Brandposten_Eng36

News from Fire Technology atSP Technical Research Institute of Sweden

CE-marking of fi re dampersCE-marking of fi re dampers

Sprinklers in road tunnelsSprinklers in road tunnels

English edition

News from Fire Technology atSP Technical Research Instituteof Sweden

Number 36, 2007

2

BrandPosten is published by SP Fire Technology in a Swedish and an English edition and is distrubuted without charge to SPs customers, rescue services, authorities, certifi cation bodies, classifi cation par-ties, fi re consultants, fi re safety engineers and architects.

Cover picture: SP in Borås.

Photo: Ulf Wickström

SP/BrandPosten #36/2007

Ulf Wickström

SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden

Recently, two of SP Fire Technology’s staff have been ap-pointed as professors. Our congratulations go to Patrick van Hees, who is moving to Lund for a full-time position as professor. This is a prestigious post, to which he has been appointed against international competition. We are sure that Patrick will make a success of this, and look forward to further in-depth cooperation with the Lund Institute of Technology. This can be a win/win situation, with LTH and SP complementing each other in many areas. The Depart-ment of Fire Technology at LTH has an excellent reputation, built on many years’ experience of such working areas as risk analysis and evacuation, while our experience in Borås is concentrated more on areas such as materials reaction-to-fi re, fi re resistance, fi re-fi ghting systems and interna-tional cooperation in various contexts. Together, LTH and SP represent a powerful combination.

Haukur Ingason has been appointed a 20 % post as Ad-junct Professor at Mälardalen Institute of Technology. He will remain with SP. Together, these two appointments confi rm the reputations of our scientists, and that we have a high standard of research work. This is particularly impor-tant now, with the entire Swedish research institution sec-tor undergoing a process of restructuring, from which SP is not excluded. We have changed our name to SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden, complementing our strategy to establish strong R&D environments through cooperation with universities and institutes of technology, serving as a link between them and industrial research, and playing an important part in the overall Swedish innovation system. In other words, although we will work closely with the uni-versities and institutes of technology, the very important basis of our activities and our business idea is cooperation with industry and assisting them with new knowledge to improve their competitiveness.

Swedish newspapers and other news media have recently raised awareness of the fact that there can be serious moisture problems in some very common structures such as rendered facades, with a new method of building causing moisture to be trapped in the wall and encouraging the growth of mildew. This type of structural damage can eas-ily be observed and verifi ed. However, it is not as easy to detect potential faults in respect of fi re resistance, which are unlikely to be revealed until a real fi re has occurred. Is there any feedback of experience to building designers? I have, for example, recently investigated two extensive fi res in external walls containing combustible insulation. In both cases, the fi re started in the roof space and spread several fl oors downwards through the exterior walls. In one case, virtually all the insulation in the entire façade was de-stroyed by fi re without causing any directly visible external damage. This problem could easily be dealt with by extend-ing the fi re cell boundary structures on each fl oor right out to the façade. But how can such cases be brought to the attention of the industry? Before the National Board of Housing, Building and Planning’s building regulations were changed to a function-based approach, non-combustible materials were required in external walls. Although this is

no longer the case, the problem is of course still there, as fi res can spread through fl ammable materials. Thus if new methods of building technology are to be introduced with-out applying the old prescriptive materials requirements, great care must be taken when designing details. If not, we can end up with a large number of buildings presenting potentially high fi re risks, with resulting associated sub-stantial costs.

At least 25 % of all fi res are started deliberately, costing the Swedish society over 100 million Euros per year. In total, over 10 000 fi res each year are started deliberately in Sweden, with at least half of them being started by chil-dren and persons under 18. About one school a day in Swe-den is subjected to an arson attack. Arson, in other words, is an enormous problem for society. It is therefore very encouraging for us that SP has recently been commissioned by the Swedish Fire Research Board to take the fi rst steps in identifying the problems, fi nding where there are gaps in our knowledge and suggesting proposals for remedy-ing the situation. The problem has to be seen in an overall perspective and tackled by a multi-disciplinary approach, covering everything from human behaviour and attitudes to more technical areas such as building technology, fi re detection, alarms, fi re-fi ghting methods and so on.

3SP/BrandPosten #36/2007

SP Technical Research Institute of SwedenFire TechnologyP O Box 857, SE-501 15 Borås, SwedenPhone +46 10 516 50 00Telefax +46 33 41 77 59E-mail fi [email protected] www.sp.se/Address changes [email protected]

Publication BiannualIssue Swedish edition 6 000 copies English edition 1 500 copies

Reprints of the articles in the magazine can be made if the source is clearly stated.

2 Editorial

4 Does EN ISO 9239-1 give the right results?

6 Passing the test

10 New ISO method for measuring the toxicity of fi re smoke

11 CE-marking of chimneys - a matter of safety

Patrick van Hees appointed Professor in Lund

12 Effi cacy of water spray fi re-fi ghting systems in ships can be measured 13 Fire dampers can soon be CE-marked

14 The P-mark - SP’s mark of quality

15 European fi re requirements for trains due shortly

News from the Swedish Fire Research Board

16 The technical arguments against sprinklers in road tunnels do not stand up

18 Calculation of emissions from fi ires

20 Theme day on lightweight vessels Catalytic exhaust cleaners on lawn-movers a fi re risk?

21 New European standard for storage cabinets creates confusion on the market 22 Continued high sales fi gures for P-marked storage cabinets

24 New certifi cates for manufacturers of fi re-resistant storage cabinets.

25 Academic installation for Haukur

26 Experience a tunnel fi re - live

27 Cable testing course

28 The continuous evolution of water mist technology

29 European joint calibration for fi re testing of cables

30 Egolf meets in Borås

34 SP reports from SP Fire Technology

Video and DVD from SP Fire Technology

Content #36 /2007

Editorial staff

EditorErika Hjelm

Assistant editor Magnus Arvidson

Advertisements Fredrik Rosén

Image editing Ulf Mårtensson

Editor in chief Ulf Wickström

Sprinkler in road tunnels

Water spray in ships CE-marking of fi re dampers

3

12 1613


4 SP/BrandPosten #36/2007

Figure 1 Equipment for EN ISO 9239-1 fi re testing of fl oor covering materials.

Figure 2 The full-scale tests were performed in the Room/Corner test room

Does EN ISO 9239-1 give the right results?

The fi re classifi cation of fl oor covering materials for use in buildings is determined today by EN ISO 9239-1. It shows how fl oor coverings behave in fi res by measuring the spread of fl ame and smoke evolu-tion on a reduced scale. However, does it result in safer buildings? Trials have shown that fl oor covering materials behave differently at full scale.Reconstructions of two fi res, the one at St. Sigfrid’s Hospital in Växjö in 2003, and the other at the discothèque in Gothenburg in 1998, have shown the signifi cance of the fl oor covering material for evolution of the fi re. In both cases, the reconstructions have shown that the catastrophic results were a direct result of the fl ammable fl oor cover-ing materials.

According to the Swedish building regu-lations, fl oor materials used in public premises must meet certain fi re require-ments in accordance with the EN ISO 9239-1 small-scale test method, which is concerned with the ignitability and spread of fl ame of the material. A project carried out by SP Fire Technology has investigated whether these properties are the most suitable as material quality criteria for identifying high fi re resistance. The behaviour of various materials in the small-scale fi re test method has therefore been compared with the re-sults from full-scale experiments in a room. It was found that the rankings produced by the small-scale experiments did not al-

ways agree with those produced by full-scale tests.

Small-scale and full-scale trialsFloor covering materials tested by the small-scale test method are classifi ed under the new European system from BFL to DFL, with BFL being the highest fi re re-sistance category (the least dangerous in fi res) and DFL being the lowest. The FL suffi x indicates that the material is classifi ed as a fl oor covering material. The class is de-termined by how far fl ame spreads along a test piece of the material, exposed to incident radiation which declines along the length of the material. The method admit-tedly also includes Classes s1 and s2 smoke evolution, but the limits for these classes are so generously set that essentially all relevant materials in this context meet the requirements of the higher class (s1).

The materials included in the SP project were PVC and linoleum fl oor coverings, a polypropylene carpet and a wooden fl oor.

Ranking them in accordance with the Eu-roclass system when tested in accordance with EN ISO 9239-1 (see Figure 1) indicates that the PVC fl oor covering is the best, with classifi cation BFL-s1, with the other materi-als being rated DFL-s1. The DFL classifi cation represents a spread of fl ame along the test piece approximately twice as far as along the BFL material. It is important to empha-sise that the selection of products in each group was random.

The full-scale trials used the same test room as in the ISO 9705 Room/Corner Test. The source of ignition was a pan of heptane, with a suffi cient heat release rate (just un-der 1000 kW) almost to cause fl ashover. The pan was placed in one corner of the room, with the door on the opposite side being the only opening (see Figure 2). The fl oor was covered with various materials, and the times to ignition, the spread of fl ame, heat release rate, time to fl ashover and smoke evolution were all recorded. In all cases, the test resulted in fl ashover, i.e. fl ames spreading out through the door opening. Heat release rates of up to 2500 kW were measured, as can be seen in the photo on the next page.

ResultsAs previously mentioned, the small-scale test method ranked the PVC fl oor cover-ing material as having the best fi re resist-ance. However, under the conditions of the full-scale test, it was this fl oor covering for which fl ashover occurred most quickly of all. The polypropylene carpet had approxi-mately the same time to fl ashover, while the wooden fl oor and linoleum fl oor cover-ing were considerably better, withstanding the fi re for almost one minute longer (see Figure 3).


Figure 3 An intense room fi re with heating effects of 2500 kW where a large contribution comes from the PVC fl oor covering.

Figure 3 Heat release rates of different fl oor covering materials in the full-scale fl ashover trials. Flashover is indicated by the sudden steep rise in heat release rates to be seen in the diagram.

