Proceedings of the 1995 Workshop on Fire Detector Research.
Proceedings of the 1995 Workshop on Fire Detector
Research.
(2863 K)
Grosshandler, W. L.
NISTIR 5700; 43 p. June 1995.
Available from:
National Technical Information Service
Order number: PB95-270062
Keywords:
fire detection systems; fire detectors; certification;
test fires; smoke detection; gas detectors; halon
alternatives
Abstract:
A workshop was convened February 6 and 7, 1995, to
identify the needs of users and specifiers of fire
detection systems which are not currently being met by
the U.S. fire protection industry; to highlight future
needs which may result from new developments in the
construction, transportation, and manufacturing sectors,
or from regulatory changes; to identify generic,
technological barriers which may limit the U.S. fire
protection industry from fully meeting the users' needs;
and to develop a research agenda and recommend priorties
to enable U.S. industry to overcome these technological
barriers. A series of experts from industry,
government, certifying organizations and academia were
invited to review the various applications for fire
detection systems and to discuss recent developments
that could impact the future of the industry. The
speakers were divided into focused panels of users and
specifiers, systems and components manufacturers,
regulators and certifiers, and researchers. Small
working groups were convened after the panel discussions
to identify critical research issues, concentrating on
sensors, signal processing, systems integration and
regulations. The ultimate goals of a comprehensive and
integrated research program were identified and include
a lower ratio of false-positive-to-actual-fire
indications, pre-fire warning for protection of high
value operations, more fool-proof installation and
maintenance methods, component compatibility for system
upgrade, a wider range of fires detectable, reliable
detection of noxious fire precursors, faster and more
precise response of fire detection systems customized to
particular processes, earlier warning in connection with
halon-alternative suppression systems, situation
monitoring following automatic suppression, means to
evaluate system trade-offs with the advent of
performance-based standards, combination gas sensors for
fire/environmental monitoring, and the capability for
partial integration of fire detection with other
building control functions. Technological barriers
which might inhibit attainment of these goals and a
research plan to enable the barriers to be breached are
discussed.
