louise jackman lpcb 25 june 2012 - bre day for... · 2012. 7. 4. · –2006 –cen/ts 14972 –not...

Part of the BRE Trust

Protecting People, Property and the Planet

Fire Testing for Watermist SystemsLouise JackmanLPCB25 June 2012

Introduction

1. Watermist description

2. Fire testing

3. Standards and approval

4. How to demonstrate compliance


Watermist description

Water spray envelope

Watermist parameters

– One sprinkler droplet is equivalent to thousand(s) of smaller watermistdroplets

– Increased surface area for heat transfer– Watermist can remove more heat per sec

– Increased surface area for mass transfer– Watermist can evaporate more water per second

Watermist parametersLess momentum for small droplets

large droplet = 4 m per ssmall droplet = 1 cm per s

– Watermist can be more susceptible to other flows (draughts, fire plumes)

Suppression & extinguishment

– Droplets remove heat from fire and smoke (by conduction, convection, radiation)

– Droplets wet fuel (inhibiting fire spread)

– Water vapour displaces oxygen (near flame)

Fuel

Oxygen

Heat

Suppression & extinguishment

Flammable liquid fire (Class B)

– Extinguishment

– Direct interaction with flame

Solid combustibles (Class A)

– Suppression

– Coverage of fire source

Rooms or open space

– In rooms, filling/loading with droplets & water vapour

– In open, forced delivery to fire source, to reduce droplets and water vapour being pushed away

Watermist description

– Bespoke systems

– With features from both sprinkler and fixed gas extinguishing system

– Installed to manufacturer’s design manual and BS DD standards

Watermist components

NozzlesFiltersValvesFlow detectorsPipe fittings & couplingsPumps & DriversTanks

Watermist standards

– 1992 - International Maritime Organisation (IMO) introduced sprinkler specifications and fire test protocols for machinery spaces (1994), marine accommodation (1995)

– 2000 - NFPA 750 – general guidance

– 2005 - FM Approval Standard 5560 – application specific

– 2006 – CEN/TS 14972 – not applied in UK

– 2010/11

– BS DD 8489 Fixed fire protection systems• commercial and industrial watermist systems

– BS DD 8458 Fixed fire protection systems• residential and domestic occupancies


Fire testing

Standard fire tests

Reasons for fire testing

– To obtain fire performance test results for– Specified system design– Particular hazard type– Against an agreed standard

– To provide benchmarking

– To provide confidence in a system for:– Customers– Specifiers– Enforcers– Approval bodies

This is different from demonstration testing

BRE Trust research

– Understanding the mechanisms for successful water mist fire protection systems

– Industry partners (insurer and system providers)

– 3 year research programme, in progress

– Review and survey– Experimental programme– Report

Survey of UK commercial premises

Reviewed

– Ignition hazards– Fire load– Obstructions– Room geometry– Ventilation– Life/property

protection– Watermist suitability

Review - research

Finding 1 – sprinkler and office fire test

– LPCB approved K80 pendent sprinklers

– Centre of 4 heads on a 12 m2 spacing (5 mm/min).

– Sprinklers were successful, the fire was effectively suppressed

– Extinguishing flaming above the table– Preventing further burning in the plywood

walls.– Only a low level of burning in the two

shielded wood cribs persisted.

Finding 2 – watermist and office fire tests

– Low pressure watermist

– Centre of 4 nozzles on a 6.25 m2 spacing (5 mm/min) at ~13 bar

– The watermist was successful, the fire was effectively suppressed

– Extinguishing flaming above the table– Preventing further burning in the

plywood walls.– Only a low level of burning in the two

shielded wood cribs persisted.

Finding 3 – watermist and office fire tests

– High pressure watermist

– Centre of 4 heads on a 9 m2 spacing (2.8 mm/min) at ~100 bar

– The watermist was not successful, the fire was not effectively suppressed

– A level of fire control was demonstrated, the system significantly reduced temperatures within the office scenario fire set-up compared to the unsuppressed test

Critical parameters for fire testing of watermist

– Nozzle spacing

– Nozzle flow and pressure

– Ceiling height

– Fire hazard (fuel, arrangement)

– Compartmentation

– Ventilation

Ensure that the scope of the test, covers the scope of the application


Standards and approval

UK watermist standards and approvals

– Residential and domestic, BS DD 8458-1:2010

– Residential and domestic, LPS (in preparation)

– Low hazard occupancies, BS DD 8489-7:2011– Low hazard occupancies watermist system, LPS 1283– Low hazard occupancies watermist installer, LPS 1284 or FIRAS

– Industrial oil cookers, BS DD 8489-6:2011

– Combustion turbines and machinery spaces ≤ 80m3, BS DD 8489-5:2011

– Local application involving flammable liquid fires , BS DD 8489-4:2011

Residential & domestic

– Residential occupancies (e.g. blocks of flats, HMOs) not exceeding 20 m in height and domestic occupancies (e.g. dwellings)

– Fire test protocol based on fire test for residential sprinklers BS 9252

– With additional consideration for:– fire load positions– ventilation conditions– ceiling height (optional up to 5m)

Low hazard occupancy

– Non-storage, non-manufacturing occupancy where the quantity and/or combustibility of the contents is low and fires with relatively low rates of heat release are expected. This descriptor is different from ‘light’ and ‘ordinary hazard’ as described in International sprinkler standards.

