| Abstract: | A series of full-scale fire tests involving sprinkler installations was conducted in 1979 and 1980 in a two-story residence
in Los Angeles, CA, and in a mobile home in Charlotte, NC. Previous laboratory tests, including full-scale room fire tests,
had indicated that a prototype “quick-response” sprinkler was effective in controlling residential home fires. More full-scale
fire tests under less controlled and more operational conditions were considered necessary to confirm or deny these scientific
and engineering judgments. The prime objective of the program was to test the performance of alternative sprinkler designs
to “control” the development of fire in single-family dwellings and mobile homes.
National Fire Protection Association
Editor's Note: This paper is the first of three papers reporting on full-scale residential sprinker fire tests conducted under
Grant 79027 for the U.S. Fire Administration by the National Fire Protection Association. In this paper, the objectives of
the test program are outlined; the test facilities, Prototype sprinkler, water supplies, sprinkler system design, and instrumentation
are described; and the scenarios for the total of seventy-six tests conducted are summarized. The second paper (February 1984
issue) will focus on the results of the test and the conclusions drawn from them and the third (May 1984 issue) will cover
a study of the comparative activation times of sprinklers and smoke detectors in the mobile home tests.
Mr. Cote is Assistant Vice President (Engineering & Technical Services) for the NFPA. He served as project manager for the
test series insofar as the NFPA had overall management responsibilities for the program. |
