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ROC MEETING MINUTES
NFPA 75 Technical Committee on Electronic Computer Systems
Thursday-Friday April 14-15, 2011 Doubletree Hotel, Dallas, TX
1. Call to Order
The meeting of the Technical Committee on Electronic Computer Systems at the Doubletree
Hotel in Dallas was called to order by Chair, Ralph Transue at 8:00 am on Thursday, April 14,
2011.
2. Introduction of Committee Members and Guests
Self introductions of members and guests were completed. Those present are indicated below:
Name Representing
Transue, Ralph-Chair The RJA Group, Inc.
Spataro, Joseph A.-Secretary Liberty Mutual Property
Carman, Timothy-Principal Tyco Fire Suppression & Building Products
Crowder, Vincent-Principal Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company
Deegan, Thomas-Principal The Viking Group, Inc.
Kaufman, Stanley-Principal CableSafe, Inc./OFS
Lang, Scott R.-Principal Honeywell International
Langer, Robert L.-Principal Amerex Corporation
Marts, Ronald-Principal Telcordia Technologies
McCluer, Stephen-Principal APC by Schneider Electric
Pikula, Robert M.-Principal Reliable Fire Equipment Company
Powell, Bryan K.-Principal XL Global Asset Protection Services
Puig, Richard-Alternate to B. Bischoff Fike Corporation
Quirk, David V.-Principal Verizon Wireless
Salwan, Sam P.-Principal Environmental Systems Design, Inc.
Schwartz, William T.-Alternate to J. Spataro Liberty Mutual Property
Suski, Mark-Principal Aon/Schirmer Engineering Corporation
Willard, Randy-Principal US Central Intelligence Agency
Wysocki, Thomas J.-Principal Guardian Services, Inc.
Zolotar, David-Principal Oracle America, Inc.
Bielen, Richard-NFPA Staff Liaison National Fire Protection Association
Hart, Jonathan R.-NFPA Staff Liaison National Fire Protection Association DeGiorgio, Vincent-Guest FM Global
Rivers, Paul-Guest 3M
Robin, Mark L.-Guest Dupont
Joseph, Steven-Guest
Tokarsky, E.-Guest Dupont
3. Announcements
NFPA Staff briefly reviewed the purpose of the meeting and NFPA’s procedures. Jonathan Hart was
introduced as the new Staff Liaison for the committee. Key dates were published in the
meeting notice as:
Dates for ROC Meeting April 11-13, 2011 Ballots Mailed to TC before May 20, 2011 ROC Published August 26, 2011 Intent to Make a Motion Closing (NITMAM) October 21, 2011 Issuance of Consent Document (No NITMAMs) December 13, 2011 NFPA Annual Meeting (Las Vegas) June 2012 Issuance of Document with NITMAM August 9, 2012
4. Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the July 13-14, 2010 ROP Meeting held at Rolf Jensen & Associates
headquarters in Chicago, IL were approved without changes.
5. Task Group Reports
Ralph Transue reported on NFPA 75/76 convergence issues, and NFPA 75 correlation
issues related to language in article 645 of the National Electrical Code. Ralph reviewed the
evolution of Chapter 10 of NFPA 75 starting from requirements in NFPA 75 for power shutdown
with the NEC picking up the “How To” by creating Article 645, a permissive section in NFPA
70, and eventually NFPA 75 extracting pertinent paragraphs from NFPA 70 (NEC) Article 645
with citation. The NFPA 70 Code Making Panel 12 created a Task Group to re-examine the
requirements found in Article 645 soliciting input from NFPA 75.
Dave Quirk presented extensive work on a task group studying HVAC air containment
systems. This was supported by an animated PowerPoint presentation. HVAC airflow
containment products were researched during 20+ conference calls over 3 months. The
objective of air containment is to save energy and to maintain proper temperature conditions
at the inlet to the equipment. ASHRAE TC9.9 guidelines were referenced for control of air
flow, temperature, and humidity in both the hot aisle and the cold aisle using collar
containment systems. Air containment systems are not plenums; they are part of the
equipment. The task group worked on fire prevention, detection, suppression, and response.
Vinnie DeGiorgio gave a presentation on increased use of combustible plastics in data
centers. These are being used in cable ducts, and the partitions used in air containment
systems, resulting in an increased fuel load in equipment spaces. Server rack fire behavior
would be a good topic for research. What are the ignition source and the combustible load?
Fire spread, smoke generation, risk tolerance (redundant location) and the effects of out-
gassing caused by exposure of plastics to elevated temperatures over time could also be
examined.
6. Action on Comments
The committee acted upon the 29 public comments that were received and created 5 additional
committee comments. Refer to the F2011 Report on Comments (ROC) for the specific actions
taken on each.
