Monthly Technical Articles
Explore our collection of articles written by engineers, for engineers. Categorized based on the COPE approach to assessing risk within a facility, the archives below contain essential information for the development of engineers in our field.
Water Mist Technology
Background Steam flooding as a fire extinguishing medium is a predecessor of water mist that was introduced in the early 1900's. These early applications included oil refining and wood drying kilns....
Ammonia Refrigerated Warehouses
In our discussion of Ammonia refrigerated warehouses, we should begin with an understanding of what we are dealing with. ANSI/ASHRE-15 classifies Ammonia as a Group 2 Refrigerant - prominently a...
Building Safeguards During Construction
During the construction, alterations or demolition of a building, the potential risk from fire is usually greater than when the building is fully occupied and functional. As work progresses, the...
Engineering and Fire Testing Research versus Building Codes Requirements for Smoke and Heat Venting in Fully Sprinklered Warehouses
The fire protection engineering industry views smoke and heat venting in warehouse type occupancies as a waste of money and a hindrance to the performance of an automatic sprinkler system. Why do...
Lowering the Chance of Fire After an Earthquake
In previous articles we discussed earthquake protection for fire protection systems. We now turn the discussion from maintaining the ability to control a fire to lowering the chances of a fire or...
Commercial Cooking Equipment
The following summary provides guidance in assessing the thoroughness of inspection, maintenance and cleaning activities for equipment and systems related to commercial cooking equipment. Commercial...
Plastics
The 1946 film "It's A Wonderful Life" was one of the best movies ever made. It starred Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey. A friend of George's was Sam Wainwright played by Frank Albertson. Sam was a...
Fire Protection in Electric Generating Stations
You have moved the fuel, burned it, generated the steam to drive the generator and sent the power on its way. You might think you are in good shape if you have addressed the fire hazards associated...
Halon Alternatives
Bromochloroflourocarbons (Halons) were developed in the 1930s. Halon is low in toxicity, non-flammable, non-corrosive and very compatible with many materials. Halon has thermodynamic and physical...
18th Annual Legislative Review
In the November 2006, Sprinkler Age magazine featured its 18th annual legislative review for the United States and Canada. This summary of legislation and codes offers an overview of regulations...
Fire Protection Statistics
Automatic Sprinklers 1 in 16 million sprinklers will leak or accidentally discharge due to mechanical failure. Between 1 and 9 sprinklers are usually required to control a fire. Sprinklers are...
Fire Extinguishers
Portable fire extinguishers can be a first line of defense in the early stages of a fire. With proper training, they can be very effective is preventing a small fire from growing rapidly out of...