A Study on Carbon Monoxide and Other Gases During the Fire Test (A-class:1st Rating ＆ B-class:1st Rating)

Incheon, Jeong; Yeong-Jin, Chung

doi:2013.27.5.44

Fire Sci. Eng. > Volume 27(5); 2013 > Article

Fire Science and Engineering 2013;27(5):44-56.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.7731/KIFSE.2013.27.5.44 Published online October 31, 2013.

한국 A급, B급 1단위 화재 시험시 발생하는 일산화탄소 등의 정량적 연구

정인천, 정영진

¹Oklahoma State University (Fire and Emergency Management Administration), 한국소방산업기술원
²강원대학교 소방방재공학과

A Study on Carbon Monoxide and Other Gases During the Fire Test (A-class:1st Rating ＆ B-class:1st Rating)

Jeong Incheon, Chung Yeong-Jin

¹Dept. of Fire and Emergency Management Administration, Oklahoma State University
²Dept. of Fire Protection Engineering, Kangwon National University

요약

한국기준 표준화된 A급 목재 및 B급 유류 화재 시험에서 룸코너시험기(RCT)를 사용하여 연소유독가스의 생성을 정량적으로 알아보고, 시험자들에게 미치는 인체유해성을 확인하였다. 그 결과 A급의 경우 유독가스가 시험자들에 직접적으로 노출되는 초기 3분 동안, 분당호흡량(RMV) 2단계에서 40% 카복시헤모글로빈(COHb)가 넘어가는 경우는 A급 9, 10단위에 해당하며, RMV 3단계에서 A급 5~10 단위까지가 모두 40% COHb을 초과함을 확인하였다. 한편 B급의 경우 유독가스가 시험자에게 직접 노출되는 초기 1분 동안은 A급에 비해 다소 안전하나 총 연소시간에는 RMV 3단계에서 B급 16~20 단위까지가 모두 20% COHb을 초과한 수치가 나옴을 확인하였다. 따라서 이 연구에서는 시험자들은 소화시험의 단위수를 고려하여 자급 호흡보조기나 그와 동일한 기능의 장치를 착용하는 규정을 제안한다.

Abstract

This research is to identify how much toxic combustion gases are produced from Korea standardized real fire test (Class A&B) by using Room Corner Tester (RCT) and how much those gases are possibly dangerous to testing personnel by estimating the level of carboxyhemoglobin (% COHb). It is confirmed that testing personnel can be affected as more than 40% COHb from Class A 9th and 10th rating in respiration minute volume (RMV) 2 and from Class A 5th to Class A 10th rating in RMV 3 during the time for initial three minutes. Also, in the case of Class B real fire tests, although it is considered rather safe for the initial 1 minute, testing personnel can be affected as more than 20% COHb from Class B 16th to 20th rating in RMV 3 during total test time. Currently, the Korea standard is only focusing on the protection measures against the heat, but the it is neglecting the protection measures against toxic combustion gases. Therefore, according to this study, it is strongly recommended that testing personnel should wear a self-contained breathing apparatus, or the equivalence depending on the real fire test rating.

Key Words: Real fire test, Fire safety, Room corner tester, Combustion toxic gases, Carbon monoxide