Specialist Scientific Facilities - Fire and Explosion Trials Areas

This facility comprises two reinforced control buildings, three test pads, and a fire engulfment pit, all of which are connected by tarmac roadways and in some instances by cabling ducts. The remoteness and vast safety exclusion zone around the trials areas make them well suited for hazardous tests involving hydrogen as an alternative fuel, explosives (including fireworks), energetic substances, flammable liquids and pressurised liquefied gases.

Features
• Main control building has a floor area of some 180m² and is divided into three compartments;
• Main building is reinforced against blast effects and missiles;
• Smaller, single roomed control building has floor area of 70m²;
• Both control buildings have radio communication and a telecommunication data link back to the main laboratory site;
• Concrete test pads are 300, 350 and 500m from the main control area;
• Fire pit 7m long x 4m wide x 2m deep suitable for fire engulfment trials on process vessels or plant;
• A safety exclusion zone of about 300m radius can be readily maintained around the main parts of the trials area; this can be increased in certain circumstances.

Applications
• Test work for the classification of energetic substances in accordance with UN transport of dangerous goods requirements, including assessment of tests and their refinement;
• Examination of the thermal response of LPG tanks to fire engulfment, thus contributing significantly to an understanding of their behaviour.

Further Details
Contact our Business Development Unit by telephone (+44) 01298 218218, fax (+44) 01298 218822 or email hslinfo@hsl.gov.uk.

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