NFPA 557 - Fire Loads Formulae

[ryanfire]

Hi guys,

I'm doing a bit of research on the new NFPA 557 standard for the determination of fire loads in compartments, which is draft and available next year.

I evaluated five compartments types for a range of occupancies and have found that the design fire load density outputted from NFPA 557 formula can often be up to 5 times the average compartmental fire load density? Can anyone help me as it seems exceptionally high?!

Would appreciate any help!

 

[stookeyfpe]

It's difficult to comment on a draft NFPA standard from a technical committee that hasn't released its ROP.

NFPA 557 is a new standard and it's intended to assist the design community and code officials in establishing fuel loads for determining models that will evaluate fire behavior. Dr. Craig Beyler with Hughes Associates has helpful presentation on the goals and problems the technical committee faces:

http://www.hss.doe.gov/nuclearsafety/nfsp/fire/workshop2008/tuesday/14_beyler_04-29-08.pdf

 

[ryanfire]

Thanks for the reply. I understand it's just a draft but I can't figure out why it would increase the fire load fivefold just by one formula. I've checked and rechecked other drafts and they have exactly the same formula.

 

[stookeyfpe]

Read Dr. Beylers presentation. I gleaned from it that NFPA 557 is going to be somewhat limited as to which fuel loads it can be applied to. It is not going to be a one-size fits-all series of equations.

 

[ryanfire]

Cheers, thanks for you help!