Abstracts EDITOR'S NOTE: F o r information on how to set up your own a b s t r a c t file and information retrieval system incorporating a b s t r a c t s from FIRE TECHNOLOGY a n d other sources, see the article, " I n f o r m a t i o n R e t r i e v a l - - T h r e e P r a c t i c a l M e t h o d s , " on page 69 of the F e b r u a r y 1965 issue. I n clipping these a b s t r a c t s for mounting on file cards, t h e reverse side of each page should be photocopied to retain the a b s t r a c t s appearing thereon. The classification code numbers followed by an asterisk (*) refer to new categories assigned subsequent to the publication in M a y 1964 of the N F P A Library Classification System for Fire Protection. The corresponding subject heading entries are designated in the footnotes.

NFPA Lib. Class. 16.1E KEY WORDS:

automatic sprinkler systems, life safety, statistics, fire losses, sprinkler peru

formance. ABSTRACT: Sprinkler performance from 1925 through 1969 was 96.2 percent effective. With rare exceptions, failures can be traced to human error rather than to the sprinkler system itself. There has been no major ioss-ofdife fire in a sprlnklered hotel, nursing home, school, store, public assembly building, or factory. Unreliable water supplies, improper piling for storage, and idle buildings account for a satisfactory performance of less than 9 I percent in certain occupancies. With schools, where satisfactory performance was only 91.7 percent, the chief problem was insufficient sprinkler protection. REFERENCE: "Automatic Sprinkler Performance Tables, 1970 Edition," Fire Journal (National Fire Protection Association, 60 Batterymarch St., Boston, Mass. 0 2 1 1 0 ) , Vol. 64, No. 4 (July 1970), pp. 3 5 - 3 9 .

Abs: 7 0 - 4 6 , Fire Technology, November 1970; Boston, Mass.

NFPA Lib. Class. 6.4B.10 KEY WORDS: rockets, liquid fuels, rocket propeJlants, life safety, fire fighting, decontamina-

tion, cryogenics, hypergolic rocket propellants. ABSTRACT: Liquid rocket propellants burn rapidly with high flame temperatures. On escape from containment, they can cause damage and iniury from cryogenic temperatures, high temperature fires~ explosion, corrosion, or toxicity. They can undergo combustion with materials usually considered noncombustible. With the exception of pentaborane and hydrogen, high energy rocket propellants can be controlled with water fog. Protective clothing and breathing air supply are essential. The safest course is usually evacuation of the area until the major hazard dissipates. REFERENCE: "Public Safety Considerations for Liquid Rocket Propellants,"W. David English, Fire Journal (National Fire Protection Association, 60 Batterymarch St., Boston, Mass. 02110), Vol. 64, No. 4 (July 1970), pp. 22-31.

Abs: 7 0 - 4 7 , Fire Technology, November 1970; Boston, Moss°

331

332

Fire Technology NFPA Lib. Class. 16.7B

KEY WORDS: nozzles°

automatic sprinkler

systems,

fire

protection,

water

distribution,

sprinklers,

ABSTRACT: Drop size distribution and fire plume velocity are important parameters governing sprinkler performance~ Water density distribution under no-fire conditions is different than with a fire in progress. Optimum drop size for fire extinguishment is 4 to 5 rnm in diameter, and drops less than 0.5 mm in diameter are effective in cooling ceiling a r e a s to prevent the opening of remote sprinklers. A dual nozzle sprinkler is being developed t o provide an optimized drop size distribution. REFERENCE: "Effect of Drop Size on Sprinkler Performance," C. Yao and A. S. Katelkar, Fire Technology, Vol. 6, No. 4 (Nov. 1970), pp. 2 5 4 - 2 6 8 .

Abs: 7 0 - 4 8 , Fire Technology, November 1970; Boston, Mass.

NFPA Lib. Class. 14.2C KEY WORDS: aircraft, hangars, instrumentation, fire detectors, monitors, scanning. ABSTRACT: Large unobstructed areas, unprotected steel trusses, and extreme heights required for hangars housing the 7 4 7 create an extreme vulnerability of the thin skin o f the air~raft to external fire. An infrared fire detection system for such hangars and other l a r g e volume buildings has been designed. The system uses an infrared detector overlooking the area being scanned with a rotating mirror. Another detector located 10 to 20 ft a b o v e the floor scans the area under the wings and fuselage. Both detectors actuate alerting devices when fire is detected. REFERENCE: "Fire Detection by Observation," Roy C. Peterson, Fire Journal ( N a t i o n a l Fire Protection Association, 60 Batterymarch St., Boston, Mass. 0 2 1 1 0 ), Vot. 64, No. 4 (July 1970 ), pp. 1 5 - 1 7 .

