Presentación David Asplund - Reliable by ANRACI - COLOMBIA

Trends & Advances in Storage Facility Automatic Fire Sprinkler Systems David L. Asplund Technical Services Manager Reliable Automatic Sprinkler Co.

Why is Storage Different?

How well do fire sprinklers work? • Never a multiple loss of life in a building fully equipped with a properly maintained (e.g. valve open) fire sprinkler system where the source of the fire was not an explosion! • 96% of fires in buildings equipped with fire sprinklers are completely extinguished with 6 or less fire sprinklers operating! (from NFPA) • Storage occupancies have a “success” rate of 78% (from NFSA – opening too many) © 2010 FM Global. All rights reserved.

Where do Codes & Standards come from? • Codes & Standards are written in the Blood of the Victims • Codes & Standards are written and revised usually as a result of a catastrophic event(s) • There have been more changes in Storage protection in the last 5 years than in the previous 50 years! Driven by FM Global & NFPA (Fire Protection Research Foundation) • FIRE SPRINKLERS WORK! © 2010 FM Global. All rights reserved.

Storage Definitions • NFPA Standard #13 section 3.9.1.17 defines “High-Piled Storage” as: Solid-piled, rack storage, bin box & shelf storage in excess of 12 feet (3.7m) in height • What if it is less than 12 feet in height? • Storage less than 12 feet in height is called “Miscellaneous Storage” and protected as Ordinary Hazard Group 2 (0.20 GPM/SF) © 2010 FM Global. All rights reserved.

Commodity Classification â&#x20AC;˘ Class I â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Defined as a noncombustible product that meets one of the following criteria. 1) Placed directly on wood pallets 2) Placed in single-layer corrugated cartons, with or without single-thickness cardboard dividers, with or without pallets 3) Shrink-wrapped or paperwrapped as a unit load with or without pallets.

Commodity Classification â&#x20AC;˘ Class II â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Defined as a noncombustible product that is in slatted wooden crates, solid wood boxes, multiplelayered corrugated cartons, or equivalent combustible packaging material, with or without pallets.

Commodity Classification • Class III – Defined as a product fashioned from wood, paper, natural fibers (cloth or leather), or Group C plastics with or without cartons, boxes, or crates and with or without pallets. – Allowed to have a limited amount of Group A or B plastics (5 percent by weight or volume or less)

Commodity Classification • Class IV – Defined as a product or Class I, II, or III product, with or without pallets, that meets one of the following criteria: 1) Constructed partially or totally of Group B plastics 2) Consists of free-flowing Group A plastic materials 3) Contains within itself or its packaging an appreciable amount of Group A plastics ▪ 5 percent to 15 percent by weight or ▪ 5 percent to 25 percent by volume

Commodity Classification • Group A Plastics • Cartoned Unexpanded – CUP • Cartoned Expanded – CEP • Exposed Expanded – EEP or UEP

– – – – – – – –

Acrylic Butyl rubber Natural rubber (expanded) PET (thermoplastic polyester) Polyethylene Polypropylene Polystyrene Polyurethane

Commodity Classification • Examples of Group B Plastics – Nylon – Silicone rubber – Natural rubber (not expanded)

• Examples of Group C Plastics – PVC (Rigid or lightly plasticized – such as PVC pipe & fittings)

Commodity Classification â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Uncartoned or Exposed Expanded Plastic

Commodity Classification

Commodity Classification • Mixed Commodities – Use the highest classified commodity and storage arrangement except as follows: • Allowed up to 10 pallet loads per 40,000 ft² • Higher hazard commodity randomly dispersed with no adjacent loads in any direction – including diagonally • If ceiling protection is Class I or II, only 5 pallet loads of Class IV or Group A allowed

– Where higher hazard commodity is confined to a designated area and protected as such, lower hazard protection can be used for lower commodity class

Commodity Classification???

