Portable Extinguisher Evaluation for Coast Guard Cutters.

摘要

This test series evaluated existing extinguishers for use against incipient Class B fires occurring in machinery spaces aboard Coast Guard cutters. The tests were conducted on a full-scale machinery space mockup constructed inside a cargo hold on the SS MAYO LYKES at the U.S. Coast Guard Fire and Safety Test Detachment in Mobile, Alabama. The testing compared three dry chemical and two gaseous extinguishing agents on bilge fires, running fuel fires, and spray fires. Test results showed: (1) dry chemical portable extinguishers have a greater extinguishing capacity than gaseous agents on machinery space fires. (2) application technique is more important than dry chemical agent selection when considering fire-fighting effectiveness, (3) Halon 1211 will effectively extinguish machinery space fires but does not have the extinguishing capacity of the dry chemicals, and (4) carbon dioxide portable extinguishers are ineffective against machinery space fires of the size tested.