Study of Technology for Detecting Pre-Ignition Conditions of Cooking-Related Fires Associated With Electric and Gas Ranges and Cooktops. Final Report.
Study of Technology for Detecting Pre-Ignition
Conditions of Cooking-Related Fires Associated With
Electric and Gas Ranges and Cooktops. Final Report.
(8341 K)
Johnsson, E. L.
NISTIR 5950; 130 p. January 1998.
Sponsor:
Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC
Available from:
National Technical Information Service
Keywords:
stoves; appliances; fire detection; fire prevention;
ignition prevention; kitchen fires; residential
buildings; sensors; smoke detectors; smoke measurement
Abstract:
A significant portion of residential fires stem from
kitchen cooking fires. Existing fire data indicate that
cooking fires primarily are unattended and most often
involve oil or grease. Previous study has determined
that strong indicators of impending ignition for several
foods cooked on range surfaces are temperatures, smoke
particulates, and hydrocarbon gases. The purpose of
this experimental investigation was to determine the
feasibility of utilizing one or more of these common
characteristics of the pre-ignition environment as input
to one or more sensor(s) in a pre-fire detection device.
This device would detect approaching ignition and allow
alarm or shutoff of the range for foods cooked on
electric and gas ranges without generating false alarms
during a variety of normal, or standard, cooking
activities. The aspect of feasibility explored by the
National Institute of Standards and Technolgy was the
physical possibility of differentiating between the
characteristics of broad ranges of pre-ignition and
normal environments. The ultimate goal of the overall
study being conducted by the Consumer Product Safety
Commission (CPSC) is to evaluate the overall feasibility
of incorporating such a device into ranges that would
react with alarm or shutdown to pre-ignition conditions
and reduce the occurrence of unwanted kitchen fires
without undue disruption of attended cooking. This
evaluation of overall feasibility by the CPSC includes
consideration of the reasonableness and magnitude of the
social and economic costs and benefits in addition to
the physical feasibility of a detection system.
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899