7. Old Business
There was no old business.
8. New Business
After action had been taken on each of the public and committee comments, the committee
discussed many issues that may be more closely examined and researched prior to the next
revision cycle of NFPA 75. It was determined that it may be useful for members to act as liaisons
with other committees including Code Making Panel 12 of the NEC, and the ones responsible for
applicable sections of NFPA 2001, NFPA 13, NFPA 72, and others that may be related.
Task Groups may need to be formed to address the following topics:
a) Risk assessment with exemplars in Annex or create a performance based chapter similar
to NFPA 76.
b) Take a fresh look at correlation with the NEC Article 645.
c) Determine enhancements that could be made in requirements related to the development
and use of risk assessments including consideration of the SFPE method for performance-
based analysis and solutions. This would include review of under floor combustibles and
protection requirements.
Some of the topics which the committee feels may be useful to undergo further research include
the following:
a) Return air monitoring for smoke detection.
b) The effectiveness of automatic methods for removing obstructions (specifically those
created by aisle containment) prior to suppression system operation.
c) Equipment (fan) airflow direction effect on agent concentrations for suppression within
obstructed areas.
d) Smoke detection and related threshold for fire size (“large” facility), technology (detector
type), and fire products.
e) Maximum fire size to be expected in such facilities.
f) Relations to NFPA 2001.
g) Literature review to find pertinent statistics as to what starts a fire in IT equipment, what
the initial materials are and other feature that can help to provide a risk informed design
process.
h) Determining test criteria that includes a consideration of the increased use of plastics.
i) HVAC control/shut-down, how this can best be required and what effects this will have
in possible thermal overloads through unintended shutdowns.
9. Adjournment
The NFPA 75 ROC meeting was adjourned at 12:30 pm.
2
NFPA 75 & 76 ROP ActionsJoint Task Group on Air Containment
Task Group Objectives
Task Group Participants and Efforts
Air Containment Systems 101Purpose of them
Industry drivers
Types and configurations
Topics CoveredPlenum Issue
Fire Resistance & Materials
Suppression
Detection
Other topics (detachable links, etc)
Overview
3
• Review FIRE PROTECTION risks, potential hazards,
the application, and general fire safety requirements
associated with HVAC airflow containment products and
strategies that are installed in Data Centers and
Telecommunications facilities. Perform a review of
existing published literature on the topic.
• Recommend necessary research to NFPA and FPRF to
uncover unknown or uncertain aspects related to the
above review.
• Develop proposals that provide a MINIMUM level of fire
protection in accordance with the scope of each
Standard, necessary to minimize risks associated with
fire and the associated loss of services and/or
information.
Task Group Objectives
Task Group Attendance
Participants Representation Affiliations Voting Present
David Quirk (chair) End User NFPA76 & ASHRAE
TC9.9
Alt
Stephen McCluer
(co-chair)
End User NFPA 75 Y
Ron Marts Consultant NFPA 76/75 Y
Jeff Betz End User NFPA 76 Y
Brian Rawson OEM NFPA 75 Y
Bob Pikula FP manufacturer NFPA 76/75 Y
Ralph Transue Consultant NFPA 76/75 Y
Charles Quillin
Darrell Franchuk
Insurance NFPA 76 Y
Steve Dryden Consultant NFPA 76 Y
Vincent Degiorgio Insurance NFPA 76 Y
Bob Rex
Scott Lang
FP Manufacturer NFPA 76 Y
Wayne Aho Manufacturer NFPA 75 Y
Jonathan Ingram FP manufacturer NFPA 76 Y
Tom Wysocki FP manufacturer NFPA75 Y
Potential non-committee representatives from containment manufacturing
Max Hibner Containment
Manufacturer
ASHRAE TC9.9 N
Rich Kluge Consultant NBrian Donahue
Dave LuciaContainment
Manufacturer
N
Paul Rivers FP manufacturer N
Dan Dahl Consultant
4
Task Group Stats:
19 participants
9 – NFPA76
7 – NFPA75
5 – General industry
All stakeholders
represented
ASHRAE
represented
20 conference calls
Airflow containment solutions are used by HVAC and
Information & Communication Technology (ICT)
professionals to reduce the unintended mixing of HVAC
cooling airflows to serve the following performance
objectives: Ensure proper entering air conditions on ICT hardware in accordance
with ASHRAE TC9.9, Thermal Guidelines (www.ashrae.org) or directly
(http://www.techstreet.com/cgi-
bin/browsePublisher?publisher_id=33&subgroup_id=34767)
Elevate return air temperatures at the HVAC equipment, which drives
up system Coefficient Of Performance (COP) / increases energy
efficiency, thereby reducing energy consumption and associated costs.