Table 1 Times to ignition in the cone calorimeter when exposed to 50 kW/m2 incident radiation.

Floor covering material Antändningstid (s)

PVC fl oor covering 14

Polypropylene 12

Wooden fl oor 27

Linoleum fl oor covering 27

Tommy HertzbergTel +46 10 516 50 [email protected]

The relative rankings between the three DFL-s1 fl oor coverings (i.e. all except the PVC fl oor covering) are the same in the EN ISO 9239-1 test method as in the full-scale tests with high fi re loading.

The fl oor coverings were also tested by another small-scale test method, the Cone Calorimeter, with the heat evolution from the materials and the time to ignition be-ing measured. Under this method, the time to ignition produced an interesting clas-sifi cation of the materials. When the tests were performed with a relatively high inci-dent radiation power (50 kW/m²), it was the PVC and carpet materials that ignited most quickly, while the linoleum and wood fl oor ignited considerably later (see Table 1). This is the same grouping as for the time to fl ashover as produced by the full-scale experiments.

Several parameters are decisiveThe results from the investigation indicate that the procedure for determining fi re classifi cations of fl oor covering materials should be reviewed. It seems clear that the test pieces used in EN ISO 9239-1 are not exposed to a suffi ciently high incident radiation power to be representative of a critical situation in a real room fi re. Indeed,

this is clearly expressed in EN ISO 9239-1: “The imposed radiant fl ux simulates the thermal radiation levels likely to impinge on the fl oor of a corridor” .... “during the

early stages of a developing fi re”, i.e. the test method was not intended to represent heat exposure on the fl oor as a fl ashover fi re is developing.

Chemical fl ame retardants, such as chlo-rides, play a relatively more important part in the small-scale spread-of-fl ame test with a relatively low incident radiation level. In a large-scale fi re, on the other hand, in which the materials are exposed to very high thermal powers, fl ame retardants play a considerably smaller part than they do in the EN ISO 9239-1 test method.

The results of this project will be reported in full in an SP report, and will be pre-sented at the INTERFLAM conference in September 2007. Experimental data can be downloaded from SP Fire Technology’s database at www.sp.se/fi re/fdb.

Patrik JohanssonTel +46 10 516 50 [email protected]

Photo: Magnus Samuelsson


Bulkhead test. Deck test. Erection of test righ showing the steel bearing beams and hydraulic rams used to apply the static load required.

Deck test. Detail showing insulating material.

Passing the testSignifi cant progress has been made in demonstrating the fi re safety of lightweight construction materials

Fire safety is a central theme for the LASS (Lightweight construction applications at sea) project, which aims to improve the effi ciency of marine transport and in-crease the competitiveness of the Swedish shipping industry. Financed by VINNOVA (Swedish Governmental Agency for In-novation Systems) and participating com-panies, and under the management of SP Fire Technology, the three-year project is developing technical solutions using light-weight aluminium and fi breglass rein-forced plastics (FRP) sandwich composite construction materials.

Critical to these solutions is the establish-ment of a methodology to demonstrate fi re safety, and all necessary testing and certifi cation of construction and insula-tion materials according to this methodol-ogy to enable such materials to be used in the building of an actual vessel. Two years in to the project, the methodology has been developed and large-scale furnace trials have been carried out at SP. The fi rst tests certifi ed an FRP sandwich construc-tion with lightweight insulation for decks and bulkheads and the next demonstrat-ed that it is possible to make penetrations through composite bulkheads and decks that meet the requirements of the regula-tions.

The LASS project aims to demonstrate functioning technology for the use of lightweight materials through fi ve ship concepts and one offshore accommoda-tion module:

• 24m aluminium amphibious transport boat to be converted into a passenger vessel in composite

Owner: FMV Rule code: HSC• 88m high speed aluminium ferry (Stena

Carisma) where the superstructure will be replaced with composite

Owner: Stena Rule code: HSC• 199m ro-ro car ferry (Undine) where

the steel deck house will be replaced with aluminium

Owner: Wallenius Rule code: SOLAS• 188m ro-pax (Stena Hollandica) where

the steel superstructure will be re-placed with composite

Owner: Stena Rule code: SOLAS• 89m inland freighter (Eken) where

steel superstructure, hatches and moveable decks will be replaced by composite

Owner: Thun Rule code: SOLAS• 400t steel offshore living quarters

which will be redesigned based on mouldable aluminium

Owner: Emtunga Rule code: MODU, NORSOK

The original project targets of 30% re-duction in weight and 25% reduction in cost have been extended to include a maximum payback time of eight years, preferably fi ve, in comparison with a con-ventional construction.

Fire insulationA major obstacle to the use of lightweight materials in ship construction is the risk of reducing fi re resistance compared to steel. Fires on board ships account for 10% of all deaths at sea and represent the third highest insurance costs, after collisions and groundings. It is essential, therefore, to be able to clearly demonstrate high fi re resistance as a result of appropriate fi re protection.

According to SOLAS regulations (Chap II, rule 11) ‘the hull, superstructures, struc-tural bulkheads, decks and deckhouses shall be constructed of steel or other equivalent material’. Since July 2002 the new rule 17 Alternative design and ar-rangements in Chap II of SOLAS has al-lowed for other construction material provided it can be shown to maintain the same safety level the ship would have if constructed in accordance with the pre-scriptive demand for non-combustibility.

Aluminium has already been used for the construction of vessels subject to the High Speed Craft (HSC) Code but composites have not been used in the same way, mainly due to fi re-rating problems. The HSC Code provides an opening for the use of combustible materials by permit-ting the use of ‘fi re-restricting materials’

(This is an edited version of an article by Margaret Freeth which appeared in the April issue of Shipping World & Shipbuilder. The magazine is published by the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology.)


Photos: Rolf Hilling

Large-scale 60 min furnace tests carried out using a very thin laminate of 1 mm (bulkhead) and 1,4 mm (deck) with a lightweight core, and 100 mm thick-ness of Thermal Ceramics’ FireMater Marine Plus blanket, with an overall weight of 6,9 kg/m2.

Deck test; exposed side. Deck test: inside furnace before test.

(materials that do not themselves spread fi res). The test requirements for such ma-terials are severe but this does constitute an opening compared to the requirement for non-combustibility.

A higher weight of fi re insulation is re-quired in bulkheads and decks made of lightweight materials than in an equiva-lent steel construction because aluminium and composite fi re divisions must be maintained to a lower temperature in order to prevent collapse and subsequent fi re spread. This leads to increased insula-tion weight and could negate the benefi ts of using lightweight construction materi-als.

Three manufacturers of insulation materi-als are associate members of the project and their involvement centres on the development and testing of lightweight alternatives for fi re insulation. The large-scale furnace tests carried out at SP in-volved Thermal Ceramics’ FireMaster Ma-rine Plus lightweight fi re insulation and Isover/Saint Gobain’s lightweight insula-tion, Ultimate. Insulation from the third associate member, Rockwool, has not been tested within the LASS project but has been tested within the European Un-ion SAFEDOR project, and the two project groups have established working links.

MethodologyTommy Hertzberg of SP Fire Technology, who is the Project Co-ordinator, explains the methodology that has been devel-oped to demonstrate fi re safety. ‘Regula-tion 17 states that you have to fulfi l the functional requirements of the SOLAS regulations and we are doing that by us-ing the HSC Code which allows the use of combustible materials as long as they are fi re restricting.’

Fire restricting material has to pass the ISO Room/Corner Test. For a Fire Resist-ing Division 60 (FRD 60) as specifi ed in the HSC Code, the 60min fi re resistance is tested by the same test as for an A60 material in SOLAS, with the additional requirement that it is loadbearing. The large-scale furnace tests carried out at SP resulted in approved and certifi ed FRD 60 constructions for bulkheads and decks in FRP sandwich composite.

Hertzberg describes this as the fi rst step to showing an equivalent level of safety as required by Regulation 17. ‘This dem-onstrates that there are constructions which will pass the 60min fi re test. We will shortly also run 30min tests (FRD 30), which would be equivalent to B class in SOLAS.’

The tests were run using a ‘worst case’ of composite strength so that the insula-tion specifi cation tested could be applied to as wide a variety of stronger com-posite structures as possible. A very thin laminate of 1mm (bulkhead) and 1.4mm (deck) with a lightweight core was used, and 100mm thickness of Thermal Ceram-ics’ FireMaster Marine Plus blanket, with an overall weight of 6.9kg/m2. The tests for both deck and bulkhead demon-strated that the lighter weight insulation protected the composite structures from collapse for the full 60min.

A successful bulkhead test has also been run for Isover/ Saint Gobain’s Ultimate, which had an overall weight of 7.5kg/m2. A deck test will also be carried out, plus possibly FRD 30 and Room/Corner tests. According to Hertzberg ‘the critical part of testing an FRP sandwich is that the interface temperature between the fi rst laminate and the core cannot be too high

because when the bond between the two materials melts the load bearing capacity of the composite will disappear. The tem-perature of the back side remains close to room temperature, which means that if you have a fi re in one area, then the heat will not be transferred easily. Heat is con-tained in the enclosure of the fi re.’

Tests have been carried out with FireMas-ter Marine Plus down to an overall weight of 0.96kg/m2 to demonstrate possible equivalency with C class in SOLAS. This is specifi ed as ‘non-combustible materials’ , for which there is no obvious equivalent in HSC. Equivalency between A class and B class in SOLAS and FRD 60 and FRD 30 in HSC is obvious as the constructions use the same test procedure except for the load applied to the FRDs.

If Room/Corner Tests with such light-weight insulation material were to be ac-cepted as demonstrating equivalency, this would represent an important weight sav-ing in view of the very large areas where this standard of fi re protection is used.

