Experimental Support of the Development of a Nitrogen Pressurization System for Extinguishment of Fires in Confined Spaces

Abstract : The successful application of a nitrogen pressurization system for the suppression of submarine fires depends upon developing an understanding of the scaling parameters for predicting the mixing of inert nitrogen with crew compartment air. The system utilizes nitrogen jets exhausting into the compartment which reduces the oxygen concentration and thereby extinguishes the fire. The gas dynamic properties of the inert gas jets exhausting into the compartment must be measured and correlated with gas composition measurements as a function of time so that scaling laws can be developed. Experimental facilities are being fabricated at the Naval Research Laboratory which will approximately simulate the size and geometry of a typical submarine compartment. Nozzles for pressurizing the compartment with inert gas will be suitably positioned to distribute the inflowing inert gas.