Fire Technology

The Department of Fire Technology is one of the world's largest organizations dedicated to fire research and testing. For 40 years, the Institute has studied fire dynamics and developed unique engineering and scientific resources for the resolution of fire safety issues, serving both government and commercial clients in the construction, transportation, chemical and petrochemical, nuclear, and telecommunications industries.

Working with building industry and building code authorities, the Institute developed a test procedure and built a dedicated test facility to evaluate the fire performance properties of multistory buildings constructed with combustible materials. The Institute's new intermediate-scale multistory facility offers a controlled indoor testing environment and enhanced test repeatability at a lower cost than the previously used full-scale test facility.

Using high-speed visualization techniques, Institute staff members conduct studies to provide insight and data on complex combustion and fluid flow processes that occur inside the firing chambers of liquid propellant guns.

With the increased use of electronic equipment in the workplace, equipment manufacturers are trying to develop a better understanding of fire and heat effects on the performance of their products. The Institute is assisting by studying the failure modes and thermochemical response thresholds of electronic equipment. The thermal responses of printed circuit boards, cables, connectors, and electromechanical switches are assessed to define the functional limits of computer, telecommunications, and other electronic components when exposed to fire.

Flame arresters prevent fire and explosions from propagating through pipelines to connecting vessels. The Institute consults with manufacturers who make and use arresters and conducts flashback, deflagration (detonation), and continuous burn tests to evaluate arrester performance.

The use of detonation or flame arresters in gas pipelines to prevent explosion and the spread of fire in flammable gas mixtures is being evaluated. To be effective, the arrester must prevent the ignition of downstream gases in the event of an explosion. The Institute has conducted more than 500 tests to assess the performance of various arresters. Institute engineers are also working with regulatory agencies and industry to develop improved test techniques and protocols.

Large fires, difficult to simulate in indoor facilities, require outdoor testing. A new SwRI remote test facility located within 40 miles of the Institute allows engineers to simulate and reproduce the effects of large fuel fires and ballistic/blast events.

The Institute recently expanded its fire research facilities to include a remote site in south Texas where large-scale explosion and pool fire tests can be conducted. New techniques and methods to control offshore spills and reduce their environmental impact are being investigated at this facility.

Lloyd's Register of Shipping, based in the United Kingdom, certified SwRI's Jet Fire Facility and large-scale furnaces for the evaluation of offshore and marine fire protection products. These tests help ensure that stringent safety standards are met to protect operators and passengers of marine vessels and workers on offshore oil platforms.

The Institute evaluated the fire hazards associated with warehouse rack storage practices by performing full-scale fire tests to measure flame propagation throughout various storage configurations, the thermal impact on warehouse structures, and other hazards associated with mass storage of combustible materials. Using a high-speed data acquisition system, thermal response data were collected and used to develop computer models to expand predictive capabilities to other fire scenarios.

The Institute's Listing, Labeling, and Follow-Up Inspection Services Program continues to gain national and international recognition. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recently accredited SwRI as an Administrator Services provider for the qualification of insulated steel doors. The U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, accredited the Department of Fire Technology as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory to provide third party quality assurance services. This program monitors production quality at more than 60 manufacturing facilities in the United States, Mexico, Japan, and Canada.

The Institute conducts tests in accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations and the National Transportation Safety Board to demonstrate acceptable performance of transport vehicle fuel systems. These regulations require simulated roll-over and fire engulfment tests to determine the integrity of tank and safety relief systems.

1995 Annual Report SwRI Home