SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Fire Engineering & Research Testing Facility

| Fire Technology Department | Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Division |

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“SwRI’s Fire Engineering Research and Testing Facility provides state-of-the-art capabilities for indoor large-scale evaluations. Previously, we were much more limited in the large-scale fire tests that we can perform on our grounds. Some evaluations could only be conducted outdoors at our remote outdoor facility where testing is often delayed due to unfavorable weather conditions. An indoor facility better serves our clients, as it allows us to conduct evaluations year round, without regard for environmental or weather conditions.”

— Dr. Marc Janssens Fire Technology Department Director

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New Fire Engineering and Research Test Facility

SwRI added a brand new 4,300-square-foot facility in 2005 for fire engineering research and testing. The building provides an indoor, controlled environment for large-scale, full-on fires with a heat release rate in excess of 25-megawatts. The facility has an elevated control room for better monitoring and a height-adjustable ceiling for simulation of different-sized buildings.

Main Features of the New Fire Engineering and Research Testing Facility

The building has a 65 × 65 footprint and is 65 feet tall — large enough to perform a 10-foot diameter pool fire or a 50-foot-tall corner test. The room has a perimeter floor drain and a 40,000-gallon holding tank for liquid effluents. The fire suppression system is equipped with a 1,500 gallon per minute fire pump, supplied by a 30,000-gallon water storage tank. A 1,500-gallon foam agent storage container and associated equipment will allow the induction of fire suppression agents during tests. The facility also has a pollution abatement system that can exhaust up to 120,000 standard cubic feet per minute of fire effluents during testing and remove particulate emissions above 1.5 microns with greater than 99 percent efficiency. Twelve symmetrically placed louvers allow air to be drawn into the building without producing asymmetrical air currents.

For more information about the Fire Engineering and Research Facility, contact Jason Huczek at (210) 522-3632.

Jason Huczek

Senior Research Engineer

T: (210) 522-3632

F: (210) 522-3377