Comparative Analysis of the Reliability of Carbon Dioxide Fire Suppression Systems as Required by 46 CFR, SOLAS 11-2, and NFPA 12.

Abstract

Coast Guard regulations governing the design and installation of total flooding carbon dioxide fire suppression systems for shipboard machinery spaces are compared to the equivalent standards promulgated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Differences among the standards that can affect the reliability of a carbon dioxide system involve: (1) the quantity of carbon dioxide required for a machinery space installation; (2) manual versus automatic system actuation; (3) requirements for closure of ventilation systems, doors, vents, duct dampers, etc., and (4) required carbon dioxide discharge rates and piping design guidelines to achieve the required discharge rates. A Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) has been conducted for a prototypical modern high pressure carbon dioxide system for a large cruise ship. The FMEA has identified seven system components with failure modes that could affect the ability of the system to extinguish a machinery space fire. Potential sources of failure rate data for these and other components are identified. Fire incident reports involving machinery spaces equipped with total flooding carbon dioxide systems have been complied and reviewed. The carbon dioxide system extinguished the fire in 35% of those fires and either temporarily extinguished or controlled the fire in another 23% of the incidents. The primary reason for the limited effectiveness of the carbon dioxide systems seems to be carbon dioxide leakage due to either: (1) unclosed doors, vents, ducts, etc.; (2) fire/explosion damaged closures (particularly in fires with delayed system actuation); and (3) crew or firefighter early reentry into the machinery space before temperatures have been reduced sufficiently to preclude re-ignition.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 1996
Accession Number
ADA318936

Entities

People

  • D. W. Alley
  • Douglas Beller
  • Robert Till
  • Robert Zalosh

Organizations

  • United States Coast Guard Research & Development Center

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Ground and Sea Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accidents
  • Airway Management
  • Carbon Dioxide
  • Coast Guard
  • Detectors
  • Engineers
  • Failure Mode And Effect Analysis
  • Fire Extinguishers
  • Fire Protection
  • Fire Suppression
  • Fires
  • Flow Rate
  • High Pressure
  • Ignition
  • Safety
  • Test Methods
  • Warning Systems

Fields of Study

  • Engineering

Readers

  • Aerospace Engineering
  • Combustion science or combustion engineering.
  • Fire Suppression Systems Design.

Technology Areas

  • Space