Fire-protection research for DOE facilities: FY 82 year-end report

Abstract

We summarize our research in FY 82 for the DOE-sponsored project, Fire Protection Research for DOE Facilities. This research program was initiated in 1977 to advance fireprotection strategies for energy technology facilities to keep abreast of the unique fire problems that develop along with energy technology research. Since 1977, the program has broadened its original scope, as reflected in previous year-end reports. We are develop ing an analytical methodology through detailed study of fusion energy experiments at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). Using these experiments as models for methodology development, we are concurrently advancing three major task areas: (1) the identification of fire hazards unique to current fusion energy facilities; (2) the evaluation of accepted fire-management measures to meet and negate hazards; and (3) the perfor mance of unique research into problem areas we have identified to provide input into analytical fire-growth and damage-assessment models. ' HRR = Heat-release rate. b VCAB-4 averaged 15 kW c ring experiment. ' Test was terminated before it reached i|uast-ec|u:'librium. ''This fire did MO I fill the pan. 'The polystyrene fire changed the heat transfer of the walls. We can note the difference In the temperatures o(the lest runs alter (lie I he |>olvMvreiie. ' This fire should have been a 200 kW fire but it was a 100 kVV (lie for Hie firsl two minutes. " A leak in the sample diluted all of these measurements. 11 MOD 7 ran 800 seconds longer Hun MOD 1.

Temperature Profiles In Forced-Ventilation Enclosure Fires

“…The main findings were as follows: 80± 5% of the heat produced in the fire was deposited in the enclosure walls; "quasisteady state" was not reached until about 2000 s (seconds) after ignition; and twice the stoichiometrically required ventilation was needed to ensure complete combustion of the fuel in a low-inlet, forced-ventilation geometry. Further tests (Alvares et al, 1984) confirmed and refined these observations, providing data that was used to develop a temperature correlation for forced-ventilation compartment fires (Foote et al, 1986) and tc test and compare available computer fire models (Hasegawa et al, 1984, andCox et a1., 1986). This paper is based on the 1986 series of 64 tests in which the effects of ventilation rate, ventilation configuration, fire elevation, and enclosure geometry were examined using methane gas fires.…”

“…Since 1981, a program to investigate forced-ventilation fires has been conducted using the Fire Test Cell at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). The early experiments (Hasegawa et al, 1983) used a variety of fuels, ventilation rates, and fire strengths (heat release rates). Most of these fires were analog pool fires in which gas fuel was metered into a burner.…”

A Study Of The Fire Performance Of Electrical Cables

“…The test is terminated when the flame has spread up the entire cable, or when it becomes clear that the flame will no longer propagate. Some aspects of this test procedure, in particular the preheating times, were established to duplicate the conditions in large-scale vertical panel tests conducted previously at LLNL [4]. In this procedure the pilot flame used for ignition is in contact with the cable jacket from the time that the surface reaches lOOoe until ignition is observed.…”

“…Interest in predicting tire behavior of these materials encouraged research aimed at assessing their fire risk [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]. Indeed, current industrial standards generally rate cable flammability relative to the performance of some reference material exposed to a specific fire source.…”

“…Study of the fire performance of electrical cables is complicated because of the nonuniform composition of insulation materials, interaction between the conducting core and insulating jacket, and interaction between cables arranged in complex cable distribution systems. For this reason, most work performed to date has concentrated on determining the overall burning characteristics of specific electrical conductors using pre-established test methods [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]. Because of the wide application of electrical conductors, no universal test method is available that can accurately classify the hazardous characteristics of cables under a variety of environmental conditions.…”