Storage & Building Height Limitations • For ESFR, ceiling only, sprinkler protection the maximum ceiling height is 45 feet with 40 feet maximum storage height • For Specific Application ESFR, ceiling only, sprinkler protection the maximum ceiling height is 48 feet with 43 feet maximum storage height • For CMDA sprinklers, there is no maximum building height, however, in-racks will be required fro storage height exceeding 25 feet

Change in Industrial Practices End of World War II: Invention of forklift truck (higher storage) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Storage racks constructed of steel (higher storage) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Change from wood, metal and glass materials to plastic materials (higher commodity class) heat release fires)

Warehouse Fires With Pipe Schedule Sprinkler Systems

1950â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Innovations SSU & SSP

Standard Spray Sprinkler K 5.6and (K 80) Density over Demand Area Design Concept

1950â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sprinkler Technology

82 sprinklers open

1960’s Density / Area

NFPA Class I-IV Protection ➢ CMDA sprinklers uses 20’-0” baseline height ➢ Density cannot be less than 0.15gpm/ft²

NFPA Class I-IV Protection ➢ Apply Figure 14.2.4.3 for heights other than 20’-0” ➢ Class III & IV storage may not be reduced below density for Ordinary Hazard II at the resulting area

Then came… • A bunch of Control Mode Density Area (CMDA) sprinklers… – Large Orifice (17/32”) Sprinkler – Extra Large Orifice (ELO) Sprinkler Installation guidelines for these – Very Extra Large Orifice (VELO) Sprinkler sprinklers evolved into DS 2-8N – Really Ginormous Orifice (RGO) Sprinkler

1970s Innovations by FM Global & Viking â&#x20AC;˘ Water penetration through fire plume using larger water droplets

Which lead to…

The K11.2 (K160) “Large-Drop” Sprinkler, the first Control Mode Specific Application (CMSA) sprinkler

Then came… • A bunch of CMSA sprinklers – K16.8 (K240), K19.6 (K280), K25.2 (K360), K25.2EC (K360EC)

• Design format changed - Number of sprinklers at minimum pressure Installation guidelines for these sprinklers evolved into DS 2-7

1980’s Innovations • “Residential” sprinkler & quick response (QR) Low Thermal Mass Elements

1980s Innovations by FM Global • Fire Suppression by the Actual Delivered Density Concept = ESFR • Early Suppression Fast Response

Amount of water

ADD Concept

RDD

Suppression achieved in this zone

ADD

Time

Then came… • A bunch of Suppression Mode (SM) sprinklers – K14 (K200) upright, K16.8 (K240) upright, K14.0 (K200) pendent, K16.8 (K240) pendent, K22.4 (K320) pendent, & K25.2 (K360) pendent

Installation standard for these sprinklers was DS 2-2

Trends in Sprinkler Technology K5.6

• Orifice size increasing • Quicker response time • Deflector design evolved

K25.2

Reasons for Innovations • Three different sprinkler categories • Terminology that implies performance

• Three sets of installation guidelines

Changes in Terminology for Sprinkler Categories • • • •

Old Terminology: CMDA – Control Mode Density Area CMSA – Control Mode Specific Application SM – Suppression Mode (ESFR)

CMDA vs. CMSA â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is there a difference?

CMDA

CMSA

CMDA/CMSA Sprinkler Test Program – Are They Different? • Test Plan: – Full-Scale Fire Test Comparison – 16 Total Tests (8 Comparison Tests) – Open Frame Double-Row Racks w/Class 2 or Standard Plastics – K11.2 (K160), Upright Type – Low Temperature (Nominal 160 F (70 C)) – Standard Response

CMDA and CMSA Sprinkler Tests Test Conclusion:

• CMDA = CMSA for design purposes, provided that: – – – – –

K-factor Orientation Nominal Temperature Rating Nominal RTI Rating Sprinkler Spacing

Why Revise Data Sheet 8-9? • Opportunity to simplify and improve • Need to update sprinkler terminology • Opportunity to base sprinkler designs on a single design format