Overall resistanceThe second step in showing an equivalent level of safety was to demonstrate that any penetrations through bulkheads or decks do not reduce the overall fi re re-sistance. Two large-scale trials have been carried out (one for deck and one for bulkhead) using the same basic construc-tion as in the previous trials and including penetrations in the form of 12 cable sets, 14 pipes and two fi re dampers.

These trials were carried out jointly with DNV, which is running a sub-project within SAFEDOR investigating the use of sandwich composites in superstructures on a ro-pax ferry. The Swedish company

Tommy Hertzberg. SP, Co-ordinator of the LASS-

project.


Exposed side of the bulkhead, with burning cable insulation after the fi re test.

Photo: Rolf Hilling

Photo: Henrik Johansson, Kockums

MCT Brattberg provided the penetration assemblies for most of the tests.

The requirements of the regulations were met in that fi re did not spread to the unexposed side of the structure and the loadbearing capacity of the sandwich structure was not noticeably affected by the penetrations. Most of the penetra-tions met the requirement that the tem-perature on the unexposed side must not exceed 180 °C and where this was not fulfi lled it was caused by high thermal conductivity through individual cables or pipes.

The next step is testing of A60 doors (certifi ed for steel bulkheads) in FRP composite in order to ensure that the interface between the two maintains the necessary fi re resistance. The insulation for the connection between the door and the composite is under development and Hertzberg expects testing to be carried out in May or June. That will be followed by similar testing for a window.

As well as carrying out tests of as many different materials as possible in order to gain certifi cation for construction, atten-tion is also focusing on the problem of fl ame spread on the outside of a vessel. Hertzberg explains that ‘one way to solve this would be to use an active water sys-tem on the outside. Another would be to develop materials with low fl ame spread characteristics that would be useable for the outside.’ Different materials are be-ing investigated, including a combination incorporating phenolic-based resins which have good fi re resistance characteristics but poor mechanical properties.

New regulationsThe most challenging of the fi ve ship concepts are the ro-pax and the inland freighter, where steel is being replaced by composite and equivalent safety has to be demonstrated. The suggested technique within the LASS project for demonstrating a total equivalent level is to carry out risk analysis and make comparisons.This risk analysis is carried out together with DNV and in conjunction with SAFE-DOR, and involves fi re simulations and small and large scale fi re testing of mate-rial from different vessels.

In Hertzberg’s words: ‘The problem with equivalency is that the prescriptive rules don’t give you a level of safety. When we do a comparison, we like to make a risk analysis of the steel case and then com-pare it to what we do. There is a sort of security in SOLAS, reading between the lines, that is not explicit.’

The fi re safety design for the ro-pax that is being developed within the LASS project will be based on Regulation 17 as an individual case. Other research groups, including SAFEDOR and the recently launched European project DE-LIGHT Transport, will also be putting forward designs based on individual fi re equiva-

lency. Hertzberg expects that once one individual case is accepted there will be other individual cases, and that once a vessel is actually built it will be more obvi-ous what equivalency means and that the regulations will be revisited.

‘There may be a change of the SOLAS regulations so that you can use FRP sand-wich composite and then a more prescrip-tive coding will be established for this material. At the moment, there is no ex-perience of it in use so all new cases have to be based on an individual proof.’He is very pleased to report that ‘an owner has shown an interest in making this type of construction’ but is unable to give further details at the moment. As for the progress of the overall project, the designs for the original four ship concepts are more or less fi nished and the project weight targets have been reached, or exceeded. From his point of view ‘from what we promised when we started, it has been a very successful project. We are working very close to the market and for the researchers and the industry repre-sentatives involved the tasks within the project are really meaningful.’

Margaret Freeth

Unexposed side of bulkhead fi tted in a frame prior to the test with 12 cable sets, 14 pipes and two fi re dampers.


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Schematically picture of the test apparatus used for ISO/TS 19700. Figure: Per Blomqvist

New ISO method for measuring the toxicity of fi re smoke

A new method for measuring the toxicity of smoke gases has now been adopted as a technical specifi cation, ISO/TS 19700. SP Fire Technology al-ready has considerable experience of application of the method, which has aroused growing interest in tests from industry.

Replication of conditions in a real fi reToxic gases are the main cause of injuries and deaths in fi res. The chemical reactions that take place in a fi re are complicated, and are very dependent on the tempera-ture of the fi re and the availability of air/oxygen. Generally, when a material burns under oxygen-defi cient conditions, the resulting gases in the smoke are consider-ably more toxic than if the material had burnt under more favourable conditions. In the case of some substances, such as ny-lon, the products of combustion actually differ, depending on the conditions in the fi re. If burnt in the presence of plenty of air, nylon forms oxides of nitrogen (NOX), but if it is burnt in low-oxygen condi-tions, the resulting fi re gases contain the strongly toxic hydrogen cyanide (HCN).

It is therefore important, when carrying our laboratory-scale trials, to have full control over the combustion conditions if the aim is to mimic the conditions in a real fi re as closely as possible. There has not previously been a suitably scientifi cal-ly confi rmed small-scale method fulfi lling these requirements. The Purser furnace, known as the ‘steady-state tube furnace’, shown schematically below, has now been

accepted by ISO as a technical specifi ca-tion under the reference ISO/TS 19700.

Inter-laboratory comparison expected to lead to standard methodUse of the steady-state tube furnace leads to several benefi ts, the most important of which is the previously mentioned control of combustion conditions, determined by the feed rate of the sample material and the primary air fl ow velocity (see the fi g-ure). The furnace temperature, too, is an important parameter. Another important benefi t is that the sample material and the combustion air are continuously sup-plied during the test in such a way as to achieve steady-state combustion during the test. In addition, the mixing chamber provides good access to the combustion gases, assisting detailed analysis.

The method will now be further vali-dated by ISO by means of inter-laboratory comparisons of tests on a number of ma-terials. When this exercise has been con-cluded and evaluated, it is hoped that the method can be upgraded from a technical specifi cation to a full ISO standard. At present, the test method can be operated by 5-6 laboratories around the world. SP

Fire Technology is one of those having by far the greatest experience of using the method, which has already been used in several research projects and a number of customer tests. There is a substantial demand for scientifi cally supported inves-tigations of the toxicity of fi re smoke, and the new status of the method can only serve to increase this interest.

Per BlomqvistTel +46 10 516 56 [email protected]


Patrick Van Hees

Photo: Näldens Värmeindustri AB

P-marked chimney, NVI 2000, manufactured by Näldens Värmeindustri AB. More information about P-marked chimneys can be found on www.sp.se.

Susanne HanssonTel +46 10 516 51 [email protected]

CE-marking of chimneys – a matter of safetySP is a Notifi ed Body for certifi cation and inspection for CE-marking of pre-fabricated chimneys (system chimneys) and chimney liners of metal. The fi rst product standard for chimneys was published in March 2004, which means that it has been possible to CE-mark these products since April 2005. However, CE-marking of construction products is not obligatory in Sweden, with the result that there has been little demand for CE-marking of chimneys. We believe that safety would be enhanced by CE-marking chimneys or, even better, by P-marking them.

CE-marking or P-marking?Important requirements for health and safety are specifi ed in general terms in the EU Construction Products Directive. Products that comply with the direc-tive indicate this by displaying a CE symbol. CE-marked products must fulfi l the requirements specifi ed in the ap-plicable product standards (harmonised CEN standards). In the case of system chimneys (such as the one shown in the picture below) and chimney liners, the harmonised standards are EN 1856-1 and EN 1856-2 respectively. For a product to be CE-marked, its manufacturer’s internal inspection procedures must be reviewed and assessed by a Notifi ed Body, and must then be followed up by annual surveil-lance inspection visits. This procedure is referred to as 2+ in the directive, and is intended to ensure that quality assurance is maintained. System 2+ also means that

all necessary tests can be performed by the manufacturer.

The type tests for P-marking must be per-formed by SP or by some other test body approved by SP. The requirements may also specify that surveillance inspection must be carried out every year. SP as-sesses the materials used in the chimneys, or performs corrosion testing in accord-ance with one of the three methods in EN 1856-1. A chemical analysis of the ma-terials is also performed.

Whether it is CE-marking or P-marking that is selected depends on the manufac-turer’s internal procedures and customers’ requirements. P-marking involves more comprehensive inspection of the products, while CE-marking should be regarded as a minimum requirement. P-marking also carries the advantage of linking to the Swedish building regulations.

Further information on CE-marking or P-marking can be obtained from Susanne Hansson at SP Certifi cation, while further information on testing procedures can be obtained from Joel Blom, of SP Fire Tech-nology.

Joel BlomTel +46 10 516 56 [email protected]

Patrick van Hees appointed professor in LundSP Fire Technology’s Head of Research, Patrick van Hees, will be appointed Profes-sor of Fire Technology at Lund Institute of Technology in August, to replace Göran Holmstedt. Patrick joined SP from Belgium twelve years ago, and has played an im-portant part in the development of the department, particularly in the areas of fi re dynamics and evaluation of the reaction to fi re characteristics of materials. His work has been highly appreciated throughout SP for his coordination of SP’s calculation expertise, as well as for his chairmanship of SP’s Art Club for several years.

We are, of course, sorry to lose such a valuable member of staff. However, at the same time, we can be pleased and proud that members of our staff have such high academic reputations. We therefore con-gratulate Patrick on his appointment, and wish him every success in his new work. For us, his appointment should further improve the potential of developing cooperation with the work carried out in Lund, while Patrick can expect exciting new challenges and a move to beautiful Skåne with his dear Ingar.

Ulf WickströmTel +46 10 516 51 [email protected]


It is diffi cult to prevent the leakage of fuel, lubrication or hydraulic oil inside a shipboard machinery space. If ignited, a fi re in combustible liquids may be severe.

