Peanuts, real peanuts in bags.

[SprinklerDesigner2]

Legumes to be more exact.

Seems any search having to do with peanuts pops up tons of materials concerning plastic peanuts but I want to know about real peanuts.

peanut profile

Peanuts have a high oil content (45%-52%) compared to many other oilseed crops.

TABLE A.5.6.3

Margarine
- Up to 50 percent oil (in paper or plastic containers) Class III

- Between 50 percent and 80 percent oil (in any packaging) Group A plastics

What I have is a warehouse fill of peanuts in bags stored on racks.

Not sure of what the storage height will end up being but it is obviously > 10'

Class III commodity or is it a Group A plastic?

 

[cdafd]

Shelled or unshelled?

Roasted or raw?

Guess when the bag catches fire , they will all end up on the floor?

Does the bag burn?

 

[cdafd]

Are they in a freezer??

 

[SprinklerDesigner2]

I don't know about the bag burning but I would assume so. That said I would think it a safe bet they would end up on the floor.

The building is a cooler, not a freezer. Temperature is kept somewhere around 50 degrees which is kind of nice in south Georgia in summer.

 

[MGXFP]

I might go with free flowing Group A plastics. I don't know if shelled or unshelled would change the commodity classification - similar to Class I and Class II i.e. the packaging can change the classification. If the bags lose strength and fail the peanuts would spill onto the floor.

 

[MatthewJWillis]

Table shows nuts, bagged as Class III..
If that is not Isonene, (sp?) , I would be as much concerned with the foam.


R/
Matt

 

[stookeyfpe]

SD2:

I would be perfectly comfortable with defining this as a Class III Commodity, regardless of the oil content statement. They are going to behave as a Free-Flowing material so when the bag(s) collapse or fail, the fuel packages will be spread over a greater surface area, which will promote better water distribution and pre-wetting.

I also have the same concerns as Matthew Willis. That insulating material warrants further investigation. I understand it is not within your scope but the installation is highly suspect based on the IBC Chapter 26 requirements.

 

[SprinklerDesigner2]

Table shows nuts, bagged as Class III..

Oh yeah, I wanted to go with nuts but peanuts are not nuts even if everyone does call them nuts.

As far as the insulation this isn't a small storage facility but a nine figure company that has this sprayed foam at all their facilities and I would be surprised if nobody ever brought it up before.

But, like Stookey said, it is outside my scope.

 

[Sdpaddler50]

If that is a polystyrene insulation it will burn like a Roman candle, and the commodity classification will be the least of their concerns because the sprinklers will likely be overwhelmed, regardless of the density you spec for the racks.

As noted, not in your SOW, but a potentially serious issue.

 

[MatthewJWillis]

SD2:

I typed that reference with hesitation knowing you without a doubt had seen the Table. I never would have thought that about peanuts. Now I am left to wonder.., How many Legumes are not properly protected?

Thanks for the education!

R/
Matt

 

[TravisMack]

Yeah. The insulation on the walls is the killer. I believe that FM has some requirements on that. I did one a long time ago. We had to do some crazy big design area and have sprinklers spaced 6' on center around the perimeter of the room to provide some level of protection for the wall insulation material.

If they are not an FM insured entity, it would not surprise me that no one ever brought it up, yet!

Travis Mack
MFP Design, LLC

http://www.mfpdesign.com

"Follow" us at

https://www.facebook.com/pages/MFP-Design-LLC/92218417692

 

[MGXFP]

Scientifically the peanut is a legume just as a tomato is a fruit. Legally the peanut may be a nut as a tomato is a vegetable (Congress voted the tomato a vegetable for tax reasons sometime in the 19th century).

Fire protection brings out my inner curmudgeon sometimes.

 

[fpst]

http://foodscience.wikispaces.com/Nuts

the website above says walnuts contain 60% oil, and macadamia nuts contain more than 72% oil