Extended Discharge Testing with FE-25 Mark L. Robin, Eric F. Forssell, Jason Ouellette and Matthew A. Harrison Hughes Associates, Inc. and Tyler Aebersold and Brad Stillwell Fike Corporation 2003 Halon Options Technical Working Conference Sheraton

1
Extended Discharge Testing with FE-25Mark L.
Robin, Eric F. Forssell, Jason Ouellette and
Matthew A. HarrisonHughes Associates, Inc.
andTyler Aebersold and Brad StillwellFike
Corporation2003 Halon Options Technical
Working ConferenceSheraton Old TownAlbuquerque,
New MexicoMay 13-15, 2003
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Background Thermal Decomposition of Halocarbons

• Production of HF from halocarbon-type clean
  agents well known
• Generation of thermal decomposition products
  function of
• fire size to room volume ratio
• agent concentration
• discharge time

Ref NFPA 2001, 2000 edition, Section A-3-7.1.2
3
10000
Hughes Class A Ref. 32
)

Hughes Ref. 27

8000

Ferreira Ref. 34

Hansen Ref. 26

Sheinson Ref. 25

6000
Brockway Ref. 39
!
HF Concentration (ppm)
4000






!


2000
!







!
!





!



)
!

!
!



)
)
)
0
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
3
Fire Size to Room Volume (kW/m )
Figure 1 HFC-227ea Average HF Concentration,
n-Heptane and Class A Fires
7 - 8 percent by volume HFC-227ea
Source Robin, M.L., Proc. 1999 Halon Options
Technical Working Conference
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Objective

• Quantify HF formed during extinguishment with
  HFC-125
• Under conditions typical of those encountered in
  EDP/Telco facilities
• Impact of extended discharge on suppression and
  HF production
• Test Procedure
• Essentially identical to past work on HFC-227ea a
• Enclosure volume larger (3,371 ft3 vs 2,562 ft3)
• PC board from different source

a Hazard Assessment of the Thermal Decomposition
Products of FM-200TM in Electronics and
Data Processing Facilities, Hughes Associates,
Inc., 1/16/95
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Experimental Procedure
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Detection System
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Test Fires
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Test Fires
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Comparison of Thermal Decomposition Product
Formation Peak HF, ppm
HFC-125
HFC-227ea PVC cable 5-169
56-81 Paper 76-336
202-220 Magnetic Tape 69-105
80-147 PC board lt5
28-48
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Comparison of Thermal Decomposition Product
Formation Peak HF, ppm
HFC-125 HFC-125
HFC-227ea std
ext PVC cable 67-169
5-150 56-81 Paper
76-121 240-336 202-220 Magnetic
Tape 69-92 102-105 80-147 PC
board lt5 lt5
28-48
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Comparison of Thermal Decomposition Product
Formation HF, 10 min average, ppm
HFC-125 HFC-125
HFC-227ea std
ext PVC cable 38-108
5-87 37-58 Paper
37-61 124-163 143-175 Magnetic
Tape 26-42 33-48 56-94 PC
board lt5 lt5
9-31
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Comparison of Thermal Decomposition Product
Formation HF, 10 min average, ppm
HFC-125 HFC-125
HFC-227ea Halon 1301
std ext
HF HBr PVC cable
38-108 5-87 37-58
37 ? (a) Paper
37-61 124-163 143-175
192 298 (b) Magnetic Tape 26-42
33-48 56-94 52
62 (a) PC board lt5
lt5 9-31 -
-
(a) Ford. C.L., Halon 1301 Computer Fire Test
Program, Interim Report, January 10, 1971. (b)
Cholin, R., Fire Journal, Sept. 1972.
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Hazard Assessment of HF
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LC50, Mammalian
DTL
Hazard Assessment of HF Concentrations HFC-125
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Discharge Times Historical
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Extended Discharge Concept

• Equivalent suppression observed
• Thermal decomposition levels
• Below Mammalian LC50, Human DTL
• Below electronic equipment damage threshold
• Applications
• Enable retrofit of existing systems
• Consistent with desire to reduce dependence on
  ODSs
• Applications employing selector valves
• limited for halocarbons due to 10 s discharge
  time restriction

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Acknowledgements

• Fike Corporation
• Tyler Aebersold
• Brad Stillwell
• Hughes Associates, Inc.
• Eric Forssell
• Jason Ouellette
• Matt Harrison
• Ralph Ouellette
• Art Hammett
• Jason Kennedy