Photo: Magnus Arvidson

Effi cacy of water spray fi re-fi ghting systems in ships can be measuredFire-fi ghting systems in engine rooms in large vessels are normally of carbon dioxide type. They are relatively inexpensive, the technology is well-proven, and the equipment does not occupy very much space. However, in recent years, the use of such systems has been increasingly questioned, not least due to their high personal safety risks and for envi-ronmental reasons. A growing number of ship-owners are therefore inter-ested in water-based fi re-fi ghting systems, and so a new fi re test method and guidelines for installation of such systems have been developed in a recently completed project.

A water-based fi re-fi ghting system can be activated at an early stage of a fi re, thus reducing the fi re damage. In addition, it presents no hazard risk to persons, and has no adverse environmental effects. Such systems are therefore becoming increasingly common in the engine rooms of smaller ships, with a design capacity suffi cient for activation of all spray noz-zles in the protected area. However, such an arrangement in really large engine rooms would require high water fl ow rates, powerful pumps and high electrical power capacity. For these applications, systems must therefore be divided into sections that can be activated independ-ently of each other.

Effi cacy can be measuredUp to now, there has been no good meth-od of measuring the effi cacy of a water spray or water mist fi re-fi ghting system

in terms of reducing or controlling a pool fi re. One method involves the use of a cal-orimeter, i.e. measuring the heat release rate. However, many fi re laboratories do not have access to such equipment, and so fi re trials have been carried out with the aim of fi nding alternative methods of measuring the performance. The solution that has been found involves measuring the gas temperature about 150 mm above the surface of the fuel, using ordinary thermocouples, and then relating the measured average temperature to the temperature as measured in a freely burn-ing fi re. This method was found to work well in most cases, particularly when the fi re-fi ghting system was suppressing or extinguishing the fi re. However, an addi-tional method of measurement was re-quired for those cases where the fi re was being only controlled by the system. It is therefore proposed that the duration of

the fi re should also be measured, and be related to the duration of a freely burn-ing fi re. The longer the time for which the fi re burns, the more effective the system, with the exception of extinguishing, which is simple to determine by purely visual means.

Based on trials, criteria were established linked to fi re control, fi re suppression and fi re extinguishment. A fi re is regarded as being under control if it has been sup-pressed to a level that is half of that of the freely burning fi re level. Fire suppres-sion means that the heat release rate of the fi re has immediately been reduced to one-fi fth of the freely burning level, and that it is not allowed to increase again. The objective is to develop a complete method of testing, describing the pro-cedure and evaluation of the results in detail.

Recommendations for instal-lation formulatedIt is important to know the effi cacy of a system before it is installed in an actual engine room. However, there is also a need for further guidelines, including how the system is to be activated, how it may be divided into sections, where noz-zles should be placed, component require-ments etc. Such recommendations have also been developed as part of the work of the project.

ReportsThe results of the work are described in two reports, SP Report 2005:33, ‘Measure-ment of the effi ciency of a water spray system against diesel oil pool and spray fi res’, and SP Report 2006:52 ‘Pool fi re tests to establish fi re performance criteria in large machinery spaces’. The reports can be downloaded from SP’s web site. The project was fi nanced by Brandforsk (Swedish Fire Research Board), VINNOVA (Swedish Governmental Agency for Inno-vation Systems) and the Swedish Mercan-tile Marine Foundation.

Magnus ArvidsonTel +46 10 516 56 [email protected]


Testing fi re gas dampers installed in SP’s vertical furnace. Photo: Rolf Hilling

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If you require further technical information or datasheets, please contact our Sales Department.

Alfred-Nobel-Str. 47-51 Phone: +49 (0) 22 37 / 9 73 28-0 Internet: www.gluske.de50169 Kerpen (Germany) Fax: +49 (0) 22 37 / 9 73 28-555 E-Mail: [email protected]

Fire dampers can soon be CE-marked

A new product standard, prEN 15650, for fi re dampers intended for installation in ventilation ducts, has been produced and is now out on circulation for comments. This means that, within the near future, it will be possible to CE-mark fi re dampers. After a long period of work, SP now has the necessary equipment, which enables it to perform fi re tests in accordance with EN 1366-2.

Lars BoströmTel +46 10 516 56 [email protected]


The P-mark – SP’s mark of quality

The P-mark is SP’s mark of quality for products and is applied in several sectors, particularly the building sector, but also in a number of other sectors having direct relevance for fi re technology. It has been in use since 1985, with more than 300

products from over 100 manufac-turers now displaying the symbol.Why P-mark products?P-marking of a product indicates that its quality is that of a type-tested product. In addition, in certain cases, the product may also comply with further requirements over and above those of the fundamental requirements.

The road to P-markingThe necessary conditions for P-marking in each product sector are described in certi-fi cation rules (SPCR). However, the method of obtaining a P-certifi cate is the same for all product areas.

The fi rst step is a written application to SP Certifi cation. Applications must be com-plemented with, or include, reference to the material required for certifi cation, as specifi ed in the relevant SPCR. This mate-rial will be checked by SP against the SPCR requirements.

SP inspects the manufacturer’s equipment and premises, presenting the results in a report. Assuming that the results are ac-ceptable, an agreement concerning ongo-ing inspection is signed between SP and the manufacturer, setting out the require-ments with respect to the inspection to be performed at the manufacturer. This agreement is based on requirements speci-fi ed in the relevant SPCR.

Certifi cates (permission to apply the P-sym-bol) normally have a validity of fi ve years, but can be extended after application from the certifi cate-holder. SP carries out surveil-lance inspection of the manufacturer’s own inspection systems, normally by means of an annual visit to the manufacturer. The results of this inspection are presented in a report.

Further information on P-marked products can be found on our web site, www.sp.se.

SP Technical Research Insti-tute of SwedenSP’s working objective is to assist the growth and competitiveness of industry,

and to support safety, a good environment and sustainable development in society as a whole. In recent years, a number of other research institutes have become part of SP, so that the group now has a staff of over 800. In 2007, the group also changed its

name, in order to clarify its role as an applied technical research institute. Further information can be found at www.sp.se. Making ideas work.

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SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden • P O Box 857, SE-501 15 Borås, Sweden

Telephone: +46 10 516 50 00, Telefax: +46 33 13 55 02, E-mail: [email protected], www.sp.se

Storage cabinets

Fire extinguishing foam

Cabinets for fl ammable liquids

Fire hydrants and fi re engine hoses

Ask for the P-mark when you want to buy quality!

For more information about P-marking of fi re products, please contact:

Lennart Aronsson, Tel +46 10 516 52 41E-mail: [email protected]

P-marked fi re products - for safety and quality


Under the new standard, seats are tested at full scale, measuring the heat release rate continu-ously throughout the test.

Photo: Jesper Axelsson

European fi re requirements for trains due shortly

Those who have been following the progress of new harmonised fi re require-ments for trains in Europe know that it has been slow. Although work on the introduction of common requirements started in the middle of the 1990s, it is only now that documents are available for fi nal voting by the parties concerned or have, in some cases, already started to be used. The new standard for passenger trains is CEN TS 45545, consisting of seven parts covering fi re safety in all areas, i.e. material requirements, fi re protection, electrical safety, fi re containment designs and fl ammable liquids.

The most extensive part of the standard, and that in which SP Fire Technology has been most involved, is CEN TS 45545-2, which describes how all interior materi-als and fi ttings are to be tested (walls, ceilings, roofs, seats, tables and other fi ttings). This part of the standard will be circulated for fi nal voting in the middle of 2007, after which it will become a techni-cal specifi cation for 1-3 years. However, the document is already in use today, and operators in several countries have started referring to the standard. SJ (Swedish Railways), for example, specifi es that all

materials used in new and refurbished trains in traffi c in Sweden must fulfi l the new requirements. Several manufacturers have therefore already started fi re-testing their products.

The new requirements generally involve testing by several different test methods in order to evaluate properties such as ignitability, the spread of fl ame and the production of smoke and toxic gases. Despite this, the major manufacturers es-timate that, in the longer term, the costs of fi re-testing will be considerably less when the results can be used throughout the EU, as opposed to the earlier situation when each country had its own national standards. Train manufacturer Bombar-dier, for example, has estimated that the total cost of testing interior materials can be reduced by 70-85 % through the im-plementation of the new standard.

BrandPosten will describe progress of the new stand-ard in future issues.

Jesper.axelssonTel +46 10 516 50 [email protected]

News from the Swedish Fire Research Board

28 years’ work and an investment of SEK 175 million in research by Brandforsk (The Swedish Fire Research Board) have result-ed in considerable impact. The research work carried out for the Board has played an important part in the rapid develop-ment of Swedish knowledge concerning fi res. The fi re performance based design approach in Sweden would not have been as well developed as it is today without the efforts of the Board, and construc-tion and building regulations would have been different.

Åke Fors has been the Board’s new de-partmental director since 1st January 2007, joining from his previous post as risk man-ager with ABB. Together with his assistant Malin Bäckman, he intends to make a number of changes in the Board in order to achieve more from the organisation.

These changes include greater emphasis on the spread of knowledge via seminars, and the establishment of an advisory re-search panel. There will also be greater concentration on demonstrating the value of research, with an increased abil-ity for sponsors to infl uence the direction of work. The Board intends to facilitate the development of knowledge of im-portance to other parties. In addition, it intends to initiate a number of larger and more comprehensive research projects, continuing for longer periods of time, in order to be able to examine more com-plex areas.

If you would like further information on the Swedish Fire Research Board, please contact Åke Fors or Malin Bäckman on +46 8 588 474 16 or +46 8 588 475 14.

Patrick van HeesTel +46 10 516 50 [email protected]


Several series of experiments of sprinklers in road tunnels have been carried out in recent years. The re-sults show that water mist type sprinkler systems are effective, and that most arguments against the use of sprinklers do not stand up.

Photo: Marioff Corporation Oy

The technical arguments against sprinklers in road tunnels do not stand upInterest in the use of sprinkler systems in road tunnels has increased in recent years as a result of the major tunnel fi res that have occurred in the last few years and of the good results from experiments with new sprin-kler technology. Nevertheless, despite this, the installation of sprinklers in new tunnels is far from settled. A review of the literature, carried out by SP Fire Technology, shows that many of the technical arguments against the use of sprinklers in road tunnels do not stand up.

