Results of Full-Scale Fire Tests With Photoelectric Smoke Detectors. Final Report.
Results of Full-Scale Fire Tests With Photoelectric
Smoke Detectors. Final Report.
(2402 K)
Bukowski, R. W.; Bright, R. G.
NBSIR 75-700; 55 p. June 1975.
Available from:
National Technical Information Service
(NTIS), Technology Administration, U.S. Department of
Commerce, Springfield, VA 22161.
Telephone:
1-800-553-6847 or 703-605-6000;
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Keywords:
fire detectors; ionization chamber detectors;
photoelectric detectors; smoke detectors; taguchi gas
sensor (trademark)
Abstract:
In February 1974, a series of full-scale fire tests were
conducted to determine whether photoelectric-type smoke
detectors could response to the same types of fires used
to assess the performance of ionization-type smoke
detectors. The types of fires employes in the tests are
the same as those outlined in Underwriters'
Laboratories, Inc., Standard No. 167. In addition to
the UL-167 standard fires, fires involving polyurethane
(flaming mode) and cotton (smoldering mode) were added
to the test series. One detector, utilizing a taguchi
gas sensor (TGS), was included in the test series for
evaluation purposes. The test results indicated that
the better photoelectric smoke detectors, i.e., those
having little obstruction to slow-moving smoke can, in
general, detect the same test fires as the ionization
chamber smoke detectors in aproximately the same time
scale. For the smoldering cotton fire, the
photoelectric detectors were significantly faster than
the ionization chamber detectors. The TGS fire detector
was unable to detect most of the test fires.
