- Author
-
Nugent, D. P.
|
Hall, E. L.
- Title
- International Foam-Water Sprinkler Research Project. Task 1. Literature Search and Technical Analysis. Technical Report.
- Coporate
- Schirmer Engineering Corp., Deerfield, IL
- Sponsor
- National Fire Protection Research Foundation, Quincy, MA
- Report
-
Technical Report; Task 1
April 1992
157 p.
- Distribution
- AVAILABLE FROM National Fire Protection Research Foundation (NFPRF), 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269-9101. Telephone: 617-984-7283; Fax: 617-984-7010. Website: http://www.nfpa.org
- Contract
- SEC-PROJECT-10-90001-04-00
- Keywords
-
sprinklers
|
literature reviews
|
fire protection
|
environmental effects
|
flammable liquids
|
fire suppression
|
warehouses
|
spill fires
|
technology assessment
|
foam extinguishing systems
|
pool fires
- Abstract
- A literature search has been performed on the subject of fire fighting foam. The literature search consisted of two sections, a Technical Analysis and a Bibliography. The bibliography covers all available published material on Class A and Class B foams. The technical analysis focused on the subject of closed-head foam-water sprinkler systems protecting against flammable liquid fires. The technical analysis revealed that previous research was aimed at two dimensional pool fires, two dimensional spill fires and three dimensional spill fires. Containerized storage was used in only one of the test programs. This test program simulated three dimensional fires in palletized and rack storage of flammable liquid in 55 gallon steel drums. The flammable liquid was piped into the storage array and the drums were water filled. The technical analysis revealed that two dimensional pool fires were the least severe, followed by the more severe two dimensional spill fire and the most severe being a three dimensional spill fire. Using a higher temperature rated sprinkler head was found to be beneficial, as were in-rack sprinklers used in rack storage of simulated flammable liquids in 55 gallon steel drums. Palletized storage of simulated flammable liquids in 55 gallon steel drums greater than one drum high presented a serious fire challenge. Research'involving the cartoned and uncartoned storage of flammable liquids in 5 gallon and less metal and plastic containers protected by a closed-head foam-water sprinkler system has not been uncovered. Fires involving this type of commodity may present a higher fire challenge involving pressurized and unpressurized releases of burning flammable liquids.