Japan has over 80 road tunnels with sprinkler systems, as against only about a dozen tunnels with such systems in the whole of the rest of the world. One pos-sible explanation for this is to be found in a number of technical arguments against the use of sprinklers: arguments that are even documented in the latest editions of PIARC and NFPA 502, the two internation-al publications that are most used in con-nection with fi re safety in road tunnels.

Historical experiments in SwitzerlandThe background to several of the argu-ments against sprinklers is to be found in the fi re experiments that were carried out in the Ofenegg tunnel in Switzerland over 40 years ago. Interpretation of the results of these experiments has probably been decisive in determining the limited use of sprinklers in tunnels. The experiments were carried out with pans of petrol, of varying sizes, in a relatively small tunnel.

The tunnel had a cross-sectional area of 23 m², was 190 m long and had only one entrance/exit. The sprinkler system used in the experiments did not incorporate foam admixing. In all the experiments, the sprinklers extinguished the fi re, but the fi re gases were quickly driven down to fl oor level when the system was activated and the short tunnel was entirely fi lled with smoke. In addition, a defl agration occurred in the last experiment, 20 min-utes after extinguishing, when explosive fumes from the petrol were re-ignited. The results also included scalding, i.e. burns damage to organic materials caused by steam. In addition, the steam moved the fi re gases further into the tunnel, causing temperatures there that were higher than in the experiments without the use of sprinklers. Since this, the results from these experiments have been used as arguments against the use of sprinkler systems in road tunnels.

Further negative arguments have been put forward since those experiments were carried out in 1965, such as the risk of the sprinkler water carrying fl oating fuel along the road and thus increasing the size of the fi re, the limited ability of sprinklers to deal with fi res inside vehi-cles, the risk of secondary accidents due to unintentional activation, the risk of frost damage and high maintenance costs. Most of these arguments originate from discussions between experts, rather than on direct experience from experiments.

New experiments – new knowledgeThe experiments of sprinklers that have been performed in recent years (water mist, conventional sprinkler systems and foam sprinkler systems) show that all such systems restrict the spread of fi re and rad-ically reduce temperatures. Experiments have been carried out both on liquid fi res and on large and small vehicles. In all cases, the experiment tunnels have been longer than the Ofenegg tunnel, with greater cross-sectional area. Admittedly, the fi re gases have been pressed down to-wards the road surface when the systems were activated, but only in the vicinity of the fi re. In this context, it is important to point out that longitudinal ventilation also presses the fi re gases down towards the road surface downstream of a fi re. No signs of scalding have been observed, and nor have temperatures in other areas been higher. However, experiments in-volving liquid fi res have been carried out using pans, which means that it has not been possible to determine whether the water would spread the fuel. Neverthe-less, using foam, liquid fi res have been extinguished very effectively, with the blanket of foam preventing re-ignition. An article in BrandPosten no. 35 describes one of the recent series of experiments of sprinklers in road tunnels.


Fires in modern private cars can be extremely fi erce if they involve several vehicles, or if petrol or diesel fuel leaks out onto the road.

Photo: Marioff Corporation Oy

Many years’ experience of sprinklers in road tunnels in JapanMany experiments of sprinklers in road tunnels have been carried out in Japan, with the result that sprinklers have been recommended for use in tunnels longer than three kilometres and carrying more than 4000 vehicles per day. The accumu-lated experience is very favourable, with sprinklers having prevented major fi res in several cases and without causing any problems with evacuation. No cases of accidental activation or negative effects of sprinkler systems have been reported. The smoke from fi res in those cases where the system has been activated has been pressed down towards the ground only in the vicinity of the fi re.

The fi re in Melbourne – a concrete exampleA fi re occurred in a tunnel in Melbourne on 23rd March 2007 as the result of a col-lision between two heavy goods vehicles and two cars. This tunnel is one of the few tunnels outside Japan that actually has a sprinkler system. The fi re could have had catastrophic consequences. However, as the fi re gas ventilation system and the sprinkler system (a deluge system) were activated at an early stage, and as the fi re

and rescue services quickly reached the scene, all those in the tunnel were able to escape from it without any injuries. The tunnel was in fact back in use after only four hours.

New guidelines in NFPA 502The present edition of NFPA 502, ‘Stand-ard for Road Tunnels, Bridges, and Other Limited Access Highways’, includes several negative comments on sprinklers in tun-nels. These comments will still be in the next edition, but will be complemented by an explanatory text explaining why they are no longer valid. Another impor-tant change is that the design fi re rating of fi res in heavy goods vehicles will be increased to 70-200 MW, as against the previous 20-30 MW. This means that the expected consequences of a fi re are great-er, making the installation of sprinklers more benefi cial. The new edition of NFPA 502 will be published in September 2007.

Time to think again…There is no well-supported technical argu-ment against the use of sprinkler systems in road tunnels. The only argument that can be considered is that of investment and maintenance costs. However, seen in a larger context, and thus including the costs of fi re damage, standstill costs and deaths and injuries, it is likely that the

cost of a sprinkler installation can be justi-fi ed, at least in road tunnels carrying high volumes of traffi c.

SP Report 2006:56 includes the entire literature list. In addition, it presents the results of 1:23 model scale experiments using water sprinklers, and investigating the effects of basic parameters such as air velocity, heat release rate and water fl ow.

Haukur IngasonTel +46 10 516 51 [email protected]

Magnus ArvidsonTel +46 10 516 56 [email protected]

Björn Sundström defends his thesisBjörn Sundström has written an academic thesis for the degree of Doctor of Tech-nology with the title “The development of a European Fire Classifi cation System for Building Products – Test Methods and Mathematical Modelling”. He will orally defend his thesis in Lund on September 21 with professor Per-Jostein Hovde as op-ponent.

The thesis gives a comprehensive back-ground to various models and their ability to predict fi re developments. In particular Björn shows how his own invention, the classifi cation parameter Figra obtained from SBI tests, can be used to predict Room/Corner tests with the same accuracy as more advanced models. He also shows how well the concept of the Figra param-eter can be applied for several other types of products and scenarios. His conclusions are based on numerous tests carried at SP as well as at other research institutes over a long period of time. The use of Figra as an input parameter to his modelling en-sures data will be available for modellers as Figra is a classifi cation parameter in the Euroclass system. For more information contact Björn Sundström, e-mail: [email protected], phone +46 10 516 50 86.


Fire gases, extinguishing water and post-combustion residue were analysed in the fi re tests of electrical and electronics waste.

Photo: Anders Lönnermark

Calculation of emissions from fi res

Together with the Swedish Environmental Research Institute, SP Fire Technol-ogy has developed a method for estimation of the formation and distribution of emissions from a fi re.

The emissions from a fi re consist of a large number of substances of various types, with varying health and environ-mental effects. They include not only airborne emissions, but also emissions in the form of contaminated extinguish-ing water that can fi nd its way into the ground or waterways. In addition, there may be residues left after the fi re which have to be disposed of. Estimating the quantities of emissions from a given fi re, and then calculating their spread, requires knowledge of several links in a chain of events ranging from the fi re itself and its progress, to the spread of emissions to the air, ground and water. The method that has been developed describes what happens, and what is needed, in each step in order to be able to describe the entire sequence of events.

Formation and spread of emissions can be calculatedBriefl y, the method of calculating the effects of any particular fi re involves de-fi ning the fi re scenario in terms of the materials involved, and the extent and progress of the fi re. For each scenario, a fi re plume and the types and quantities of

emissions have been determined in ad-vance using calculation models and exper-iments. Plume models and computational fl uid dynamics (CFD) models have been used to determine the temperatures and gas velocities in the plume, while emission levels have been based on experimental data results. The results from this work have then provided input data for calcu-lation of the spread of emissions to the atmosphere, ground and water. Finally, in order to be able to illustrate the effects of topological, meteorological and geologi-cal conditions, the fi re has been ‘virtually’ placed in the Nol river valley at Bollebygd, a few kilometres from Borås.

The special feature of the work on this method is that each partial process was investigated, while at the same time con-sidering the overall effect and how data from one process or part can be trans-ferred to the next. This means that, in addition to the results from the emissions spread calculations at the end of the pro-gramme, each individual element of the chain of events and processes has been investigated in detail.

Fire-fi ghting can result in in-creased contaminationThe scenarios that were selected involved fi res in a stock of scrap electrical and elec-tronics materials and in a heap of tyres. Using these actual materials and products, tests were carried out to investigate and analyse the resulting fi re gases, extin-guishing water and residue, looking for a large number of different types of chemi-cal substances, both organic and inor-ganic. The results have been presented in detail in two SP reports, nos. 2005:42 and 2005:43, which can be downloaded from SP’s web site. Some of the results are de-scribed below.

Extinguishing some types of fi res often results in reduced overall emissions, as the overall duration of the fi re is reduced. Successful fi re-fi ghting, quickly extin-guishing or substantially reducing the fi re, naturally results in a reduced total quan-tity of emissions. However, some types of fi res, such as in a heap of vehicle tyres, are diffi cult to extinguish, with the result instead being a longer period of combus-tion under poor conditions. This means that the fi re-fi ghting efforts therefore re-sult in an increase in the quantity of emis-sions. Fire tests of tyres have also shown that the use of foam results in a greater quantity of contamination ending up in the fi re-fi ghting water, compared to what would have been the case if water alone had been used, although the use of foam does improve the extinguishing effect. Both these factors should be considered when deciding on how to fi ght the fi re. A recurrent question is whether the lesser harm to the environment will be caused by leaving the fi re alone or by fi ghting it. Unfortunately, there can be no general answer to such a question: instead, the particular conditions have to be consid-ered in each individual case. However, it is hoped that the results from this research project will help provide information for making such a decision.