Abs: 7 0 - 4 9 , Fire Technology, November 1970; Boston, Mass.

NFPA Lib. Class. 1.2A KEY WORDS: fires, fire losses, statistics,

ignition, incendiarism,

building fires, occupancies.

ABSTRACT: From 1968 to 1969, the number of fires in the United States increased 2.6 percent and property damage increased B.5 percent. Because of persistent inflation, t h e number of fires per thousand population is a more reliable measure of fire department progress than the figure for dollar loss. Increases in incendiary, child-initiated, transportation, and unknown cause fires were offset by decreases in fires resulting from smoking and unsafe heating equipment. REFERENCE: 1'Fires and Fire Losses Classified, 1969," Fire Journal (National Fire Protection Association, 60 Batterymarch St., Boston, Mass. 0 2 1 1 0 ) , Vol. 64, No. 5 (Sept. 1 9 7 0 ) , pp. 65-69.

Abs: 7 0 - 5 0 , Fire Technology, November 1970; Boston, Mass.

NFPA Lib. Class. t.4B. 14 KEY WORDS: mirrors, plastics, solar radiation, spontaneous ignition. ABSTRACT: The image of the sun cast by a concave mirror ignited a sheet of vinyl plastic bonded to knit viscose rayon, which formed the back of a kitchen chair. The mirror, which had a focal length of 32 in. and an effective diameter of 111/2 in., was focused on the chair back. Maximum image intensity from such a mirror could be 26 calcm -~ sec-1 (ignition threshold of the material involved was 2 col cm"2 sec-I). Because of the time of day, the double glazing on the windows, and the angle of incidence of the radiation, it was assumed that the focal intensity of the image in this case was 3 cal cm"2 sec-I. REFERENCE: "Mirror-Caused Fire," J. H. McGuire, Fire Journal (National Fire Protection Association, 60 Botterymarch St., Boston, Mass. 0 2 1 1 0 ) , Vol. 64, No. 4 (July 1 9 7 0 ) s pp. 12-13.

Abs: 7 0 - 5 1 , Fire Technology, November t 9 7 0 ; Boston, Mass.

Abstracts

333 NFPA Lib. Class. 8.2C

KEY W O R D S : architecture, structural members, structural steels, (structural), heat shielding, heat, absorptivity.

tubing

(metal),

columns

A B S T R A C T : The safe use of exposed steel structural members without a fire protective cooting involves the use of liquid-filled members and depends on the absorption capability of the liquid. In the 850-ft-high U.S. Steel building in Pittsburgh, the liquid used was a 37.5 percent solution of potassium carbonate with o total relume of nearly 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 gallons. Liquid-filled members can be designed to permit the use of bare structural steel elements for almost any fire exposure. REFERENCE: "Designing for Fire Safety with Exposed Structural Steel,'* L. G. Seigel, Fire Technology, VoL 6, No. 4 (Nov. 1970), pp. 2 6 9 - 2 7 8 . Abs: 7 0 - 5 2 , Fire Technology, November 1970; Boston, Mass.

NFPA Lib. Class. 14.2C KEY WORDS: lasers, fire detectors, smoke detectors, turbulence° A B S T R A C T : The perturbations and absorption of the beam from a hellum-neon laser under fire conditions are the basis for a rapidly acting fire detector. Under no-fire conditions, a laser beam transversing the ceiling area of an enclosure was focused by a telescope on a spot on a photocell. Under fire conditions, the perturbations of the spot resulting from the turbulent plume of fire gases impinging on the ceiling and spreading out would activate the photocell. REFERENCE: " A Laser Beam Fire Detection System," No. 4 (Nov. t 9 7 0 ) , pp. 3 0 5 - 3 1 1 .

D. I. Lawson, Fire Technology, Vot 6,

Abs: 7 0 - 5 3 , Fire Technology, November 1970; Boston, Mass.

NFPA Lib. Class. 15o4B.3a KEY WORDS: stability, gums, foaming agents, additives, expansion ratios, fires. A B S T R A C T : As little as 0.02 percent of a proprietary natural gum a d d e d to a commercial fire fighting foam concentrate doubled the normal foam tife with only a slight decrease in expansion rates. The gum increased surface viscosity of the foaming solutions with only minor increases in the bulk viscosity. Large concentrations of gum (0.05 percent) produced viscoelastic solutions that were difficult to spray, and foam, with a conventional fan-screen foam generator. Natural gums were found to be effective where longer foam life was desirable, such as on oil fires or fires in the open. REFERENCE: "increasing the Stability of Fire Fighting Foam with Natural Gum," Charles J. Cante, Bruce L Roberts, and William J. Steele, Fire Technology, Vol. 6, No. 4 (Nov. 1970), pp. 2 4 5 - 2 5 3 . Abs: 7 0 - 5 4 , Fire Technology, November 1970; Boston, Mass.

