Velocity pressure effect on sprinkler system discharge

After conducting a series of sprinkler discharge tests, the authors concluded that the use of velocity pressure in sprinkler system calculations will give a false picture of the ability of the system. Note: Mr. Kirkman is a registered Professional Engineer and a practicing consulting engineer. Mr. Campbell is Vice President and Chief Engineer of The Reliable Automatic Sprinkler Company.     

A portable IR system for observing fire thru smoke

A comparatively recent development in electronic technology holds promise for providing a practical means for locating and following the progress of forest fires. Early tests indicate that a prototype system has advantages and a sensitivity that surpass conventional television systems. Note: Mr. Maxwell is stationed at Riverside, California.     

A logic-tree approach to the St Crispin Hospital fire

Fatality or injury due to fire is an aspect of the working of an entire system. That is, casualty due to fire represents a failure of a system and ultimately, this includes the social system within which we live. As part of such a consideration, many different techniques and models may be used, and one such technique is that of logic-tree analysis. Note: This work was presented at the Sixth International Fire Protection Seminar, Karlsruhe, West Germany, September 21–24, 1982.     

Fire protection system for a hyperbaric chamber

An automatic fire protection system has been developed, installed in a hyperbaric chamber, and tested. The system meets or exceeds previously determined requirements. Note: This report is based on work sponsored by the Naval Facilities Engineering Command and the Naval Ship Systems Command.     

Lightning protection — A proven system

A unique integrated lightning protection system is described, which uses an electrode assembly enhanced by electron sources. The electrode is coupled to a high voltage coaxial grounding conductor to offer hitherto unattainable performance. Note: The system discussed in this paper is registered under U.S. Patent 3919956.     

Calculation of performance of fire retardant ceiling systems

With equations, Part I describes the thermal behavior of a composite system consisting of a noncombustible ceiling board suspended below a concrete floor slab. Part II shows how the equations have been successfully adapted to digital computer operation. The computed results agree with experimental measurements for two specific systems exposed to a standard test furnace heated at a prescribed rate. Note: References 1 through 11, Table 1, and Figures 1 and 2 will be found in Part I of this paper published inFire Technology, Vol. 5, No. 4, November 1969, on pages 323–331.     

Chelation-photoelectric concept for fire detection

An exploratory study has been made of the adsorption of incipient combustion gases on metal surfaces and organic metal chelate coated metal surfaces. Data obtained in this study suggest that a smoke or fire detection system could be based on the adsorption-photoelectric effects observed. IIT Research Institute Note: This work was supported by the National Science Foundation, Washington, DC, through Contract No. NSF-C76-10255.     

Fuel tank inerting and fire fighting,with liquid nitrogen

The vapor space in fuel tanks becomes a serious hazard when the vapor-to-air ratio falls within the explosive limits of the mixture. the author discusses a system that prevents the formation of explosive mixtures by using liquid nitrogen to render the vapor space inert. Parker Hannifin Corporation Note: The author presented this paper at the 73rd Annual Meeting of the National Fire Protection Association in New York City on May 13, 1969.     

Mathematical model for analyzing the trade-offs in aircraft hangar deluge sprinkler systems design

The author explores the use of simple mathematical models in optimizing the design of fixed protection systems by testing the cost sensitivity of an aircraft hangar foam-water deluge system to variations in semi-arbitrarily fixed design parameters. Note: The author is a doctoral candidate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.     

Handtools and chain saws outproduce hydraulic units

Field tests assessed forest fireline construction capabilities of two power-assisted tooling systems—a chain saw system and a hydraulic power unit system. These were compared with the conventional handtool system as to fireline construction rate, cost, and other considerations. Note: Irene A. Althaus is a Natural Resource Economist assigned to the Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Experiment Station, Forest Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Berkeley, California, stationed at Riverside, California. Robert W. Weaver is Fire Research Coordinator with the California Department of Forestry, Sacramento, California.     

Time delay correction for heat release rate data

A numerical scheme is presented to correct heat release rate measurements made with the Ohio State University rate of heat release apparatus for the effects of inherent time delays in the measurement system. Note: Dr. Evans was a National Research Council Postdoctoral Research Associate at the National Bureau of Standards at the time this work was completed.     

