Sprinkler Fire Suppression Algorithm for the GSA Engineering Fire Assessment System (NISTIR 4833)

Published

May 1, 1992

Author(s)

Daniel M. Madrzykowski, R Vettori

Abstract

A study was conducted to develop a sprinkler fire suppression algorithm for use with sprinkler activation time models. Large scale experiments were performed to determine the heat release rate (HRR) of selected office fuel packages with and without sprinklers operating. Eight different fuel packages were evaluated. The results from these experiments were used to develop a time dependent HRR reduction factor. The sprinkler fire suppression algoithm consists of multiplying the HRR reduction factor by the HRR at the time of sprinkler activation yielding an expected upper bound to the HRR at a given time after sprinkler activation, Q(t), for office furnishing fires that are not heavily shielded. This sprinkler fire suppression algorithm can be thought of as a "zeroth order" fire suppression model for "light hazard" occupancies with a sprinkler spray density of 0.07 mm/s (0.1 gpm/ft2) or greater.

Citation

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR) - 4833

Report Number

4833

NIST Pub Series

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR)

Pub Type

NIST Pubs

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.4833

Keywords

sprinklers, fire suppression, crib fires, fire tests, fuel load, free burning fires, heat release rate, sprinkler activation

Citation

Madrzykowski, D. and Vettori, R. (1992), Sprinkler Fire Suppression Algorithm for the GSA Engineering Fire Assessment System (NISTIR 4833), NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.4833 (Accessed September 13, 2024)