Large-Scale Testing of Oxygen Reduction Systems

This technical report evaluates the effectiveness of oxygen reduction systems (ORS) for fire protection in automatic storage and retrieval systems (ASRS) and high-moisture-content frozen food storage applications. The study utilizes a large-scale test enclosure to determine the limiting oxygen concentration for fire propagation (LOCFP) under various configurations. The report outlines that the LOCFP is influenced by factors such as storage material, geometry, and test conditions. For ML-ASRS configurations, the LOCFP was found to be 14.5% for empty containers and 11% for those with cartoned commodities. In frozen food applications, the LOCFP was slightly higher at 12.5%, attributed to the low temperature and thermal inertia of the frozen contents. The findings indicate that the geometry and quantity of participating materials significantly affect the LOCFP, emphasizing the need for further testing to understand the implications of different ignition scenarios and stored material characteristics. Recommendations are based on the tested conditions, highlighting the importance of engineering judgment in future applications.