The Chief Fire Officers Association

The professional voice of the UK fire and rescue service

Acetylene Cylinders Involved in Fire Kieran Nolan & Barry Jones

The Chief Fire Officers Association

The professional voice of the UK fire and rescue service

Technical Bulletin 2/1992

Cool cylinder for minimum of 1 hr If passes Wetting Test submerge in water bath (dam) for 12 hours. Notify gas supplier for collection.

The Chief Fire Officers Association

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HSL TESTS MID 1990S

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POOL/ TORCH TESTS

ACETYLENE BURNER SIMULATE LOCALISED HEATING CYLINDER SHELLS FITTED WITH THERMO COUPLES KEROSENE IGNITED IN BIN TO SIMULATE FIRE SITUATION CYLINDER VALVE FITTED WITH PRESSURE TRANSDUCER AND ATTACHED TO DUMP LINE

ALL TESTS UNDERTAKEN IN CONCRETE BUNKER EACH BLOCK WEIGHING TWO TONNES FRAGMENT TRAP ERECTED INSIDE EACH TEST ZONE ALROUND DELUGE SYSTEM FITTED TO COOL CYLINDERS IF REQUIRED. STRICT SAFETY PROCEDURES ADHERED TO

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Interim Guidance HMI 2001.

Treat as a potential bomb do not move or approach the cylinder Establish 200m hazard zone and use maximum shielding If safe to do so cool with copious amounts of water for 24 hours. After 24hrs transfer responsibility of cylinder to gas supplier.

The Chief Fire Officers Association

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FSM Vol 2 Fire Service Operations Acetylene Cylinder Incidents 2003

Establish a 200m hazard zone Cool Cylinder for 24hrs Wetting Test for reduction of cordons.

The Chief Fire Officers Association

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GN 15 Guidance
Competent Person Levels of assistance 1 hour Wetting Test If safe collapse the cordon. Continue to cool for further 24 hours. Gas supplier will remove cylinder.

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Other Considerations
Age of cylinder and physical condition
Affect of Fire on cylinder and porous mass

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SWEDISH APPROACH

PASSIVE ACTIVE USE OF ROBOTICS

The Chief Fire Officers Association

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Health and Safety Laboratory Report

Safety of acetylene containing cylinders during and after involvement in fire FS/06/04 States, Water deluge can be an effective means of mitigating against a dissociation but it must be effective over the entire surface and must be continued over an extended period. Little is known about the required rates or the time over which cooling must be continued.

The Chief Fire Officers Association

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Conclusion
CFOA acknowledge that cooling the cylinder does reduce the potential for catastrophic failure. However there is no scientific evidence to support the likely time-frame that acetylene cylinders have to be cooled for, before cordons can be effectively reduced.

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The professional voice of the UK fire and rescue service

Acetylene Cylinders Involved in Fire Kieran Nolan & Barry Jones QUESTIONS??????