A heat stress monitoring system for fire fighters

A portable lightweight seven-channel radiotelemetry system has been developed, which is capable of monitoring environmental stresses and physiological response of fire fighters exposed to heat stress during fire fighting operations. Note: Dr. Uwe Reischl is connected with the Social Ecology Program at UC, Irvine, and Dr. Peter Reischl is a member of the Biomedical Engineering Department at USC.     

Energy release rates in fire retardant evaluation

Rate of spread and other indirect measurements of fire intensity are often used as measures of flammability when fire-retardant chemicals are evaluated under laboratory conditions. The authors describe a system for obtaining the energy release rate directly and show its importance and relation to retardant effectiveness. Note: The authors are Research Foresters stationed at the Northern Forest Fire Laboratory, Missoula, Montana.     

The computer approach to fire protection problems

With computers coming into more widespread use every day, it is only logical that they find applications in the field of fire protection. They have, in fact, already been used for computing sprinkler system requirements. The authors relate how The Travelers employs the computer and suggest applications to be explored in the future. The Travelers Insurance Companies Note: This paper was presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers at Boston, Mass., on May 18, 1967, as part of a program arranged by the New England Chapter of the SFPE.     

Water Net— A computerized design aid

Water Net makes it possible to perform hydraulic analyses with ease. The complexity of the system to be analyzed is limited only by the user's imagination and the capacity of the computer being used. The user need not have been trained in computer programing. Note: This paper was presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers at Atlanta, Ga., May 23, 1968, as part of a program arranged by the Chesapeake Chapter of the SFPE.     

A fire danger rating system for Hawaii

Extremes in rainfall on the Hawaiian Islands make it difficult to judge forest fire danger conditions. The use of an automatic data collection and computer processing system helps to monitor the problem. Note: Messrs. Burgan and Fujioka are on the staff of the Pacific Southwest Forest and Range Experiment Station, Forest Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture. Mr. Hirata is with the National Weather Service. All three are stationed at Honolulu, Hawaii.     

Evaluation of chemical stability

The author discusses a system of 3 simple, time and material saving tests that may be used to give an indication of the explosion potential of chemicals. Note: This paper was presented at the Summer Conference of the National Academy of Science Committee on Hazardous Materials, New London, Conn., July 8–9, 1970; and is a revision of an earlier paper titled “Hazard Evaluation Testing: A System for the Classification of Chemicals,” which was presented at the 64th Annual Meeting of the AIChE, March 16–20, 1969 and was published inLoss Prevention, Vol. 3.     

A high temperature water-cooled anemometer

Prior attempts to measure air velocity within and near fires have not been completely successful because of mechanical and electronic failures due to heat. A system of cooling critical mechanical and electronic parts of anemometers using liquids has been developed to overcome this problem. Note: Mr. Palmer is stationed at Riverside, California, and Mr. Northcutt’s current address is Division of Forest Fire and Atmospheric Sciences Research, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250.     

Flammability tests for cellular plastics—Part II

In our last issue, the author examined the requirements of various tests employed to determine the flammability of cellular plastics. Here, he discusses a system of four tests used by Union Carbide, and the thinking behind its application for product evaluation and as research and development tool. Union Carbide Corporation Note: Based on a paper titled “The Flammability Characteristics of Cellular Plastics” delivered by the author at the May 1967 Polymer Conference at Wayne State University and subsequently published in the September 1967 issue ofIndustrial & Engineering Chemistry, Product Research and Development.     

Application of CMA program to wood charring

Experiments were conducted to test the ability of a computer program to describe the charring of ovendried wood. Note: Mr. White is a Forest Products Technologist and Dr. Schaffer is a Supervisory Research Engineer at the Forest Service's Forest Products Laboratory. The Laboratory is maintained at Madison, Wisconsin in cooperation with the University of Wisconsin. Note: The use of trade, firm, or corporation names in this publication is for the information and convenience of the reader. Such use does not constitute official endorsement or approval by the U.S. Department of Agriculture of any product or service to the exclusion of others that may be suitable.