Passive Fire Protection Analysis

Passive Fire Protection Analysis 

Passive fire Protection is an important component in preventing fire accidents due to its escalation effects on industries and buildings.

Passive Fire Protection Analysis is a systematic approach to defining the passive fire protection requirement for an equipment, structure, or building.

Objective of Passive Fire Protection Analysis

1.   To estimate the optimized amount of effective PFP for preventing escalation of fire.

2.   To minimize the risk for people, equipment, structure and building.

Why Passive Fire Protection Analysis

PFP analysis is an important study to design and maintain a fire safe facility. In the passive fire safety analysis, fire hazards are identified, worst case scenarios and their impact are evaluated using modeling tools, and passive fire protection requirements are determined for the facilities based on their unique needs in line with the recommended guidelines.

Approach for the PFP Analysis

1.   First and Preliminary step is the identification of Fire hazards, and evaluating its potential and its location.

2.   Fire Consequence Modeling and Escalation Analysis.

3.   Defining a design basis inline with the Prescriptive guideline for providing PFP.

4.   Identification of System Which requires PFP.

5.   Deciding on Passive Fire Protection Requirements such as Fire Rating and Duration.

Prescriptive guidelines referred for the study

1.   API publication 2218, Fireproofing Practices in Petroleum and Petrochemical processing plants.

2.   API recommended practice 2001, Fire Protection in Refineries.

3.   NFPA 30 Standard, Flammable and Combustible liquids code 2012.

4.   CCPS Guidelines for Fire Protection in chemical, Petrochemical and Hydrocarbon Processing facilities.

Passive Fire Protection Analysis report provides a list of the system/component of the facility which requires PFP and it also provides the optimized passive fire protection requirement for the listed system/component of the facility.

Passive Fire Protection – Checklist of Tests and Regulatory Compliance.

In the development of fire protection and building safety projects, passive systems play a role as critical as active systems.

Below is a practical checklist summarizing the required tests, the main international reference standards, and the acceptance criteria for the main elements of passive protection:

1. Fire-resistant walls, floors, and partitions

• Test: fire resistance rating (time to failure)

• Standards: ASTM E119 / UL 263, ISO 834, EN 1363

• Acceptance: rating in hours (1 h, 2 h, 3 h, 4 h as required)

2. Fire doors, windows, metal curtains (shutters)

• Test: fire resistance (endurance), hose stream (in the USA), smoke leakage (S-rating)

• Standards: UL 10B/UL 10C, NFPA 252/NFPA 257, EN 1634-1/EN 1634-3

• Acceptance: same as the wall/partition assembly rating (e.g., 45 min, 90 min …); Leakage within NFPA 105 or EN 1634-3 limits

3. Fire dampers / smoke dampers

• Test: closure reliability; smoke leakage

• Standards: UL 555, UL 555S, NFPA 80, EN 1366-2

• Acceptance: complete closure; leakage within classes I/II

4. Fire-stops and penetration seals

• Test: penetration resistance and joint systems; hose jet

• Standards: UL 1479, UL 2079, ASTM E814, EN 1366-3/EN 1366-4

• Acceptance: equal to the assembly rating (e.g., L or W rating as required)

5. Protective Coatings & Fireproofing (Structural Protection)

• Test: Time to structural failure; adhesion/durability

• Standards: UL 1709, ASTM E119, ASTM E84, EN 13381-X (series)

• Acceptance: Classification in hours (cellulosic or hydrocarbon curve)

6. Fire-resistant Glazing and Frames

• Test: Resistance (integrity and insulation), radiant heat

• Standards: NFPA 257, UL 9, EN 1364-1, EN 13501-2

• Acceptance: Maintenance of integrity; compliance with EN criteria (W/E/I)

7. Raised Floors & Ceilings

• Test: Fire resistance; flame propagation; Smoke development

• Standards: ASTM E119, ASTM E84, EN 1365 (series)

• Acceptance: flame spread ≤ 25; smoke index ≤ 450 (ASTM E84)

8. Access panels and fireproof covers

• Test: fire resistance equal to that of the wall/floor; hose jet

• Standards: UL 10B/10C, ​​EN 1634-1

• Acceptance: same classification as the surrounding assembly (1h, 2h etc.)

9. Curtain walls & perimeter fire barriers

• Test: fire spread, vertical/late

• Standards: ASTM E2307, NFPA 285, EN 1364-4

• Acceptance: prevention of vertical fire spread; compliance with NFPA 285