RESEARCH FOUNDATION ACTIVITIES AND OUTCOMES IN DETECTION AND SUPPRESSION SYSTEMS Casey C. Grant, P.E., FSFPE Research Director Fire Protection Research Foundation Madrid, del 23 al 25 de febrero de 2010 / Madrid, 23rd to 25th of February of 2011
Fire Protection Research Foundation (La protección contra incendios Fundación para la Investigación) Foundation Background Plan, manage and communicate research in support of the NFPA mission Independent charitable organization Formed by NFPA in 1982 (NFPA formed in 1896) Intended to provide data to support the needs of NFPA codes & standards Operates through: Agenda Setting: research planning Benchmarking: state of the art symposia Research Programs
Background SupDet Conference (SupDet Conferencia) 2011 Suppression and Detection Conference First held in 1997; hosted annually be FPRF 15 th SupDet on 22-25/Mar/2011 in Orlando, FL 16 Detection and 20 Suppression presentations Special Workshop Topic, this year: FP Challenges in Telecommunications and Information Centers Details at www.nfpa.org/foundation Approximately 150 attendees/year
SupDet Conference (SupDet Conferencia) 2011 SupDet Detection ti Sessions: Examples of Papers Keynote: Fire Scenarios for FP System Design & Evaluation Notification and Human Behavior Emergency Scenarios for Emergency Communications Systems Stress Induced Diminished Cognitive Communication Practical Application Mass Notification Systems: Dallas Airport, University of Washington, Virginia Tech University Flash Pulse Width Effectiveness in Notification Appliances Detection Experimental Study and CFD Modeling for Metro Station Characterization ation of Cooking Nuisance Sources Updates of Smoke Alarm Fire Test Methods New Developments for Heat Detector RTI Technologies for Home Fire Alarms
SupDet Conference (SupDet Conferencia) 2011 SupDet Suppression Sessions : Examples of Papers Sprinkler Protection Antifreeze and Home Fire Sprinklers Sloped Ceilings and Residential Sprinklers HVLS Fans and Sprinklers Complex Spray Pattern Measurements for Modeling Water Mist Novel Approach for Simulating Droplet Transport Implementation of Long Horizontal Water Mist Discharge Systems Clean Agents Analysis of Suppressant-Enhanced Overpressure Cryogenic Suppression of Liquid Pool Fires Suppression Mechanism for Solid Propellant Based Gas Generators
Research Projects (Proyectos de Investigación) Recently Completed dresearch hprojects at tfprf Detection 1) Intelligibility ibilit of Fire Alarm Communications Systems 2) Validation of Smoke Detection Performance Prediction 3) Video Image Detection Performance Criteria 4) Detector Spacing for Beamed and Sloped Ceilings Suppression 5) Sprinkler Operation with High Volume Low Speed Fans 6) Antifreeze Solutions in Home Fire Sprinkler Systems 7) Marina and Boatyard Rack Storage Sprinkler Protection 8) Clean Agent Suppression of Energized Electrical Equipment
Detection Research Projects at FPRF (Detección de Proyectos de Investigación en FPRF) 1) Intelligibility ibilit of Fire Alarm Communications Systems Addressed voice communications in fire alarm systems For systems requiring i audibility and intelligibility ibilit Adapted intelligibility measuring methods from acoustics industry Goal of project was to: Recommend performance testing methods Test available design guidance
Detection Research Projects at FPRF (Detección de Proyectos de Investigación en FPRF) 2) Validation of Smoke Detection ti Performance Prediction Project includes four main subsections: Vol. 1: Characterization ti of incipient i i fire sources Vol. 2: Large-scale room fire tests Vol. 3 Evaluation of smoke detector performance Vol. 4: FDS smoke detection predictive methodology Goal: To develop validated engineering methodology to predict response of spot-type type and aspirated smoke detection systems to incipient fires
Detection Research Projects at FPRF (Detección de Proyectos de Investigación en FPRF) 3) Video Image Detection ti Performance Criteria i Focus on enabling VID technology for key applications Taking advantage of security systems for fire detection ti Includes feasibility assessment of protected hazards Project developed: Fire performance objectives for VID systems Related criteria to support use of technology
Detection Research Projects at FPRF (Detección de Proyectos de Investigación en FPRF) 4) Detector t Spacing for Beamed and Sloped Ceilings Project addressed in two phases: Vol. 1: Experimental validation of smoke detector t spacing requirements ; Involved experiments to validate models of beamed hallway in earlier study Vol. 2: Modeling of and requirements for parallel beamed, flat ceiling corridors and beamed sloped ceilings ; Documents results from simulations with flat ceiling with long beamed channels, and sloped ceilings with multiple beam configurations.
Suppression Research Projects at FPRF (Proyectos de supresión de Investigación en FPRF) 5) Sprinkler Operation with High Volume Low Speed Fans Concern of fan impact on sprinklers protecting both rack storage and palletized commodities Concern for ESFR (early suppression fast response) and CMDA (control mode density area) sprinklers Ten full scale tests, with group A plastic commodity Tests demonstrated successful protection scenarios Includes 90 second fan shutdown
Suppression Research Projects at FPRF (Proyectos de supresión de Investigación en FPRF) 6) Antifreeze Solutions in Home Fire Sprinkler Systems Addresses life saving role of home fire sprinklers Question on flammability of antifreeze solutions Project involved literature review and series of fire tests Results suggest not to use: Propylene glycol exceeding 40 % Glycerin exceeding 50%
Suppression Research Projects at FPRF (Proyectos de supresión de Investigación en FPRF) 7) Marina and Boatyard Rack Storage Sprinkler Protection ti Gap in sprinkler design requirements for Boatels, i.e. indoor rack storage of boats, like a boat hotel Concern for sprinkler response, discharge and coverage This project was a phase 1 of 2, and provided: Literature review Summary of loss history Hazard assessment Recommendation for future test plan
Suppression Research Projects at FPRF (Proyectos de supresión de Investigación en FPRF) 8) Clean Agent Suppression of Energized Electrical l Equip Addresses electrical equipment fires still energized Focus on design concentration ti for fixed systems Project goal was to: Define hazard applications Establish appropriate design parameters Recommend extinguishing concentration test methods
The Next 25 Years Conference (El Próximos 25 Años" Conferencia) Looking Beyond: What are the major trends? Fire Protection and Safety: The Next 25 Years November 17 & 18, 2008 Ronald Reagan Building, Washington, DC a) Societal b) Technological c) Environmental
The Next 25 Years Conference (El Próximos 25 Años" Conferencia) FPRF: 5 Year Strategic t Research Agenda Plan Focusing on the following seven areas: 1) Building furnishings, contents, t & configurations 2) Advanced fire detection & suppression systems 3) Advanced fire fighting equipment and tactics 4) Aging of fire and electrical safety systems 5) Alternative fuels and energy sources 6) Growing aging & disabled population 7) Environmental considerations
Gracias por su atención Thanks for your attention Contact Information: Casey Grant Fire Protection Research Foundation One Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA USA 02169-7471 Phone: 617-984-7284 Email: cgrant@nfpa.org FPRF Website: www.nfpa.org/foundation Madrid, del 23 al 25 de febrero de 2010 / Madrid, 23rd to 25th of February of 2011