Atch 9 ETL 93-5 Fire Protect.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE

HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

WASHINGTON DC

MEMORANDUM FOR ALMAJCOM/A7, FOAs, DRUs

--_8 NOV Z010

FROM: HQ USAF/A7C

1260 Air Force Pentagon Washington, DC 20330-1260

SUBJECT: Protecting Aircraft Hangars — Reducing Inappropriate Fire System Activations (SUSPENSE: 18 Mar 11)

We need your personal involvement to ensure every Air Force hangar fire suppression system is evaluated, fixed as appropriate, and maintained. The attached guidance (Atch 1) is applicable to hangar fire suppression systems across the Air Force and addresses the most frequently identified issues. The O&M portion of this guidance is included in the 8 Sep 10 update to INC 3-600-02, O&M. Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Fire Protection S)Istems. Each MAJCOM, please provide HQ AFCESA/CEO a consolidated bases status of your systems and any remaining issues, along with an estimated completion date, by the 18 Mar 11 suspense date using the attached spreadsheet (Atch 2).

The Air Force has experienced an increasing trend in inappropriate activation of aircraft hangar fire suppression systems, exposing our aircraft and personnel to unnecessary damage and injury. We have discovered a potential combination of events may be the cause of this issue. In order to minimize the chance of inappropriate discharges, we must ensure the electronic fire suppression control systems are designed and installed correctly, and trouble events are quickly resolved.

The Fire Engineering team at AFCESA is available to assist/consult with your installations on specific technical requirements. Mr. Fred Walker and Mr. Ray Hansen, P.E., HQ AFCESA/CEOA, can be contacted at DSN 523-6315/6317, respectively. The results of your efforts will, over time, reduce the number of inappropriate activations in our hangars as well as improve productivity of your systems maintenance personmel.

Attachments:

1. Preventing Inappropriate Aircraft Hangar Fire Protection System Activations

2. Aircraft Hangar System Activations Spreadsheet

TIMOTHY A. I: YERS, M j Gen, USAF The Civil Engi j eer

CS/Logistics Instaltatioust lvlission S port

Solicitation FA4861-11-R-A300 Attachment # 9

PREVENTING INAPPROPRIATE

AIRCRAFT HANGAR

FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM ACTIVATIONS

The releasing controls of a hangar fire suppression system serve to supervise (monitor) the integrity and condition of many separate components. When problems are identified with any of the components or within the system in general, a "trouble" signal is sent to the installation's (constantly) attended alarm/signal receiving location, and the hangar control system will display a visual and audible signal. A trouble signal is defined as a signal initiated by a system or device indicative of a fault in a monitored circuit, system, or component (NFPA 72).

The fire codes require the following actions begin upon receipt of trouble signals or other signals pertaining solely to matters of equipment maintenance of the fire systems. The installation's constantly attended location shall perform the following actions:

*Notify, within 4 minutes or less, the service call function of the reported trouble condition;

-- The service call function will dispatch personnel to arrive within 4 hours (or less in accordance with installation policy) to initiate maintenance, if necessary; and

-- When the interruption is more than 8 hours, provide notice to the facility user/occupant and the fire department as to the nature of the interruption, the time of occurrence, and the expected restoration of service.

- Hangar fire suppression systems with an unresolved trouble condition shall never be left in the automatic releasing configuration. Releasing functions shall remain disabled until all trouble conditions and/or abnormal conditions are corrected.

-- Hangar fire suppression systems shall never be left unattended with an unresolved trouble condition or alarm condition until the releasing functions have been properly disabled by a qualified alarm system craftsman.

System trouble conditions and/or other abnormal conditions that cannot be immediately corrected by a qualified alarm system craftsman shall be entered into the work management system at the highest priority (e.g., emergency) and remain such until corrected.

The following construction features have either caused or influenced inappropriate system activations in the past. If any of the features are present in your systems they must be corrected to improve system reliability.

