Fire Suppression Efficiency Screening Using a Counterflow Cylindrical Burner.
Fire Suppression Efficiency Screening Using a
Counterflow Cylindrical Burner.
(792 K)
Yang, J. C.; Donnelly, M. K.; Prive, N. C.;
Grosshandler, W. L.
ASME/JSME Joint Thermal Engineering Conference, 5th
Proceedings. March 15-19, 1999, San Diego, CA, 1-8 pp,
1999.
Keywords:
fire suppression; burners; drop sizes; droplets; halons
Abstract:
The design and validation of a counterflow cylindrical
burner for fire suppression efficiency screening are
described. The stability limits of the burner were
mapped using various fuel (propane) and oxidizer (air)
flows. The stability enveloped compared favorably with
those reported in the literature. the apparatus was
characterized using inert gases (argon, helium, and
nitrogen), and the relative fire suppression efficiency
ranking of these three gases was found to be
commensurate with that from cup-burner tests. For
liquid suppression experiments, a piezoelectric droplet
generator was used to form droplets (< 100 mum). Water
was used as a representative liquid suppressant to study
the feasibility of using such a burner for screening
liquid agents. Extinction was facilitated with the
addition of water droplets, and the effect of water
became more pronounced when its application rate was
increased. Suppression experiments using water with and
without nitrogen dilution in the oxidizer stream were
also performed. Flame extinction due to the combined
effect of water and nitrogen dilution was demonstrated.
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899