Semi-empirical models were developedWhen making calculations of the spread of emissions, it is not always feasible to carry out actual fi re tests in order to de-


Fire tests with 32 vehicle tyres was carried out in order to investigate emissions to the air, water and ground, both with and without extinguishing.

Photo: Anders Lönnermark

termine the emissions from a particular type of fi re. There is therefore a sub-stantial need to be able to calculate the emitted quantities of various substances, which can then be used as input data for the emission spread calculations. For this reason, mathematical models were devel-oped to describe the formation of a large number of different substances from different types of fi res. The models are semi-empirical. Formation mechanisms for various chemical substances have been in-vestigated, in order to identify important parameters. This information has then been complemented and compared with other information from fi re tests, carried out both as part of this project and in previous work, in order to construct corre-lation models. The modelling work shows that the availability of oxygen is very im-portant in determining the production of various emissions. In the cases of the fi res that were simulated, it was the availabil-ity of oxygen that was more important than the temperature in the combustion zone in determining the production of several toxic substances. A comparison of experimental results and calculated results from the model shows that the emissions model produces interesting results. See SP Report 2006:53, which will shortly be available on SP’s web site.

Conditions determining the spread of contamination in the ground vary widely. Simulations must therefore be site-spe-cifi c, which means that it is necessary to know the particular local ground condi-tions. In many cases, emissions to surface water become diluted. However, it must be borne in mind that some emissions, such as chlorinated and brominated diox-ins, from certain types of fi res can be very stable and persistent. Some substances may also occur in very high concentra-tions. If a fi re occurs in a sensitive area, or close to a sensitive recipient, special care must be taken in dealing with it. In some cases, it may be better to refrain from extinguishing a fi re, in order to avoid car-rying hazardous substances down into the ground or waterways with the extinguish-ing water. It can also be pointed out that major problems have occurred in the fi res in large tyre dumps that have occurred in many parts of the world due to the production of pyrolysis oils released from the rubber by the fi re and then escaping from the fi re site and contaminating wa-terways.

The calculations of the spread of airborne emissions show that major fi res can result in very high plume rises. This means that particles can be transported over very long distances, as has been seen in real fi res, such as the fi re in the Buncefi eld fuel depot in the UK in 2005. The spread calculations also show that meteorologi-cal conditions play an important part in the spread and mixing of emissions, which means that factors such as topology and the time of year are very important.

Although the fi re tests in this project were restricted to tyres and electrical scrap, the emission models that have been developed were based on a broader spectrum of materials and types of fi res. The model has been constructed in such a way that it can relatively easily be comple-mented with new and improved constitu-ent modules.

Further fi re tests neededIt is important, when developing math-ematical models, that the models are sup-ported by an adequate number of tests, partly in order properly to be able to cov-er the area of interest, and partly because fi res are random in their nature, which means that several tests may be needed in order to identify the main trends. For

these reasons, it will be necessary to carry out further fi re tests involving analyses of fi re gases, extinguishing water and residues after the fi re. However, the above-mentioned comparisons between experimental results and model calcula-tions show that the model that has been developed is already capable of giving reasonable results for the particular cases.

The work has been part of a recently con-cluded three-year research project, ‘Emis-sions from fi res – Methods, models and measurements’, fi nanced by the Swedish Rescue Services Agency. Further informa-tion is available from An-ders Lönnermark.

Anders LönnermarkTel +46 10 516 56 [email protected]

Photo: Pär Rittsel

Maria Khorsand new Chief Executive Offi cer (CEO) of SPMaria Khorsand succeeds Claes Bankvall as CEO of SP on October 1st, 2007. She has held several executive positions within Ericsson with focus on the wireless tech-nology, OMX and Dell. Prior to Ericsson, she used to be a technical analyst at Unisys corporation. Maria has an exten-sive international background. She was born in Iran, educated in USA and has been living in Sweden for the past 20 years with her husband and 17 year old daughter. Claes Bankvall is retiring from SP which he has been heading since 1985.


Theme day on lightweight vesselsThe ‘Lightweight Construction Applica-tions at Sea’ (LÄSS) project (www.lass.nu) has been running since 2005, with a total budget of ~2.6M, bringing to-gether 29 different partners to investi-gate how to minimize ship construction weight.

The project has produced breakthroughs that today make it technically possible to design vessels in carbon fi bre or glass fi bre for use in national and interna-tional transport. It has also shown new ways in which aluminium designs can be used at sea.

A one-day conference will be held at SP in Borås on 31th October 2007, present-ing results and actual vessel designs from the work. Those wishing to attend should contact Tommy Hertzberg or register at www.lass.nu.

Catalytic exhaust cleaners on lawn-mowers a fi re risk?

SP Fire Technology together with Svensk Maskinprovning (SMP) have in-vestigated whether catalytic converters in the exhaust systems on lawn-mowers increase the fi re risk.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the USA has put forward a proposal for more stringent emission re-quirements on lawn-mowers and other outdoor power equipment. One method of meeting the requirements is to fi t the lawn-mowers with catalytic converters. However, the National Association of State Fire Marshals raised the questions of whether this might result in an increased fi re risk, bearing in mind the increase in the number of fi res that occurred when catalytic converters were introduced in cars. This brought the advice not to park cars on grass. SP has recently investigated the problem fi nanced by the trade as-sociation of lawn-mower manufacturers (the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute’s Education and Research Foundation). The work involved tests of engines with both standard and modifi ed prototype exhaust systems in dynamometer test rigs, as well

as testing complete lawn-mowers in vari-ous situations intended to refl ect real use, such as parking a lawn-mower close to fl ammable material in a shed.

The tests showed that there is a risk that the number of fi res could increase unless one can ensure that the muffl er system temperature, in particular the tempera-ture of parts that can be reached by items such as tall grass and packaging material, does not increase when a catalyst is in-troduced. The report from the study has been provided to EPA as a comment to their current rulemaking.

Petra AnderssonTel +46 10 516 56 [email protected]

Photo: Ulf Wickström

Moving the lawn affects the environment.

Lightweight construction applications at sea

Full day seminar, SP Borås, SwedenOctober 31, 2007

Register at www.lass.nu

Aluminium and compositesfor shipbuilding and offshore

Tommy HertzbergTel +46 10 516 50 [email protected]


Fire-testing a storage cabinet in SP’s horizontal furnace.Photo: Fredrik Rosén

prEN 15659

New European standard for storage cabinets creates confusion on the marketA proposal for a new European testing standard (prEN 15659) for fi re test-ing storage cabinets has been developed by CEN. The proposed standard specifi es considerably less stringent requirements than the previous stand-ard, EN 1047-1. It includes, for example, a 30-minute rating, which would have the effect of allowing poor, but classifi ed, cabinets to be put on the market.

Work has been busily conducted since the spring of 2006 on developing a new European standard for fi re-testing storage cabinets, with German cabinet manu-facturers being among the most eager supporters of this work. The new method allows considerably lower requirement levels than the previous EN 1047-1 stand-ard. In comparison with EN 1047-1, the main differences are as follows:

- two new classes, LFS 30 P and LFS 60 P, applying only for document storage cabinets

- only one cabinet will have to be tested- no cooling phase- no measurement of relative humid-

ity within the cabinet (only D and DIS cabinets in EN 1047-1)

- no drop test- no shock testing (fi re shock/fi re explo-

sion)- the test furnace to be controlled by

plate thermometers.

Comparison with NT FIRE 017There are clear similarities with the Nordic NT FIRE 017 test method. However, one major and important difference is that prEN 15659 includes a 30-minute classifi -cation, which NT FIRE 017 does not. In our view, there is a clear risk that such a re-laxed requirement would risk getting cab-inets with such poor fi re resistance that it would be very doubtful if they would be able to protect documents when ex-posed to a normal room fi re. Although a 30-minute rating is often used for parts of buildings, this cannot be compared with document storage cabinets. In a building, the fi re can continue long after the time for which the structure has been classed, as it is required to fulfi l its performance only for 30 minutes. A storage cabinet, on the other hand, must meet its required performance level throughout the fi re and also in the subsequent cooling phase after the fi re. It must be possible, after the fi re, to open the cabinet and fi nd that the documents stored in it are still intact. Introducing a fi re test that lasts for only

30 minutes, and without a follow-on cool-ing phase, is therefore not reasonable.

Another difference is to be found in the positioning of thermo couples inside the cabinet which, according to prEN 15659, is based on the specifi cation in EN 1047-1. NT FIRE 017 requires a thermo couple to be placed 25 mm from the centre of each surface inside the cabinet. According to the European method, the temperature must also be measured at points 25 mm from the corners inside the cabinet. In addition, the surface temperature at the centre of each surface inside the cabinet must be measured, which is not a requirement in NT FIRE 017. This means that, in most cases, the requirements are somewhat more stringent than those in NT FIRE 017.

However, we are in favour of the require-ment that the furnaces must be controlled by plate thermometers, as this creates the conditions for harmonized testing that will provide the same results regardless of the thermal characteristics of the fur-naces.

A confused marketIntroducing a standard for fi re testing lighter storage cabinets risks creating confusion on the market. Today, P-marked fi re-resistant storage cabinets are widely accepted on the European market. By in-

troducing a new standard which, in many respects, is applicable to products similar to those covered by NT FIRE 017, coupled with the introduction of a new fi re resist-ance class of dubious quality, there is a clear risk of so confusing end users that they fail to consider any approval marking systems at all.

Until today, there have been two major certifi cation systems and test standards for storage cabinets: ECB-S (European Certifi cation Board – Systems), which has certifi ed storage cabinets based on EN 1047-1 testing, and SP, through its P-marking scheme, which has certifi ed lighter fi re-resistant storage cabinets based on testing in accordance with NT FIRE 017.

