- Author
- Heskestad, G. | Delichatsios, M. A.
- Title
- Environments of Fire Detectors. Phase 1. Effect of Fire Size, Ceiling Height and Material. Volume 1. Measurements. Technical Report.
- Coporate
- Factory Mutual Research Corp., Norwood, MA
- Sponsor
- National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD
- Report
- NBS GCR 77-86; FMRC Serial 22427; RC76-T-37, May 1977, 206 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Keywords
- ceiling height | ceilings | cotton | detector location | detectors | fire detectors | polyurethanes | polyvinyl chloride | room fires | rooms | smoldering | wood
- Abstract
- An experimental program has been initiated to map ceiling environments to which fire detectors are exposed for various combinations of room geometry, ceiling configuration, fire type, and detector spacing. This report covers Phase I of the program, which considered 1) flat, extensive ceiling areas, 2) a quiescent test space, 3) flaming and smoldering fires of wood, cotton, foamed polyurethane, and polyvinyl chloride, 4) ceiling heights of 8, 15 and 29 ft, and 5) instrument stations at 10, 20, and 40 ft from the geometric fire axis. Measured environmental parameters included temperature, velocity, and optical density. In addition, response times of a set of five fire detectors (heat detectors of fixed temperature, rate-of-rise, and rate anticipation types; one ionization smoke detector; and one photoelectric smoke detector of the reflection type) were recorded at each instrument station. A total of 49 fire tests were conducted. The reduced data are presented in two tables, one listing detector reponse times and the other listing the environmental data. Analysis of the data is presented in a second volume (Volume II) and includes determination of spacing requirements for fire detectors in flaming fires.