Fire protection measures

Fire protection measures in buildings are those features in the design and use that play a role in controlling the spread of fire and allowing the occupants to escape. They can be considered to operate in two separate ways -active and passive. 

Active measures are those that react to the presence of fire or the products of combustion and initiate actions aimed at extinguishing the fire and ensuring the escape of the building s occupants. These measures may have been installed as a result of the fire risk assessment or they may have been a mandatory requirement of the fire authority as a condition for the issue of a fire certificate. Typical active fire protection measures are considered below. 

Between these two extremes are the manually operated system, whether by break glass electric alarm points or mechanically operated, which rely on someone detecting the outbreak and taking the appropriate action to raise the alarm. Whichever system is used it is essential that the alarm can be heard in all areas to which the occupants have access, including toilets, remote stores, etc. 

Automatic fire extinguishing systems such as sprinklers, drenchers or gas systems operate when the heat of the fire in the region of a detector head reaches predetermined levels and cause the seal in the detector head to fracture releasing the extinguishant. These systems can incorporate a facility to raise the alarm. 

5 Active fire protection and smoke stop doors 

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Schoen, W., U. Probst, and B. Droste. 1989. Experimental investigations of fire protection measures for LPG storage tanks. Proc. 6th Int. Symp. on Loss Prevention and Safety Promotion in the Process Ind. 51 1-17. 

The basic safety and fire protective measures that should be included in all chemical process designs are listed below. This list is based on that given in the Dow Guide, with some minor amendments. 

It is possible, however, to estimate effects on fire hazard in a particular scenario by simpler means. In some cases, an adequate choice of fire properties can be made. Then, the combination of test results into a matrix form, or into a single parameter, can indicate, even if only semi-quantitatively, the effect of varying a particular material or fire protection measure on fire hazard. 

Most petroleum and chemical facilities rely on inherent safety and control features of the process, inherent design arrangements of the facility, and process safety ESD features as the prime loss prevention measures. These features are immediately utilized at the time of an incident. Passive and active explosion and fire protection measures are applicable after the initiating event has occurred and an adverse affect to the operation has been realized. These features are used until their capability has been exhausted or the incident has been controlled. 

Process system emergency safety features (i.e. ESD, isolation, depressurization and blowdown) should be considered the prime safeguards for loss prevention over fire protection measures (i.e. fireproofing or barriers, firewater systems, manual fire fighting). 

The effectiveness of fire protection measures, both passive and active. 

The provisions for spacings are based on the commodity stored, pressure, temperature, and fire protection measures afforded to each tank. Each parameter adjusts the minimum requirements. For large tanks and those containing crude oil, heated oil, slop oil or emulsion breading materials additional spacing requirements should be considered. These include the following ... 

ESD system components that are located in areas that would be considered direct fire exposures, i.e. within or above fire hazardous risk areas should be provided fire protection measures to ensure integrity during ESD operation and the duration of the major efforts to control the emergency. 

Following an explosion incident, local fires develop which it left uncontrolled, result in a conflagration of the entire facility and its destruction. Fire protection measures are provided as required to control these occurrences. The ideal fire protection measure is one that does not require addition action to implement and is always in place. These methods are considered passive protection measures and the most familiar is fireproofing. 

Before the need of fire protection measures is defined, the type of hydrocarbon fire exposure should be identified. By determining the type of fire expected, the adequacy of the fire protection measures based on the philosophy of protection for the facility, can be assessed. The easiest method to arrive at the protection requirements is to identify the materials and pressures involved in the process. Once this is accomplished, the most appropriate fire control or suppression mechanism can be identified from NFPA 325M. Tables 3 and 4 provides examples of a tabular format that can be used to document the fire control mechanisms that have been chosen. 

Water spray systems for hydrocarbon facilities are routinely specified because of the rapid application means the system can provide and the excellent heat absorption a water based system represents. Water sprays are also used when passive fire protection measures (i.e., fireproofing, spacing, etc.) cannot practically be utilized. The key to providing an effective system is to ensure the surfaces to be protected receive adequate water densities and that the arrangements to activate the system are equally fast acting. By far the highest... 

When maintenance involving hot work must be performed inside a vessel with the packed bed in place, the following fire protection measures should be considered ... 

The first specimen was investigated without any fire-protection measures (specimen designated NC for noncooled). The remaining two specimens were equipped with a water-cooling system to prevent as far as possible the heating of the material. Water circulated in the cells at a flow rate of 2.5 cms. The specimen designated WCl was subjected to 1 h of heating, while specimen WC2 was exposed to fire for 2 h. 

An integrated system that affords protection against fire and its effects. It may be composed of either active or passive fire protection measures. The fire protection system should be commensurate with the level of hazard it is protecting. 

Because of these complicated interrelationships, the creation of a complete theoretical model of a fire is not possible. Technical fire protection measures are thus instituted based on experience gained during actual events. 

Fibreglass - Easy application - Suited to small areas - Hydrocarbon resistance - Inflexibility needs to be catered for in design to allow for thermal movements and avoid overstress and de-bonding - Low - May require additional fire protection measures Low... 

Improved fire protection measures regarding to computer based fire alarm, alarm identification and fire fighting in cable ducts ... 

Additional fire protection measures, e.g. inertization of primary containment or wetwell. 

INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, Inspection of fire protection measures and fire fighting capability at nuclear power plants (IAEA Safety Series No. 50-P-6,1994). 

INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, Inspection of fire protection measures and fire fighting capability at nuclear power plants (IAEA Safety Series No. 50-P-6,1994). INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, Assessment of the overall fire safety arrangements at nuclear power plants (IAEA Safety Series No. 50-P-l 1). 

Main findings from reviews of the fire protection measures in older German NPPs (Rowekamp, M., Riekert, T. Proceedings of the OECD Specialist meeting on Fires and fire protection systems in nuclear power plants, December 1993). 

The provisions are based on the commodity stored, pressure, temperature, spill management provisions, and fire protection measures afforded to the tank. 

A vessel provided with fireproofing material (insulation) rated to withstand the expected fire exposures until other fire protection measures are employed (e.g., manual firefighting)... 

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