

• a step of laying a first mattress 1 covering said equipment 100 or said wall 110 and provided with a layer 1a of intumescent material on a first face of the mattress opposite a second face 1b of the mattress facing the equipment or Wall ;
• a step of installing separator elements defining a free space;
• a step of placing a second mattress on the separator elements, said second mattress comprising its first face provided with a layer of intumescent material facing the first face of the first mattress.

Prior to the installation of the first mattress, the process can include the installation on the wall or the equipment of a frame carrying studs, in particular crosspieces 3 which can be equipped with said studs or a trellis 31 with which the studs are assembled.

When installing the first mattress, the studs pass through said first mattress, in which holes or slots for the studs to pass through are provided.

The separator elements in the form of elongated spacers 61 as in figure 1 , spacers 6 in U as in figure 2 or cylindrical spacers 62 as in figure 2 , are fixed on the studs and the second mattress is fixed on the spacers by means of retaining plates and fixing means passing through the second mattress.

Before installing the second mattress, the spacers arranged on a first face of the equipment and the spacers arranged on a second face of the equipment opposite the first face can be joined two by two by connecting rods which hold the spacers in place.

Likewise, the spacers on the same face when they are separated can be connected two by two by a link 7 which will serve to hold them but also serve as support for the second mattress.

• Le dispositif mécanique est constitué d'une armature, d'entretoises et de pièces d'accroche qui peuvent être de nature métallique, céramique, composite voire plastique ;
• Ce dispositif permet l'empilement d'au moins deux épaisseurs de matelas intumescents en générant une séparation entre ces derniers ;
• La séparation entre deux épaisseurs est une lame d'air d'une hauteur spécifiée et ajustable permettant l'expansion libre du matériel intumescent ;
• Le matelas intumescent est un monocouche ou un multicouche constitué d'au moins une couche intumescente et d'un support textile ;
• Le textile est à haute résistance thermique, par exemple un tissu de verre. Il peut être renforcé au moyen d'un trame métallique notamment acier pour augmenter la stabilité du montage ;
• Le matelas intumescent peut comporter en outre, sur la face du support textile opposée à la couche de matériau intumescent décrite ci-dessus, une autre couche intumescente, une couche ablative ou bien une couche de finition céramifiable et/ou décontaminable qui va se trouver sur l'extérieur du dispositif de protection;
• Le constituant de base des couches du matelas intumescent (hors textile) peut être un élastomère silicone notamment réticulable par polycondensation ou polyaddition.

In summary, this disclosure concerns an intumescent fire protection system designed around an adaptable and adjustable mechanical device around the element to be protected for which:

• The mechanical device is made up of a frame, spacers and attachment parts which can be metallic, ceramic, composite or even plastic;
• This device allows the stacking of at least two thicknesses of intumescent mattresses by generating a separation between them;
• The separation between two thicknesses is an air gap of a specified and adjustable height allowing the free expansion of the intumescent material;
• The intumescent mattress is a single layer or a multilayer consisting of at least one intumescent layer and a textile support;
• The textile has high thermal resistance, for example glass fabric. It can be reinforced using a metal frame, particularly steel, to increase the stability of the assembly;
• The intumescent mattress may further comprise, on the face of the textile support opposite the layer of intumescent material described above, another intumescent layer, an ablative layer or a ceramifiable and/or decontaminable finishing layer which will be found on the exterior of the protective device;
• The basic constituent of the layers of the intumescent mattress (excluding textile) can be a silicone elastomer, in particular crosslinkable by polycondensation or polyaddition.

The examples described do not limit the protection which is the subject of the claims and in particular, as said above, at least a third mattress can be placed above or below the protection device described to increase the fire protection of the equipment.