Fredrik RosénTel +46 10 516 56 [email protected]


P-marking is SP’s quality marking scheme, indicating that products meet the require-ments set out in special certifi cation rules (SPCR), developed for each particular product area. Before publication, the rules are discussed with interested parties, before fi nally being approved by SP’s Certifi cation Board. Certifi cation is based on rules that have been well thought out, are relevant and fi rmly anchored in practice. Manufacturers must comply with strict quality requirements, consisting of the manufacturers’ own inspection procedures and SP’s surveillance inspection. This ensures that all the require-ments are fulfi lled throughout the validity period of the certifi cate.

Many products can today be P-marked, ranging from personal protective equipment, through fl oorball clubs to air heat pumps.

Consolidated sales fi gures of P-marked storage cabinets, by fi re resistance classifi cation.

XXXXXXXXXXX

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XXXXX

Continued high sales fi gures for P-marked storage cabinets

New sales statistics on the number of P-marked storage cabinets that have been sold have been received from the manu-facturers by SP. The results indicate that sales are still buoyant: during 2006, a total of 58 699 P-marked storage cabinets were sold. Of them, 49 697 were document cabinets, 6962 were fi ling cabinets, and 2040 were data media inserts.

It will be interesting to see the sales statis-tics for 2007, as an increasing number of international manufacturers have started to P-mark parts or all of their ranges of fi re-resistant storage cabinets.

P-marking of fi re-resistant storage cabi-nets in accordance with NT FIRE 017 is a certifi cation area within SP certifi cation that has won the widest international ac-ceptance. Today, customers are not using P-marking simply to be able to sell their products in Sweden, but particularly to be able to sell them anywhere in the Euro-pean market, as well as in the Middle East and Asia.



Securing

higher standards.


Wayne Franklin, Rebecca Burns, Lloyd Jones from FireKing together with Fredrik Rosén from SP and Bryan Mills from FireKing.

Gerald Chan from MOEM and Fredrik Rosén from SP.

Mr. A.G. Naravane, (Sr. Consultant,) Mr. Prashant H.C., (GM-Design), Mr. Dara Byramji, (VP & Business Head), Mr. Atul Mistry, (Asso. Manager-Design)

Photo: MOEM

Photo: FireKingPhoto: Godrej

New certifi cates for manufacturers of fi re-resistant storage cabi-netsP-marking of fi re-resistant storage cabinets is steadily increasing, particu-larly among non-European manufacturers of cabinets. P-marking is widely recognised in Europe, with acceptance increasing in other markets such as the Middle East, Asia and Australia. SP sees a continued increase in the sales of P-marked storage cabinets.

FireKing in New Albany, Indiana, is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of fi re-resistant fi ling cabinets. The company has obtained a certifi cate for its fi ling cabinets with fi re technical classifi cation NT FIRE 017 – 60 Paper.

MOEM in Malaysia is a major manu-facturer of offi ce equipment, such as prefabricated walls and library shelving. The company has now also started to produce fi re-resistant storage cabinets, and has obtained a certifi cate with fi re technical classifi cation NT FIRE 017 – 60 Paper (Avanguard series) for its document cabinets, in addition to two certifi cates for two different ranges of fi ling cabinets with fi re technical classifi cation NT FIRE 017 - 60 Paper (FRC series and LFRC series).

GODREJ & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd. in India has previously featured in BrandPosten no. 34 in connection with fi re-testing of its docu-ment cabinet. The company has now con-tinued by securing P-marking certifi cation of its document cabinets with a certifi cate with fi re technical classifi cation NT FIRE 017 - 90 Paper (SAFIRE series).

CTM in Tunisia is a large manufacturer of furniture. The company has now started to manufacture fi re-resistant storage cabinets, for which it has obtained three certifi cates for its document cabinets with fi re technical classifi cations NT FIRE 017 - 60 Paper, NT FIRE 017 - 90 Paper and NT FIRE 017 - 120 Paper (IP series).

A list of all certifi cates that have been is-sued for fi re-resistant storage cabinets can be found at www.sp.se/cabinets.



Haukur Ingason

Academic installation for Haukur

Friday 25th May saw the installation of Haukur Ingason as Adjunct Professor at the Department of Public Technology at Mälardalen University. The Installation started with a procession and ceremony in Västerås Cathedral. The Institute’s Chancellor, Ingegärd Palmér, and County Sheriff, Mats Svegfors, made speeches, describing the history of the University and its importance for higher education in the future. The cooperation between academia, research institutes and industry was illustrated by the fact that Haukur, together with another fi ve persons who were installed, came from research in-stitutes or industry. We congratulate Haukur, and look forward to even closer links with universities and institutes of technology.

Margaret SimonsonTel +46 10 516 52 [email protected]

New Nordtest meth-od for mattressesA new Nordtest method has been devel-oped, specifi cally intended for full-scale fi re-testing of mattresses: NT FIRE 055, Mattresses: Burning Behaviour – Full-scale Test. The method is very similar to NT FIRE 032, which covers upholstered furniture in general. It is suitable for determining the fi re characteristics of complete mattresses in terms of produc-tion of heat and smoke. It is the inten-tion that NT FIRE 055 should be included in SS 876 00 10, Hospital beds with high performance requirement on ignitability, which is being revised.

In the USA, the date is approaching (1st July) when all mattresses must meet the federal 16 CFR Part 1633 standard (see also BrandPosten no. 34). Further infor-mation is available from SP Fire Technology.

Per ThuresonTel +46 10 516 50 [email protected]

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A screen dump from the tunnel program.

Haukur IngasonTel +46 10 516 51 [email protected]

Petra AnderssonTel +46 10 516 56 [email protected]

The 7th International Water Mist

Conference

November 28 - 30, 2007, Paris, France

For more information, see www.iwma.net

Experience a tunnel fi re - live

Imagine a three-dimensional virtual journey through a burning tunnel. This is now possible, as the result of a graduation project by two students from the media technology programme at Linköping Institute of Technology.

Fire experiments in (for example) tunnels create enormous quantities of measured data. Traditionally, this data has been presented in two-dimensional diagrams, plotting longitudinal position on the x-axis and temperature on the y-axis. However, this can easily become diffi cult to take in. It is better if the data can be presented in three dimensions, giving a greater feeling of reality, exactly as in computer games.

As their graduation project, Anna-Karin Carlsson and Charlotta Wadman at the Linköping Institute of Technology devel-oped a program to present the measured data from tunnel experiments in a more easily comprehended manner. The pro-gram provides a three-dimensional view of the tunnel, based on measurements of gas concentrations, optical density of smoke and temperature. In developing the program, they have employed pro-gramming methods that are used in pro-grams for visualising measured data and games programs. The result is that users can make a three-dimensional virtual journey through the tunnel, experiencing the reduced visibility caused by the smoke in real time. Information can be displayed on the temperature where the ‘viewer’ is, or on detailed conditions at any position and at any time in the tunnel. At present, the programme provides visualisation of tunnel fi res, but can be further developed to deal with fi res in other situations, such as in shopping centres, theatres or ordi-nary apartments.

Like a computer gameThe program has a similar feel to that of a computer game. The user can control movement through the tunnel and the direction of viewing. The program calcu-lates the visibility distance from the meas-ured data for any particular point, and updates the screen display accordingly. There is also a function for calculation of the quantity of toxic gases to which the ‘viewer’ has been exposed, presenting the result in the form of a value between 0 and 1, with 1 indicating that anyone exposed to this concentration level would now be unconscious. It is also possible to display tunnel sections with details of

temperature, optical visibility or gases in the tunnel, with the values of these parameters being displayed in small win-dows at the side of the screen.

Part of L-SurfThe program has been developed as part of L-Surf, which is an EU project for the design of a joint European research centre for underground facilities. The report, Visualisation of Measurement Data from

Tunnel Fires, can be down loaded from SP’s web site.


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Participants in the cable course in front of SP Fire Technology’s premises.Photo: Michael Försth

Cable testing course

SP Fire Technology has held a course on fi re-testing of cables in accordance with the new test standard that will provide a basis for CE-marking in accordance with the Construction Products Directive. The standard, issued by CENELEC, is now ap-proaching the voting stage. At the same time, CENELEC is organising a round-robin calibration exercise, bringing together about 20 participating laboratories: see the article on page 29. SP’s course was intend-ed for participants from these laboratories. The standard, which includes several tech-nical improvements over the present test method for cables, makes use of calorim-etry in the same way as the SBI method.

Fifteen participants from eight countries took part in the three-day course, and we are now looking forward to an excellent result from the CENELEC round-robin test. Further information on cables and CE-marking can be found in BrandPosten no. 35.

Björn SundströmTel +46 10 516 50 [email protected]


Guest contributor

The continuous Evolution of Water Mist Technology

The last 15 years have been distinguished by signifi cant advancement in the commercial application of water mist fi re suppression technology through-out the world. Frequently cited and widely known, the Montreal Protocol leveled the way for water mist technology fi rst as replacement for Halon. More than one decade of research and development on water mist systems has revealed a broad variety of applications where this technology can re-place not only ozone depleting chemical agents, but it also represents a measure equivalent to standard sprinklers. The undisputed environmental advantages embodied by water mist systems combined with effi cient fi re fi ghting characteristics will certainly contribute to its continued success in the future.

The IWMA One logical conclusion of the continuous development of water mist technology throughout the world was some years ago the creation of the IWMA - the In-ternational Water Mist Association. The main objective of the IWMA is to support research, development and the use of water mist technology world wide, and the IWMA understands itself as a forum of knowledge collection, knowledge creation and knowledge distribution. As a panel of experts, the Scientifi c Council plays here an essential role which focuses on these matters.

The association is open to corporations, research establishments and individuals, concerned with issues related water mist technology. The current membership of 51 companies and 83 individuals is truly international and includes representatives from 20 different countries. The multi-na-tional makeup of the IWMA membership

is a response to an ongoing globalization in all aspects of water mist technology.