Elevate return air temperatures at the HVAC equipment, to permit
additional hours of economizer operation (compressor free cooling),
thereby reducing energy consumption and associated costs.
Containment is commonly separated into 1 of 2 categories: Hot aisle
containment OR cold aisle containment.5
HVAC Air Containment 101
6
Data Center• Raised Floor Air Distribution
• Hot/Cold Aisle Cooling Environment
• Higher power densities
• Server-Centric hardware - AC
powered
Telecom• Overhead Air Distribution
• Mixed Cooling Environment
• Lower power densities
• Variety of network equipment that are
low voltage DC powered
CR
AC
Eq
uip
.
Eq
uip
.
FR
Cable Racks
F R
HVAC Air Containment 101
CR
AC
Dropped Ceiling
Equip
.
Equip
.
RR F F
7
Underfloor
Cold aisle containment
Overhead
Cold aisle containment
HV
AC
ICT
Equip
.
HVAC Air Containment 101
HV
AC
Dropped Ceiling
ICT
Equip
.
8
Underfloor
Hot aisle containment
Overhead
Hot aisle containment
HV
AC
ICT
Equip
.
HVAC Air Containment 101
HV
AC
Dropped Ceiling
ICT
Equip
.
9
Underfloor
“hot collar” containment
Overhead
“hot collar” containment
HV
AC
ICT
Equip
.
HVAC Air Containment 101
HV
AC
Dropped Ceiling
ICT
Equip
.
Contained hot aisle with in-row cooling
Air re-circulated at the floor level only
Air flow, top viewHot air is trapped under
Ceiling tiles
Cooling units in row with
ICTE equipment
Examples
13
Air Containment – Items reviewed
PREVENTION•Materials of construction
•Listings, combustibility, flammability, etc
•Plenums issue
DETECTION
•Detector locations
•Response times
•Temperatures on detectors
SUPPRESSION
•Obstructions for sprinklers
•Gas concentrations
•Removable obstructions
RESPONSE
• Impact to detection response
• Impact on suppression response
• Ability to find fire for first responders
Increasing Use of C b tibl Pl ti iCombustible Plastics in Worldwide Data CentersWorldwide Data Centers
March 2011March 2011
Vinnie DeGiorgioVinnie DeGiorgioPrincipal Engineer
FM Global
Types of Combustible PlasticsTypes of Combustible Plastics
• Rigidg– PVC, lexan (polycarbonate), plexiglass (PMAA), polyethylene and polypropylene
• Flexible– PVC polyurethane kynarPVC, polyurethane, kynar
• Foam– Polyurethane– Elastomeric RubberNeoprene rubber– Neoprene rubber
Properties of Combustible Plastics•Heat Release Rate
– 2‐3 times > ordinary•Toxic Gases
– hydrogen cyanide, HCL,2 3 times > ordinary combustibles
•Burning Rate
hydrogen cyanide, HCL, phosgene
•Flaming Drips•Burning Rate– 10 times > ordinary
combustibles
•Flaming Drips– thermoplastics tend to
melt & flow when heated
•Smoke Produced– Very dense, sooty, black
•Corrosion– severe corrosion damage
smoke potential to sensitive electronic equipment & metal surfaces
ASTM E84 – Standard Test Method for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials (UL 723)Characteristics of Building Materials (UL 723)
• 24ft. long x 20 in. wide specimens exposed tospecimens exposed to controlled –88 kw methane flame–240 ft. /min air flow
•Flame spread, fuel contribution & smoke arecontribution & smoke are measured• Flame spread is pobserved through windows
ASTM E84 – Standard Test Method for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials (UL 723)Characteristics of Building Materials (UL 723)
Provides a comparative measurement of surface flame spread & smoke density measurementspread & smoke density measurement
Per ASTM E84 – Standard Test Method for Surface B i Ch t i ti f B ildi M t i l (UL 723)Burning Characteristics of Building Materials (UL 723)
• Does not provide the effect of aggravated flameDoes not provide the effect of aggravated flame spread behavior of an assembly resulting from the proximity to walls and ceiling (x, 2x, 4x)p y g ( , , )
• Testing materials that melt drip or delaminate to• Testing materials that melt, drip or delaminate to such a degree that the continuity of the flame front is interruptedfront is interrupted– Results in low flame spread & smoke density measurements
Chilled Water PipingData Center
ASTM E84Flame Spread = 25 Data CenterpSmoke Developed = 50
FM4910 ‐ Fire Propagation Index = 6.6 FM4910 ‐ Smoke Development Index = 0.35