Dynamite Nobel Defence GmbH

Development, manufacturing and qualification of a mobile unit to demonstrate fire suppression systems

Dynamit Nobel Defence (DND) GmbH is a leading supplier of fire suppression systems to be used in civil as well as defence applications.

To enable locally independent demonstration of the systems, a mobile unit was required.

DND did contract WEPA-Technologies to develop, manufacture and qualify a mobile demonstration unit.

Function and effectiveness of two different systems were to be demonstrated:

- fire suppression system (BUA) (rapid combustion processes)

- fire extinguishing system (FA) (slow growing combustion

DND did specify the boundary conditions mentioned below:

-    commercially available standard car trailer to be used as the basis of the mobile unit

-         basic functionality of demonstrator

-         fuel type and quantity to be used

Ensurance of safe operability in all operating modes and easy maintainability were of paramount importance. Additionally a safe, remote operability of merely all features was demanded.

The demonstrator unit delivered allows for significant variation of core parameter responsible for the characteristics of the fuel deflagration (fuel quantity injected, specifics of the injection- and ignition process).

Different fire scenarios while demonstrating the effect of the fire suppression system (BUA-system) can be shown. The fire suppres­sion system incl. flame detector and automatic control­ler were supplied by DND and integrated by WEPA into the proc­ess control system.

Extinguishing of slow growing fires by using the FA-system can be demonstrated within a closed combustion chamber.

At the beginning of each demonstration an activated or inert state of the automatic fire suppression system can be chosen. By comparing runs with inert resp. activated suppression systems, the effectiveness therefore can be demonstrated very clearly. The mobile demonstration unit up to now already has been used at several workshops and symposia all over Ger­many. The function and reliability of both fire suppression systems could be demonstrated very reliably.