Specialist Scientific Facilities - Jet Fire Facility

The jet-fire facility is used to investigate the effect of propane liquid and vapour jet fires or simulated pool fires on items of plant such as filled pressure vessels, pipes, panels, valve gear etc. The mitigating effect of water sprays and insulated coatings can be assessed and compared with the results obtained for unprotected samples. The test location on HSL's Buxton site is suitable for potentially hazardous experiments being in an unpopulated area and surrounded by earth mounding to protect adjacent buildings and plant.

Features
• Three test pads: one designed for testing passive targets, one for testing vessels containing fuels/chemicals under pressure and the third for testing cylinders to destruction or investigating the effects of fire engulfment on packages containing potentially explosive chemicals or drums containing fuels.
• Fuel storage capacity of around 14 tonnes allowing use of a 2kgs^-1 flashing liquid propane jet fire for up to 2 hours. A 0.5kgs^-1 vapour jet fire can be operated for correspondingly longer times.
• Water delivery system capable of supplying more than 1000 litres per minute.
• Control is local for non-hazardous experiments or from a remote, strengthened control building for trials involving targets which may fail catastrophically.
• All controls and instrumentation are either pneumatic or intrinsically safe. Parts of the storage (3400kg capacity), control and jet equipment have been constructed to enable transportation to, and operation at, a remote site used for investigating the catastrophic failure of large vessels in a fire.

Applications
• Testing passive fire protection (PFP) materials and systems, including the effects of weathering on the fire resistance of PFP.
• Jet-fire Resistance Test for Passive Fire Protection Materials (OT195 634). The Jet-fire Test is a recognised facility approved by Lloyds Register of Shipping.
• Hydrocarbon pool fire and flashing propane jet fires impingement on passive and active (filled) targets.
• Effectiveness of directed water deluge systems in protecting against pool and jet fires.
• Effectiveness of water curtains in attenuating thermal radiation.

This facility is available to public and private sector customers from the UK and overseas and is complemented by the analytical and interpretative skills of HSL's experienced scientific and technical staff.

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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