Results of Full-Scale Fire Tests With Photoelectric Smoke Detectors. Final Report.

Published

June 1, 1975

Author(s)

Richard W. Bukowski, R G. Bright

Abstract

In February 1974, a series of full-scale fire tests were conducted to determine whether photoelectric-type smoke detectors could response to the same types of fires used to assess the performance of ionization-type smoke detectors. The types of fires employes in the tests are the same as those outlined in Underwriters' Laboratories, Inc., Standard No. 167. In addition to the UL-167 standard fires, fires involving polyurethane (flaming mode) and cotton (smoldering mode) were added to the test series. One detector, utilizing a taguchi gas sensor (TGS), was included in the test series for evaluation purposes. The test results indicated that the better photoelectric smoke detectors, i.e., those having little obstruction to slow-moving smoke can, in general, detect the same test fires as the ionization chamber smoke detectors in aproximately the same time scale. For the smoldering cotton fire, the photoelectric detectors were significantly faster than the ionization chamber detectors. The TGS fire detector was unable to detect most of the test fires.

Citation

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR) -

NIST Pub Series

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR)

Pub Type

NIST Pubs

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Keywords

fire detectors, ionization chamber detectors, photoelectric detectors, smoke detectors, taguchi gas sensor (trademark)

Citation

Bukowski, R. and Bright, R. (1975), Results of Full-Scale Fire Tests With Photoelectric Smoke Detectors. Final Report., NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=107102 (Accessed April 24, 2024)