Major ObjectivesThe ongoing success of water mist systems will strongly depend on reliable codes and standards. IMO has been the fi rst driving force which developed standards for the use of water mist on ships. NFPA, UL, FM and CEN have developed guidelines and test protocols for land-based applications over the last years, but there are still gaps to close. It is therefore one of the tasks of the IWMA to support the further devel-opment of codes and standards. The as-sociation is particularly active in the NFPA 750 Technical Committee with an IWMA representative and accompanies especially the work on the European CEN guideline for water mist systems.

Second, the distribution of knowledge is an important ongoing activity. The IWMA

is organizing seminars on water mist technology in various countries in order to educate engineers, architects, potential users and others about the advantages and disadvantages of water mist. Semi-nars took place for example in Germany and the United States, and meetings in countries such as Spain, Italy and United Kingdom are under preparation.

Moreover, the IWMA does also focus on own research activities. The board of Di-rectors under the chairmanship of Ragnar Wighus has recently decided to carry out a research project in 2008 on libraries and archives. It is the purpose to help develop a test method that could fi nally be used to approve water mist systems for this test method. Insurers such as FM will be involved in this project.

Finally, for potential users, the IWMA is also an independent body that can be addressed for questions related to the technology like e.g. the suitability of Wa-ter Mist for certain applications, the limits of such systems, minimum requirements, suitability of test protocols, contacts to insurance companies, understanding and interpretation of guidelines, suitability of test institutes and more.

7th International Water Mist ConferenceOne of the major events to be organized by the IWMA is the annual International Water Mist Conference. It will be held this year the 7th time and is going to take place November 28 – 30 in Paris, France. The conference is open to anybody and will offer an opportunity for those re-sponsible for selecting fi re protection as well as researchers/scientists to be up-dated on the current state of water mist technology. The conference will be held in cooperation with independent member institutions which will provide full techni-cal support for the conference. All neces-sary information about the conference can be found on the web page www.iwma.net.

Matthias Ecke

Secretary of IWMAThe annual International Water Mist Conferences attracts a large audience. The photo is from last year’s conference in Budapest.

Photo: IWMA


The new test chamber for fi re testing cables.

European joint calibration for fi re testing of cables

During the summer, several European fi re-testing laboratories and cable manufacturers will carry out a joint calibration of fi re-testing procedures of cables in accordance with EN 50399. In connection with this, SP has re-placed its previous test chamber with a new one which complies comple-tely with the specifi cation in the latest version of EN 50399.

For many years, SP has carried out fi re tests on cables in accordance with the pre-liminary version of EN 50399, which meas-ures the heat release rate and smoke re-duction rate, together with various other parameters. The standard will shortly be changed from a preliminary version to a formally approved version, forming the basis for the new fi re requirements for cables in the EU, as described on Page 30 of BrandPosten no. 35. In connection with this upgrading of the standard, CENELEC will therefore be carrying out a joint cali-bration of testing in accordance with the new standard during the summer. Several improvements will be incorporated in connection with upgrading to a formal standard, mainly in connection with the supply air duct to the chamber. The pre-liminary version of the standard did not specify any standardised design of this duct, which has meant that different test chambers have had different fl ow pat-terns. SP has been involved, and designed an improved arrangement, which is now implemented in the standard. The new test chamber is the fi rst one designed and built exactly in accordance with the new rules. In addition to the new requirements of EN 50399, several other improvements over the previous test chamber have been

incorporated. Examples include improved windows for inspection and fi lming/pho-tography, a more extensive safety system for the propane burner and pneumatic closing of the test chamber door.

Michael FörsthTel +46 10 516 52 [email protected]

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Photo: Michael Försth


Egolf members in front of SP Fire Technology’s premises.

Egolf’s executive committee with Kjell Schmidt-Pedersen, Andrzej Borowy, Niall Rowan, Ulf Wickström and Ruth Boughey (General Secretary).

Photo: Michael Försth

Egolf meets in Borås

The Egolf organisation held a three-day meeting in Borås in April. Egolf is an organisation intended primarily for European fi re-testing laboratories. At present, it has 52 member organisations from 25 countries.

Egolf was founded in 1988 as the result of an initiative from the EU Commission and other parties. Initially, only nationally recognised and active fi re test laborato-ries from EU countries were admitted, but the organisation is nowadays open to inspection bodies and certifi cation bodies as well.

Between them, Egolf’s members have very extensive experience of the application of test methods, whether in accordance with national standards or with new European standards. The developments of new standards, and the provision of feedback on their application, are therefore very important parts of its work. In some cases, standards are unclear, leaving scope for different interpretations. In such cases, Egolf members can agree on a common interpretation. An example of this is how test specimens should be mounted.

Egolf runs an extensive range of courses for training test technicians. An important objective of the work is that all members

must employ at least one technician with Egolf training in all of the European test methods offered by the laboratory. SP has trained instructors for all the European re-action-to-fi re tests, and provides complete training packages for industry and other laboratories.

An overall objective of Egolf is to raise the technical standard of its members in

order to facilitate the interchange and acceptance of test results. In this way, the organisation hopes to eliminate technical barriers to trade between different coun-tries, thus saving money and resources for the industry.

Egolf has three technical committees; for reaction-to-fi re, fi re resistance and accred-itation, inspection and certifi cation. Each of these committees is concerned with various technical matters. All important decisions are taken at plenary meetings. The committees meet twice a year. Ad-ministrative matters are dealt with by the executive committee and the Secretary-General, Ruth Boughey.

More information about Egolf can be found on the website www.egolf.org.uk.

Ulf WickströmTel +46 10 516 51 [email protected]


Video and DVD from SP Fire TechnologyThe room fi reVHS or DVD. Price: EURO 85,- (2003, 27 minutes).

600°C…building materials and the early stages of a fi reVHS. Price SEK 400,- (2001, 36 minutes).

FoamspexVHS. Price SEK 750,- (2001, 11 minutes, engelsk speaker).

Large-scale Fire Tests in the Runehamar Tunnel 2003

DVD. Price EURO 50,-

More information about the fi lms can be found onwww.sp.se

The 11th International Conference on Fire Science and Engineering, Interfl am, will be held 3-5th September, 2007, at the University of London, Royal Holloway College, UK.

Held every 3 years, Interfl am is one of the highlights in the fi re community calendar with the opportunity to discuss new and important developments in products and the fi re sciences. In addition to techni-cal papers on detection, extinction and suppression, applied fi re science, fl ame retardants, modelling, disasters and much more, fundamental issues of concern to the construction industry will be debated. There are also a number of satellite events such as poster exhibitions, compu-ter modelling, student workshop, com-mercial exhibitions, demonstrations and an electrical fi res course.

The conference is organised by Inter-science in association with the premier fi re organisations internationally, includ-ing SP Fire Technology. SP will present sev-eral papers and posters at the conference.

More information can be found on the conference web site: www.intercomm.dial.pipex.com/html/events/interfl am07p1.htm

Patrick van HeesTel +46 10 516 50 [email protected]

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SP reports from SP Fire Technology

Magnus ArvidsonPool fi re tests to establish fi re perform-ance criteria in large machinery spaces. SP Report no. 2006:52The long-term objective of this project has been to investigate whether water spray or water mist sprinkler systems can be used instead of carbon dioxide fi refi ght-ing systems in large engine rooms. The ef-fi cacy of various water spray systems, and also how such effi cacy might be quantita-tively measured, have been investigated in a number of pool fi re trials. The results showed that the systems are very effec-tive, particularly if foam liquid is mixed with the water.

The trials measured the heat release rate, and the results of the work showed that measuring the gas temperature above the surface of the fuel in a pool fi re provided the best correlation with the measured heat release rate. This methodology could therefore be used when testing systems.

The work of the project also included the preparation of installation instructions for water-based fi refi ghting systems in ship engine rooms.

The project was fi nanced by the Swedish Fire Research Board, VINNOVA and the Swedish Mercantile Marine Foundation. See the article on Page 12. The report is available from SP’s web site in .pdf for-mat.

Haukur IngasonModel-scale tunnel fi re test - sprinklers. Swedish Fire Research Board project no. 406-021. SP Report no. 2006:56This report describes a review of the literature on sprinkler trials in tunnels, together with a description of a series of model-scale sprinkler trials carried out by SP Fire Technology, in which parameters such as air velocity, size of the fi re and water fl ow rate were varied. The project was fi nanced by the Swedish Fire Research Board. See the article on Page 16. The report is available from SP’s web site in .pdf format.

Magnus Bobert and Henry PerssonBrandfarlig vara på försäljningsställen (=Flammable materials in retail outlets)Swedish Fire Research Board project no. 634-051. SP Report no. 2007:24The objective of this project has been to provide further material for a ‘special

investigation’ as mentioned in the Explo-sives Inspectorate’s regulations no. SÄIFS 1996:2. concerning the storage of fl am-mable materials in retail premises.

The work has involved four series of tri-als on various scales, with the progress of the fi re being recorded both visually and by such means as measurement of the convective heat release rate. The results show that the progress of the fi re can vary considerably, depending on the type of product (the ‘fl ammable material’), its consistency and the type of packaging. On the other hand, the fl ash point of the product has less effect on the progress of the fi re.

The trials also showed that there was a very marked difference between sprinkled and unsprinkled conditions. The conclu-sion is that any ‘special investigation’ into the handling of fl ammable goods in retail premises should base its requirements in respect of handling/storage on the overall behaviour of the products in a fi re, rather than only on their fl ash point. See the article in Brandposten no. 35. The report is available from SP’s web site in .pdf for-mat. (Only in Swedish.)

All the reports described above can be download-

ed from SP’s web site.

Sender: SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden, P O Box 857, SE 501-15 BORÅS, SWEDEN

Photo: Sven-Ove Vendel


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Brandposten_Eng36

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