-- Control panels installed in locations lacking environmental controls or having only limited environmental controls. Control systems are nothing more than computer systems, and the newer the control panel the more complex and environmentally sensitive the electronic component are. The following is an excerpt from one manufacturer's literature for their

GS-14 Walker/HQ AFCESA/CEOA/DSN 523-6315/1 Sep 10 most current control system and clearly demonstrates this sensitivity. While the literature indicates compliance with NFPA 72 requirements, it clearly recommends much narrower environmental limits for locating the control panel.

Temperature and Humidity Ranges This system meets NFPA requirements for operation at 0 -49°C/32 – 120°F and at a relative humidity 93% ± 2% RH (non-condensing) at 32°C ± 2°C (90°F ± 3°F). However, the useful life of the system's standby batteries and the electronic components may be adversely affected by extreme temperature ranges and humidity__JTherefore, it is commended that–thistem and its penphera/s insthlledin an environment witha formal room temperature of '15– 27T/60– .80t.-

Control panels must be located in office/administrative space or other rooms with similar temperature/humidity controls — control panels shall not be located in the aircraft servicing areas or mechanical/utility spaces without both temperature and humidity controls. Simple heating (i.e., for freeze protection) and/or ventilation is not sufficient for these electronic systems.

-- Electrical power supply for this equipment is critical.

Primary electric power into these control panels must be provided with appropriately installed surge protection. General facility surge protection is not sufficient to protect this equipment; the surge protection should be as close as possible to the control panel.

Battery back-up power nonnally provided as part of such control panels require scheduled maintenance, testing, and replacement. Ensure:

---- Batteries meet manufacturer's specifications — voltage and amperage;

---- Batteries are matched; all batteries have the same voltage and amperage ratings;

--- Batteries are replaced as group; all batteries have the same in-service and manufacture date (month/year); and

---- Batteries are not older than 60 months from date of manufacture. Batteries must be replaced if 60 months will expire before the next scheduled maintenance.

-- Wiring installation — practices in ANSI/NECA 305-2001 shall be followed:

--- Power wiring and limited power wiring shall not be co-located in the same conduit, raceway, or enclosure. Such wiring may only be located together within the listed control panel and shall be installed in accordance with the manufacturer's guidance.

--- There should be no stray detectable voltages when circuits are tested IAW NEC 305.

--- There should be no ground faults, open circuits, or short circuits when tested TAW NEC 305.

Detectors for pre-action systems - there are only two accepted detection technologies

GS-14 Walker/HQ AFCESA/CEOA/DSN 523-6315/1 Sep 10

Rate compensating fixed temperature detectors with an operating range which wholly or partly falls within 160°F to 170°F. (Note: These are sometimes identified as fixed-temperature rate-compensating type.) Neither simple fixed temperature nor rate of rise detectors are equivalent and are not acceptable.

Linear thermistor line-type detector cable typically with a set point of 170°F. Currently, there is only one source for this cable.

-- Activation stations — over the years numerous AFFF and High Expansion system discharges have been caused by personnel not understanding the function of or the marking of manual activation stations.

Manual foam discharge stations shall be upgraded to comply with the signage and color coding in ETL 02-15.

Manual foam discharge stations shall be housed under a clear plastic tamper cover.

Manual foam discharge stations shall not be located within 5 feet of a manual fire alarm pull station. When a manual foam discharge station and a manual fire alarm station are both located at a doorway the stations shall be located on opposite sides of the doorway.

The AFCESA team is available to address technical issues related to specific hangars.

-- Fred Walker, e-mail: frederick.walker@us.af.mil, Comm 850-283-6315, DSN 523-6315, DSN FAX 523-6488

-- Ray Hansen, e-mail: raymond.hansen@us.afmil, Comm 850-283-6317, DSN 523-6317, DSN FAX 523-6488

GS-14 Walker/HQ AFCESA/CEOA/DSN 523-6315/1 Sep 10