Scale modeling of inert pressurant distribution

Pressurization with inert gas, typically nitrogen, has been proposed for fire suppression in pressurizable enclosures. Implementation requires assurance of sufficiently uniform presurant distribution. A convenient procedure for scale modeling pressurant distribution is described and applied to a 1/6-scale model of an uncluttered 5-m3 enclosure. Two inexpensive methods for determining local pressurant fraction history are indicated, temperature and continuous gas analysis.