– Room types covered– Seating areas– Classrooms and office areas– Entrances foyers and display areas– Bedrooms and sleeping areas– Common rooms in apartments, nursing

or convalescent homes and residential– Corridors– Data processing areas

Low hazard tests

– Fire test protocol based on– FM 5560, IMO A.800, BRE Trust

research, FB34– With additional consideration for:

– Fire load– Obstructions– Room arrangement (LPS 1283)– Ventilation (LPS 1283)

Low hazard categories

– Category I system– System that covers rooms up to 37 m2– Equivalent fire load density ≤ 9 kg/m2

– Category II system– System that covers rooms above 37 m2, with no obstructed fire

loads– Equivalent fire load density ≤ 9 kg/m2

– Category III system– System that covers rooms, with obstructed fire loads– Equivalent fire load density ≤ 29 kg/m2

DD 8489-7 Category 3 test arrangement

– Ceiling up to 5 m high

– Open on all sides, no wall

– Four nozzles

– Untreated plywood wall lining (6mm)

– Two wood cribs

– Chipboard table + indicatives

Component and system approval, LPS 1283

• Requirements for:• Documentation• Design requirements• System manual• Fire performance tests• System verification• Component examination and tests

• Classification• Category• Scope of application, i.e. area type and occupancy• Limiting parameters, i.e. floor area, ceiling height,

ventilation, equivalent fire load density, fire growth rate, height of combustibles, obstructed fire load


How to demonstrate compliance

Approved systems and installations

• Testing to fire test protocols is critical, however it can only give a snapshot in time

• Approvals provide continual confirmation of:• Components• System fire tests• System design methods• System installations

Specifer/approver requirements 1

– Specify LPS 1283 systems, DD 8489 (commercial) and DD 8458 (domestic)

– For other applications:– Check scope of application– Check system design and system performance– Check component credentials– Check fire performance reports

• Check test house credentials• Check the details of test

– Small differences in watermist system arrangements can make a big difference in the test outcome

– Small differences in test parameters can make a big difference in the test outcome

• Other test standards are not the same

Specifer/approver requirements 2

– Specify LP1284 installation and maintenance

– For installations– Check scope of application, occupancy and limiting parameters– Check design and installation against design manual and DD

8489 & DD 8458 requirements– Check that the installed watermist system is the same as the

approved watermist system – Check commissioning & maintenance requirements – Undertake periodic testing of hydraulically most remote test

connection incorporating a nozzleEnd users of watermist systems are responsible for the on-going

maintenance of watermist systems and in particular maintenance of the fire load and fire hazard classification in-line with the watermist system design

Key facts

– Watermist is a complex technology (combination of gas & water systems)

– All systems are bespoke, no generic system designs

– Mechanism of fire performance– Increased efficiency– Increased vulnerability– There are critical watermist parameters– There are critical fire / room parameters

– Application specific fire test protocols are required

– Scopes of application, need careful examination

– Specify DD 8489 (commercial) and DD 8458 (domestic), LPS 1283 & LPS 1284

Thank you

Louise JackmanLPCB

01923 664948

[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Part of the BRE Trust

National Solar CentreProposed centre in St Austell, Cornwall

Nick TuneDirector BRE Wales and South West

National Solar Centre

– industry briefing and informal consultation

Plan for this morning:– Provide information on the NSC aims and objectives

– Describe background and work to date

– Describe proposed work streams

– Determine what else is needed

– Secure industry support and backing

Agenda

Time Schedule Who

09.30 NSC Overview Nick Tune, Director BRE

09.50 Cornwall perspective Adrian Lea, Cornwall Council

10.10 NSC Details Ray Noble

10.30 Questions Nick, Adrian, Ray

10.50 Coffee

11.00 Workshop Anthony, Jonny, Steve

12.00 Feedback / discussion Nick Tune

12.30 Lunch

13.30 Close

13.30 Innovation Park tours Go to: Visitor Centre


Objectives– To support the UK solar PV industry

– Provide info for solar investors, banks and construction industry

– Provide higher quality training for installers

– Create jobs and attract industry to Cornwall


Rational– Experience of the FIT highlighted industry weaknesses

– Data available from UK installations provides an opportunity

– Cornwall recognised as “the place” for UK PV

– Cornwall Council and DECC very supportive

– Training opportunity for higher level design courses

From DECC Press Notice 24th May 2012

DECC is also pleased to welcome plans being brought forward by Cornwall Council and the Building Research Establishment to set up a National Solar Centre in Cornwall.Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Barker said: “I am very happy to see a proposal for the creation of a National Solar Centre in Cornwall, led by the Building Research Establishment.”


What– A recognised “observatory” of UK knowledge and expertise for PV

– Macro data analysis of FIT generation figures

– Fault finding diagnostics for existing installations

– Due diligence for larger scale installations

– Design level training for installers

– Local installation training

Each stream must be financially viable outright


Other opportunities to be discussed:– Best practice quality assurance, product knowledge, technical standards

– Provide a code of practice for construction and solar industries

– Building Integrated PV market development

– Optimise installation quality and cost reduction

– System performance database

– How to optimise operational sites

– Better integration for grid connections and supply-demand matching

– Monitoring and maintenance services


How– Business plan for every work stream being developed

– BRE is leading ERDF bid with support from Cornwall Council

– Support from Ray Noble – initial market study

– BRE team is Nick Tune, Jonny Williams & Steve Pester

– Centre located at St Austell ESAM development

– Initially 5 staff including 2 graduates

– Opportunities for related companies to co-locate – knowledge cluster

– ERDF funding with aim to create a viable business

– Consultation - today at BRE - 26/27 July Cornwall Renewable Energy Show


Thank you for your attention

Nick [email protected] 622942

National Solar [email protected] 630100

mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]

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louise jackman lpcb 25 june 2012 - bre day for... · 2012. 7. 4. · –2006 –cen/ts 14972 –not...

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