Covering paint spray booth sprinkler heads, tested? 1

[tom krupica]

Does anyone know of a test that measured the response time of a covered or 'bagged' sprinklerhead in paint booths? I found a 1993 test done in sweden and it was a very comprehensive test that showed the response time to be 2 to 5 times longer than without covering. Even painted heads had a close to normal response time. The paper bags were the worst with up to 5 minutes response time, and the cellophane was still bad with 2 minutes. The uncovered heads went off in 42 seconds.
This next link demonstrates that a sprinkler head will respond in under a minute if uncovered, then they demonstrate what a fire will look like at 2 minutes.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VEXav_iBEZ8

If a covered sprinkler head takes longer than the designed 1 minute or less, then covering them is not a good solution and is very dangerous.



file:///C:/Users/Tom/Downloads/Response_Characteristics_of_Glass_Bulb_Mounted_Sprinkler_Heads_Mounted_In_A_Paint_Spray_Booth.pdf

 

[tom krupica]

Doesnt alcohol burn at a low temp too? Cardboard gives off some intense quick heat.

 

[tom krupica]

LCREP you say 'The sprinklers in the booth are met as property protection, not life safety.', but the code still demands 'quick response as possible'. And we aren't interested in working spraying flammables without life safety devices like quick operating sprinklers. That's kind of crazy. Thats the kind of thinking that started the bag covering. Who cares what happens to the painter, just make sure later the building gets saved.

 

[LCREP]

Tom,

You may want to take a look at FM Global Property Loss Prevention Data Sheets 7-27 SPRAY APPLICATION OF IGNITABLE AND COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS it covers this topic in 31 pages of detail. The FM Data Sheets are free at

http://www.fmglobal.com.

Factory Mutual is a global property insurance carrier that has an extensive testing and research division. They are leaders in the fire protection field. Many of the NFPA codes are based on the FM test facility as well as UL. FM has been around for well over 100 years.

 

[cdafd]

I think this is the longest thread I have seen here

 

[cdafd]

To keep it going

Look at Fire history in booths for a year and why

You might find fires are very low and happen because the booth is not maintained or some one is doing something they are not suppose to be doing.




There are other items normally required in booths to eliminate ignition factors, make sure they are in place and a fire should not happen.

 

[UFT12]

I concur with what cadfd wrote. Most fire incidents I have experienced, happened during maintenance/cleaning or something was malfunctioning. Sometimes, simple as that, something is slipped under the nose. A forgotten interlock to shut down the pain mix pumps never responded and the fire in the booth could not be controlled due to the continuation of paint supply. Happened fairly recently. Depending on system we deliver, we install additional measures just for the maintenance phase when the normal systems are down during shut down.

A note for quick response sprinklers, it is not always about life safety when it comes to quick response sprinklers. We install this kind of sprinklers due to lack of separation in combustible filter units where fire can spread very fast outside the scrubber. Also, downward air currents through heads starving for heat to rise upwards is a greater concern for standard response sprinklers.

 

[tom krupica]

Im sure there's very little added risk to the building if they have 2 of the 6 unbagged.

 

[fireguy519345]

You can change to a dry chemical system and get rid of fire sprinklers.

Every booth I have seen with a dry chem system has paint build up on the walls, floor and duct work. And the fusible links have a build-up of paint. We change the links at each service. We also make sure the nozzle covers are in place, on the nozzles. Depending on the installation of the piping, we may blow air through the piping to blow the nozzle cover off the nozzles.

 

[tom krupica]

These spray booths you guys see paint on heads, are they for cars?

 

[LCREP]

Tom,

Yes we did, most times the covered heads were the least of my problems. I would see things that have a much greater loss potential such as the following:

Control valve to the sprinklers in the booth turned off.
Ventilation system not being used when paining
Open containers of flammable liquid
Lack of bonding and grounding wires when transferring liquids
Non rated electric in the booth or where flammable liquids are being dispensed, if I had $1 for every radio I saw and box fan......
Poor housekeeping
Painting outside of the booth
No sprinklers or any protection in the booth

So yes not everyone is as cautious as you and your operation. You would be amazed at what your competitors are NOT doing.