Feasibility Study to Develop a Water Deluge System for Conveyor Lines Transporting High Explosives
Abstract
The feasibility of developing a prototype water deluge system capable of extinguishing fires in bulk flake explosives after a 60-lb detonation was demonstrated using off-the-shelf commercially available components. The basic elements of the system include: (1) a fast response UV fire detection tube and logic circuit, (2) a rupture disk water valve, (3) water piping, and (4) spray nozzles. The water deluge system was actuated less than 20 ms after 60-lb detonation located 25 ft from the detector. Narrow stream nozzles were used with each nozzles protecting 3 ft wide area ranging from 15 to 45 ft from the nozzle assembly. No blast damage was sustained by the prototype system in full-scale tests. Bench-scale studies included measurement of flame spread rates for flake TNT and evaluation of the UV detector tube sensitivity to TNT and Composition-B fires. The cost of a prototype system was estimated and it is concluded that substantial cost savings may result by the development of advanced technology components.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 28, 1975
- Accession Number
- ADA020311
Entities
People
- Lester Eggleston
- William H. Mclain
- William O. Seals
Organizations
- Southwest Research Institute