Full scale tunnel fire tests of VID Fire-Kill Low Pressure Water Mist Tunnel Fire Protection System in Runehamar test tunnel, spring 2009

Published: 19 April, 2010

VID Fire-Kill did in April and May 2009 conduct a series of large full scale Tunnel Fire Tests in the Runehammer Tunnel. The tunnel is an abandoned 9m wide, 6m high and 1600m long two driving lane rock tunnel located in Åndalsness on the west coast of Norway.

The fire tests involved diesel pool fires and solid class A fires with potential heat outputs of up to 100 MW. Three 20m long nozzle pipe protection sections of the VID Fire-Kill Low Pressure Water Mist Tunnel Protection System were installed in the centre line of the tunnel ceiling. Water mist from the nozzle pipes was manually released in the centre of the tunnel when the water pumps were turned on and water at 10 bar, water pressure was applied to the nozzle pipe line. By using a manual system release method, the test fires were provided time to develope, and here by to test the protection system in large developed fires. All test fires were conducted by Sintef NBL. Sintef NBL did also conduct all measurements, data recordings and documentation of the tests and results.

It was observed, that the VID Fire-Kill Tunnel Protection System provides fast fire suppression in large tunnel fires involving hydrocarbons (diesel oil) and solid fires (Class A) with potential heat output of up to 100 MW. It was also observed that the protection system effectively cools the tunnel pipes structure and the air temperatures in the whole tunnel pipe, allowing fire fighters and rescue personal safely to enter the tunnel pipe at an early stage to rescue people and fight fires. It was also observed that the fire protection system prevented smoke backflow in the tunnel with tunnel ventilation air velocities of down to 2m/s.

File: 586-590_Full scale tunnel fire.pdf (351k)

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