Report of Heptane Spill Fires. Fire Tests Described Herein Were Conducted in the Most Sophisticated, Environmentally Friendly Large Scale Fire Test Facility in the World.
Report of Heptane Spill Fires. Fire Tests Described
Herein Were Conducted in the Most Sophisticated,
Environmentally Friendly Large Scale Fire Test Facility
in the World.
(3519 K)
Underwriters Laboratories, Incorporated
NC1838-97NK34585; 52 p. December 29, 1997.
Sponsor:
HSB Industrial Risk Insurers, Hartford, CT
Keywords:
heptanes; fire tests; test facilities; storage;
ceilings; sprinkler systems; instruments
Abstract:
This test report describes the Special Service
Investigation conducted for Industrial Risk Insurers to
develop fire test data relative to the level of
protection required for fire scenarios involving
Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs). The sole purpose of
this investigation was to develop test data relative to
the protection of storge arrays simulating IBC's using a
wet pipe ceiling sprinkler system. The data developed
for Industrial Risk insurers, may be provided to the
National Fire Protection Association Fire Test
Committee. The investigation consisted of three fire
tests which exposed a 2x2x2 array of steel forms
representing stacked IBC's to a running heptane fuel
fire positioned within the array. The fuel flow rate
was set at 4 gpm for Fire Test No. 1, 6 gpm for Fire
Test No. 2, and 15 gpm for Fire Test No. 3. Sprinklers
were provided to deliver densities of 0.06 gpm/ft2. The
fire tests were conducted in a 120 by 120 by 54 ft. high
room fitted with a 100 ft. by 100 ft. adjustable height
ceiling adjusted to a height of 30 ft. The test rooms
are equipped with an exhaust system through a
regenerative, thermal oxidizing, smoke abatement system.
Make-up air is provided through four inlet ducts
positioned along the walls of the test facilities. The
floors of the test facilities are smooth and flat and
surrounded with a grated drainage trench to insure
adequate floor water drainage from the test area. The
water runoff from the suppression system drain is
collected through a 180,000 gallon water treatment
system.
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