From fryer to food aisle: protecting the high stakes equipment behind our snack supply

Industrial fryers are critical to modern food manufacturing. They power the high-volume output of everyday staples like potato chips, french fries and prepared foods. Operating with thousands of gallons of oil at high temperatures, these systems run continuously to keep production lines and supply chains moving.

But the same conditions that make fryers efficient also make them one of the most challenging fire risks in a facility. A single incident can threaten worker safety, halt production and disrupt distribution.

The science behind AquaMist ULF for Industrial Fryer Protection (IFP) shows that – while oil and water don’t mix – ultra‑fine water mist can effectively cool and extinguish hot oil fires. It can also help keep food production on track without the trade-offs of legacy solutions.

To explore the engineering and testing behind water mist for industrial fryer protection, download the white paper by Dirk Laibach of Johnson Controls.

The challenge: a high-risk hazard that doesn’t tolerate downtime

Industrial fryers play a central role in modern food manufacturing. They’re designed to operate at sustained high temperatures with large volumes of hot cooking oil. These hot temperatures – along with precise, tightly controlled processes – are crucial to producing foods with consistency and at scale. The same conditions that make conveyor-style industrial fryers efficient also create one of the most challenging fire risks on the plant floor.

Fire needs three things to start and sustain itself: heat, fuel and oxygen. In an industrial fryer, the heat is constant and the fuel — the cooking oil itself — is abundant. The oil is held near ignition temperature for hours at a time while oxygen remains present in the surrounding environment. These conditions mean a spark or mechanical fault can ignite a fire that can rapidly intensify.

The challenge is clear: protect life safety, minimize damage to a costly mission-critical asset and support business continuity by reducing restart costs, lost production and disruptions to distribution commitments. AquaMist ULF for IFPwas engineered to help balance those priorities.

The science: how water mist effectively extinguishes an oil fire

AquaMist ULF for IFP is a low‑pressure water mist system engineered to extinguish flames and cool hot oil without violent interaction between the water and oil. Fine droplets absorb heat in the flame, while slightly larger droplets reach the oil’s surface, evaporate into steam and cool the oil below its ignition temperature.

Why traditional fire suppression struggles in fryer applications

When it comes to industrial fryer fires, not all fire suppression methods behave the same way. In fact, some of the most familiar solutions can introduce risks.

When water really doesn’t mix with oil: traditional fire sprinklers

Conventional fire sprinkler systems are designed to control fires by delivering large volumes of water to cool the fire (remove heat). They also wet the surrounding area so that fire is less likely to spread. In many applications, that approach works well. In a hot oil fryer, it can do the opposite.

Here are things you need to know about fire sprinkler systems and industrial fryers:

• The much larger water droplets of a sprinkler do not evaporate like mist
• Large droplets can sink below the oil’s surface, rapidly turn to steam and cause a mini explosion that can displace burning oil
• The displaced oil can land outside the fryer and – if reignited – spread the fire
• Fire sprinklers release more water than a water mist system, which can increase clean-up time, sanitation requirements and production downtime

Johnson Controls recommends protecting the fryer itself with water mist (a system installed directly into the fryer) and protecting the surrounding area with a supplementary fire sprinkler system. This would control a fire originating outside the fryer and prevent it from reaching the asset.

Extinguishing without cooling: the limitations of CO₂

For many years, carbon dioxide (CO₂) systems were the standard fire suppression solution for industrial fryer applications because of the challenges of using fire sprinkler systems.

Here’s why Johnson Controls recommends water mist over CO₂ systems for industrial fryers:

• CO₂ can be effective at extinguishing flames by removing oxygen from the surrounding space, but it does not cool the oil
• Oil that remains at or near the ignition temperature can reignite once the CO₂ system is out of agent and cannot function again until refilled
• The room protection – a fire sprinkler system – would be activated by a reignited fire and present the same issues previously noted
• Because CO₂ displaces oxygen, it presents life safety concerns for personnel in production areas

Ultimately, CO₂ can extinguish the fire – but it doesn’t fully resolve the hazard. Additionally, facilities using CO₂ systems must implement additional safety measures, evacuation procedures and operational controls. This adds complexity to already demanding environments.

For manufacturers relying on industrial fryers, these assets are key to keeping operations and revenue flowing.

Why AquaMist ULF for IFP?

AquaMist ULF for IFP is an FM Approved and EN 14972 compliant solution engineered specifically for industrial fryers. It has been validated through full-scale fire testing to show it can extinguish flames and cool oil to help prevent re-ignition in real-world scenarios. It is backed by 100+ active installations, dedicated global technical support, and nearly 150 years of Johnson Controls fire protection expertise.

Learn more about the benefits of water mist compared to CO₂ for industrial fryer applications.

Frequently asked questions

Is water mist safe to use directly inside an industrial fryer?

Yes – when the system is specifically engineered and tested for that application. AquaMist ULF for Industrial Fryer Protection uses ultra-fine droplets designed to absorb heat and evaporate without violently disturbing the oil, unlike the large droplets produced by traditional sprinkler systems.

What does FM Approved for industrial fryers mean?

FM Approval indicates that the complete fire suppression system – not just individual components – has passed full-scale fire testing under realistic industrial fryer conditions. This testing verifies flame extinguishment, oil cooling and reliable system performance across multiple scenarios.

Can AquaMist ULF for IFP be used for both single fryers and large production lines?

Yes. Having passed FM fire testing with different industrial fryer sizes, AquaMist ULF for IFP is scalable and can be configured to protect a single cooker or multiple fryers within a continuous, conveyor-based production line (depending on facility layout and operational needs).

What type of water supply does a water mist system require?

AquaMist IFP can be supplied by potable water or storage tanks and does not require treated water or chemical additives. This flexibility helps simplify system installation and long-term operation.

How does water mist impact cleanup and restart after a fire event?

Because water mist systems use significantly less water than traditional sprinkler systems, they can reduce collateral damage and sanitation burden, helping support a quicker return to production. After an incident with an industrial fryer, the AquaMist ULF system’s nozzles should be replaced – similar to how an activated fire sprinkler would require replacement.