NFPA Lib. Class. 8.1B KEY WORDS: smoke, pressure, buildings, llfe safety, fire safety. A B S T R A C T : Starting with the premise that complete evacuation of high buildings in the event of fire is not practicable because of the length of time required, some special design features for life safety are identified for consideration. The limitation of levels of smoke concentration in certain specific regions is discussed in some detail. Mechanisms of smoke movement are outlined, and the importance of building stack effect in cold climates is emphasized. Basic approaches to smoke control, as well as a number of generic systems particularly designed to regulate smoke movement due to building stack effect are described. REFERENCE: "Fire and High Buildings," A. G. Wilson and G . W . Shorter, Fire Technology, Voi. 6, No. 4 (Nov. 1970), pp. 2 9 2 - 3 0 4 . Abs: 7 0 - 5 5 , Fire Technology, November 1970; Boston, Mass.

334

Fire Technology NFPA Lib. Class. 6.1 C.11

KEY W O R D S : fire protection, hyperbaric chambers~ enriched o x y g e n atmospheres, fire detection, infrared detectors. A B S T R A C T : Oxygen enrichment and the impossibility of rapid escape complicate the life hazard in manned hyperbaric chambers. Fire detection and extinguishing systems to protect against human or mechanical failure are desirable. W a t e r is the extinguishing agent of choice. A recommended detection system makes use of infrared sensors for flame detection and either obscuration or ionized particle detection of smoke from smoldering fires° REFERENCE: "Fire Protection in Hyperbaric Chambers," Lester A. Eggleston, Fire Technology, Vol. 6, No. 3 (Nov. 1970), pp. 2 7 9 - 2 9 l . Abs: 7 0 - 5 6 , Fire Technology, November I 9 7 0 ; Boston, Mass.

NFPA Lib. Class. 14.4C KEY W O R D S : combustible gases, oxygen, contaminants, detectors, instrumentation. A B S T R A C T : Instruments available for the detection of specific environmental contaminants, such as combustible or toxic gases and oxygen deficiencies, may be portable or permanently installed to give continuous readings. With both the meter t y p e of instrument and the detection tubes and kits, it is necessary to have knowledge of the potential hazards that could be present in order to select the proper instrument or instruments. It may be desirable to have the detection equipment automatically shut clown equipment, ventilate an a r e a , or inert an atmosphere. REFERENCE: "Instruments for Measuring Hazardous Atmospheres," J. E. Zatek, Fire Journal (National Fire Protection Association, 60 Batterymarch St., Boston, Mass. 0 2 1 1 0 ) , Vol. 64, No. 5 (Sept. 1970), pp. 7 6 - 8 0 , 87. Abs: 7 0 - 5 7 , Fire Technology, November t 9 7 0 ; Boston, Mass.

NFPA Lib. Class. 6.1C KEY W O R D S : forest fuels, radiation, exposure, ignition temperatures, exothermic reactions, pyrolysis. A B S T R A C T : The ignitlbillty of forest fuel can be described in terms of ignition d e l a y time by correlating physical properties (density, specific heat, and fuel size) and heat source intensity. However, ignition caused by high intensity sources may not be governed by the same processes. Limits of source heat required to ignite forest fuels range from 0.2 to 3.0 cal cm -~ sec'lo Ignition temperature is defined as being near the exothermic reaction temperature and averaging about 350 ° C. REFERENCE: "Forest Fuel Ignitibillty," H. E. Andersen, Fire Technology, Vol. 6, No. 4 (Nov. 1970), pp. 312-319. Abs: 7 0 - 5 8 , Fire Technology, November 1970; Boston, Mass.

NFPA Lib. Class. 15.5A.7 KEY WORDS: halogenated extinguishing agents, fire extinguishing, mathematical modelso A B S T R A C T : Two mathematical analyses were compared for the evaluation of extinguishing agents by use of the limiting oxygen index. The same data can be used to calculate the volume percent of agent. Volume percent was considered to be a more sensitive measure of the inhibiting effect of the agent. The limiting o x y g e n index was sensitive to changes in the volume of air flow, and the volume percent was sensitive to changes in the volume flow of the agent. The inhibiting effect in weight per unit volume allows di~'ect comparison between the Halons. REFERENCE: "Note on Limiting O x y g e n Index for Halons," Arthur B. Guise, Fire Technology~ Vol. 6, No. 4 (Nov. 1970), pp. 3 2 0 - 3 2 2 . Abs~ 70-59~ Fire Technology, November 1970; Boston, Mass.