Changes in Terminology for Sprinklers Protecting Storage • CMDA • CMSA • SM

Storage sprinklers

• Single/common design method • Single/common installation method • Reduces number of protection tablestables needed

Movement towards Single Design Format for Storage • Prior to 1980s pipe schedule design • Concept of density born in early 1960s but did not become commonplace until the 1980s • Number of sprinklers @ minimum pressure design concept introduced in 1980s (ESFR) • Research testing over the past few years has demonstrated that various sprinkler attributes are most important factor for sprinkler performance

Key Sprinkler Attributes and Water Delivery to Seat of Fire

K Factor K 25.2

K 5.6

Response Time Index (RTI)

Orientation

Pendent

Upright

Temperature Rating

160째F (70째C)

286째F (140째C)

Movement towards Single Design Format - Testing Common to Both Tests • • • • •

20 ft (6.0 m) storage height 30 ft (9.0 m) ceiling height Open frame double-row rack storage Cartoned unexpanded plastic commodity Ignition under 1 sprinkler

Test 1

Test 2

• 8 ft (2.4 m) aisle • 4 ft (1.2 m) aisle • 0.8 gpm/ft2 (32 mm/min) • 0.6 gpm/ft2 (24 mm/min)

How many sprinklers will open in each test?

Why not just density? 30’/20’ Cartoned Unexpanded Plastics 8’ Aisle .80 density 11.2K Upright CMDA 100 square feet

30’/20’ Cartoned Unexpanded Plastics 4’ Aisle .60 density N252 EC CMSA Pendent 196 square feet

Movement towards Single Design Format Differences between both tests Test 1 – 25 Sprinklers • Upright sprinkler • K11.2 (K160) • Standard Response • Standard Spacing; 10’ x 10’ (3 m x 3 m)

Loss Expectancy ~ $6,250,000

Test 2 – 1 Sprinkler • Pendent sprinkler • K25.2 (K360) EC • Quick Response • Extended Coverage; 14’ x 14’ (4.2 m x 4.2 m)

Loss Expectancy ~ $500,000

Movement towards Single Design Format • What does this test show?

– Larger K factor → larger droplets – Orientation → water momentum – Faster response time → smaller fire to control – Density

• FM Global to use No. of Sprinklers at Minimum Operating Pressure as single design format in DS 8-9

Data Sheet 8-9 & Changes in Protection Tables • Number of protection tables reduced • All protection options for commodity group in one table • Design based on actual performance • Makes it easier to see which are better options

Data Sheet 8-9 & Changes in Protection Tables • No storage heights in tables • No aisle width in tables • No favorable or non-favorable factors to consider

Data Sheet 8-9 & Changes in Protection Tables • The # of sprinklers in the design criteria will lead to – Hose stream demand – Water supply duration

DS 8-9 Future Vision • Eliminate the 10 ft. limitation on storage above the highest in-rack sprinklers • Establish new in-rack sprinkler protection schemes based on – Sprinkler K factor – Available pressure

• Eliminate requirement to balance ceiling and inrack demands

DS 8-9 Future Vision (Phase 1 Now) • Eliminate requirement to hydraulically calculate both ceiling and in-rack sprinkler systems flowing simultaneously • Add in new technology that emerges • Revise as needed based on future research & testing

New Technology and Cost of Installations • Compared to previous standards the new technology and design philosophy will help lead to: – Lower number of sprinklers in design requirements – Lower hose demands – Lower duration demands

New Technology and Cost of Installations • Extended Coverage sprinklers installed on wider spacing – wider spacing means: • • • • •

fewer sprinklers required fewer branch lines less piping overall fewer connections required less labor for installation

– Generally a very cost effective solution

The Bottom Lineâ&#x20AC;Ś Through these changes NFPA, FM Global & Reliable are poised to provide the industry with the most effective protection options, which are not only simpler and cheaper to install, but a more sustainable choice (i.e. do a better job & SAVE WATER)!