Claims (15)

- Fire protection device comprising a first mattress (1) and a second mattress (2) each provided with a first face (1a, 2a) provided with a layer of intumescent material (21), characterized in that said mattresses (1, 2) are arranged in two thicknesses on a wall (110) to be protected or around equipment (100) to be protected, for example a cable tray or a box, and are separated by a free space (e ) by means of separator elements (6, 61, 62), said free space (e) being of thickness adapted to allow the expansion of the alveolar carbonaceous residue called char produced by said intumescent material of the first mattress during exposure to the fire of the device placed around said equipment. - Fire protection device according to claim 1 for which the second mattress is arranged with its first face (2a) facing the first mattress and for which the free space (e) is of thickness adapted to allow expansion alveolar carbonaceous residue called char produced by said intumescent material of the first mattress and the second mattress during exposure to fire of the device placed around said or on said equipment. - Fire protection device according to claim 1 or 2, for which the free space is a space of fixed thickness between the two mattresses, around the perimeter of the equipment to be protected or opposite the wall to be protected, and for which the separator elements (6, 61) are produced by means of height spacers defining the thickness of the free space and mechanically fixed to an armature (3, 31) part of an envelope of said equipment or attached to said equipment or said wall. - Fire protection device according to claim 3, for which the equipment to be protected being a cable tray covered by the device or a parallelepiped box on which the device is positioned, the spacers are fixed on first studs (4) fixed on said frame (3, 31) at the level of lateral sides of first opposite faces (101a, 101b) of said equipment and extend beyond edges of said first faces to produce an overhanging part defining the thickness free space between said mattresses parallel to second faces (102a, 102b) of said equipment perpendicular to said first faces (101a, 101b). - Fire protection device according to claim 4, for which, the equipment to be protected being a cable tray covered by the device or a parallelepiped box on which the device is positioned, the frame comprises supporting crosspieces (3) first studs arranged on the equipment, said studs passing through a first layer of mattress and producing, with complementary fixing means (5) such as nut/washer assemblies or self-locking washers, means of fixing said spacers. - Fire protection device according to claim 4, for which, the equipment to be protected being a cable tray covered by the device or a parallelepiped housing on which the device is positioned, the armature comprises a mesh (31) on which are fixed with plates (41) carrying said first studs (4), said first studs (4) passing through a first layer of mattress and producing, with complementary fixing means (5) such as nut/washer assemblies or washers self-locking, means of fixing said spacers. - Protective device according to claim 5 or 6 for which, said spacers comprise a first plate (6a) bearing on the first mattress, pierced with at least one hole (601) for receiving a first stud, said first plate fixing device comprising at least a first end provided with an upright (6b) extending perpendicular to said first plate and itself ending in a second plate (6c) extending parallel to said first plate and on which supports the second mattress. - Protective device according to claim 1, 2 or 3 adapted to the protection of a wall (110), comprising third studs (42) fixed to the wall, passing through the first mattress (1) and receiving spacers (62) adapted to keep the second mattress (2) separated from the first mattress (1) by a distance forming said free space. - Protective device according to any one of the preceding claims for which at least one of said mattresses comprises a second face provided with a textile support (20) for fixing said layer of intumescent material (21). - Protective device according to claim 9 for which said textile is covered on its face opposite to its face receiving the intumescent material with a finishing coating (22) made by means of a heat-ceramizable and/or decontaminable material. - Protective device according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a third mattress (50) comprising an endothermic material disposed between the first mattress and the device or between the first mattress and the second mattress. - Protective device according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a layer of fire-resistant material between the first mattress and the device to be protected. - Method for protecting equipment or a wall by means of a device according to any one of the preceding claims , characterized in that it comprises: - a step of laying a first mattress (1) covering said equipment (100) or said wall (110) and provided with a layer of intumescent material on a first face (1a) of the mattress opposite a second face (1b ) of the mattress next to the equipment or the wall; - a step of installing separator elements (6, 61, 62) defining a free space; - a step of placing a second mattress (2) on the separator elements - Method according to claim 13 for which said second mattress has its first face (2a) provided with a layer of intumescent material facing the first face (1a) of the first mattress. - Method for protecting equipment according to claim 14 comprising, prior to the installation of the first mattress, the installation on the wall or equipment of a frame (3, 31) carrying first studs (4), for which , when installing the first mattress, the first studs pass through said first mattress, for which the separator elements (6, 61, 62) in the form of spacers are fixed on the first studs and for which the second mattress is fixed on the separator elements by means of retaining plates and fixing means ( 7) crossing the second mattress.

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