Residential Nuisance Source Characteristics for Smoke Alarm Testing.
Residential Nuisance Source Characteristics for Smoke
Alarm Testing.
(321 K)
Cleary, T. G.
International Conference on Automatic Fire Detection
"AUBE '04", 13th Proceedings. University of Duisburg.
[Internationale Konferenz uber Automatischen
Brandentdeckung.] September 14-16, 2004, Duisburg,
Germany, Luck, H.; Laws, P.; Willms, I., Editor(s)(s),
594-603 pp, 2004.
Keywords:
fire detection; fire detection systems; smoke detectors;
fire alarm systems; scenarios; fire tests; manufactured
housing; sensitivity; sensors
Abstract:
Nuisance scenario tests were performed in the
manufactured home used in the Home Smoke Alarm fire test
series. The scenario selections were based on what are
commonly thought to be causes of residential nuisance
alarms, and were designed to mimic normal activities
(i.e. no intentional food burning, with the exception of
toasted bread.) The bulk of the scenarios were related
to cooking activities including: frying,
deep-frying, baking, broiling, boiling, and toasting. In
addition, cigarette smoking and candle burning were
included. Smoldering fire scenarios were examined for
comparative purposes. Aerosol concentrations,
temperature, humidity, flow velocity and analog output
from several photoelectric, ionization and carbon
monoxide sensors were gathered. It was observed that
nuisance alarms in residential settings were
affected by the properties of the aerosol produced, its
concentration, the location of an alarm relative to the
source, and the air flow that transports smoke to an
alarm. This study provides a detailed set of data that
can be used to address several issues involving nuisance
alarms and reinforces current suggested practices.
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899