Overview of Oxygen

Reduction Systems and UL’s

Developing Certification
Program

Presenter:
Bob James
UL Global Building Inspection Director

Program Research Engineer:

Adam Barowy
UL Fire R&D

UL and the UL logo are trademarks of UL LLC © 2017

 Introduction
Oxygen reduction systems are designed to prevent
fires from starting or spreading, by means of the
introduction of oxygen reduced air

Oxygen reduction systems are not designed to

extinguish fires

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Knowledge of the System

• The design and installation shall be based on

detailed knowledge of the protected area, its
occupancy and the materials in question

• It is important to suit the fire protection

measures to the hazard as a whole

3
Reduced Oxygen Fire Protection - Background

• O2 impact on fire dynamics are well documented

(~1965)

• Low-O2 fire protection as a commercial application

(~1998)

• “Active-passive” fire protection:

Maintains O2 concentration below ignition
threshold of materials within protected space
(FprEN 16750 Annex A – data and test methods)

• One known installation standard in the world

(FprEN 16750)
European Standard: FprEN 16750
This European Standard covers oxygen reduction systems:

• Used as fire prevention systems by creating an atmosphere in an

area which is having a lower permanent oxygen concentration as in
ambient conditions

• Oxygen reduction is achieved by technical systems which are

providing a flux of air containing a reduced concentration of oxygen

• Specifies minimum requirements and defines the specifications

governing the design, installation and maintenance of fixed oxygen
reduction systems with oxygen reduced air in buildings and
industrial production plants

• This European standard applies to oxygen reduction systems using

nitrogen which are designed for continual oxygen reduction in
enclosed spaces

5
 Applications of Oxygen Reduction System
Machinery
• Fire Protection Applications:
• Cold storage
• Data centers/IT
• Museums
• Document archives

• 700+ installations internationally from largest mfr.

• 14 mfrs identified in non-exhaustive 2014 search
• “I have a great idea!”

• Others Uses for this technology:

• Food preservation
• Simulated high-altitude for pilot training
• Athletic training (people, horses, etc...)
• Fuel tank inerting (OBIGGS: military, Boeing, etc.)
• Military pilot oxygen
• (OBOGS: B1-B, B-2, F-22, F-35 ,etc.)
• Analytical instruments/industrial processes
Reduced Oxygen Fire Protection – Basic Physics
High Altitude Oxygen Reduction Sea Level

*Chiti, S., “Test Methods for Hypoxic Air Fire Prevention Systems and Overall Environmental Impact of Applications”

Basic physics of combustion inhibition in a protected space:

• Same atmospheric pressure. Higher ratio of N2 to O2.
• N2 displaces O2, thus less O2 available for combustion rxn
• N2 carries thermal energy away from exothermic combustion rxn
Reduced Oxygen Fire Protection – Basic Physics

Credit: Womer & Associates

 Reduced Oxygen Fire Protection – Basic Physics
• LOL Line – Lower O2 Limit. No ignition regardless of ignition energy.
• LIE Line – Lower Ignition Energy Limit. No ignition regardless of O2%
• Ignition energy – relationship between energy required for ignition and O2%

…Material
Dependent!

*Schwenzfeuer, K., et. al., “Relation Between Ignition Energy and Limiting Oxygen Concentrations for Powders”
 Simplified Model of Oxygen Reduction
System Equipment

UL and the UL logo are trademarks of UL LLC © 2012

Performance Based Building Design

Prescriptive requirements shall be permitted to be used as part of the

performance approach, if, in conjunction with the performance
features, they meet the overall goals and objectives of this Code

Every building or structure shall be provided with:

- Means of egress
- Fire and life safety appropriate safeguards include:
1. Different kinds,
2. Numbers,
3. Locations,
4. Capacities

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Performance Based Building Design

Protection features include the following:

(1) Character of the occupancy, including fire load
(2) Capabilities of the occupants
(3) Number of persons exposed
(4) Fire protection available
(5) Capabilities of response personnel
(6) Height and type of construction of the building or structure
(7) Other factors necessary to provide occupants with a reasonable
degree of safety
(8) Other factors necessary to protect the building and contents from
unacceptable damage

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Reduced Oxygen Fire Protection –
Fire Protection Approach

NFPA 550 – Guide to the Fire Safety Concepts Tree

Reduced Oxygen Fire Protection –
Fire Protection Approach
Reduced Oxygen Fire Protection – Fire Protection
Approach
Reduced Oxygen Fire Protection –
Fire Protection Approach
Fire Protection Concept

• The system design shall be part of the fire safety concept of the
building

• As part of the system design a fire risk assessment might lead to

further fire protection measures

• NOTE Since the oxygen reduction system cannot prevent or detect

smoldering or pyrolyzing processes e.g. overheated cables, suitable
smoke detection systems for the protected volume e.g. high
sensitive smoke detection systems are recommended and
should be part of the main fire alarm system of the facility
• System Commissioning shall be conducted to ensure design and
functional review for the safety features shall be provided.

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 EHS Implications

• OSHA defines an oxygen deficient atmosphere as one in which

the oxygen content is below 19.5% by volume: 29 CFR 1910.134
• Generally requires this condition to be considered immediately
dangerous to life or health.
• While there is literature and studies that indicates a lower level of
oxygen content could be safe, an individual’s health and physical
condition would need to be understood and monitored.
• Hence, requiring an air respirator to be used while working in this
environment – Normally Occupied Spaces
• “Not Normally Occupied” defined in various NFPA codes and
standards:
- Not to exceed 168 hours in a 1-year period
- Not to exceed 40 hours in a 30-day period
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 EHS Implications

U.S. Requirements (OSHA )

• Treat protected space as permit-required confined space
• Employees enter only with supplemental breathing air
(SCBA, SAR), OR;
- Employees do not enter until system returns O2 to ≥19.5% , OR;
- End-user may apply for OSHA variance

German Requirements (BGI/GUV)

• ≥ 17% O2, employee workplace safety training
• ≥ 15% O2 & < 17% O2, training and 4 hour shifts with 30 min break
• ≥ 13% O2 & < 15% O2, training and 2 hour shifts with 30 min break
• < 13% O2 , SCBA or SAR

*O2% at NIST STP

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 EHS Implications

• Access is administratively controlled as part of a safety

program

• The area is occupied by no more than 10 persons at any

given time.
- 2 persons the time at risk is 7 days per year
- 3 to 6 persons the time at risk is 2 days per year
- 7 to 10 persons the time at risk is 1 day per year

• Portable criticality instruments to monitor exposure time

should be used (such as Criticality Accident Alarm
Systems) and shall meet ANSI/ANS-8.3-1997

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 Health Effects of Reduced Oxygen Air
OSHA 29 CFR 1915.12(a)(3)

Germany BGI/GUV-I 5162 E Class 0

Germany BGI/GUV-I 5162 E Class 1
Germany BGI/GUV-I 5162 E Class 2

Class 0 (O 2 ≥ 17%) : Employee training

Class 1 (15% ≤ O 2 < 17%): Occupational health
examination; break of at least 30 min. after 4 hour
exposure
Class 2 (13% ≤ O 2 < 15%): Occupational health
examination; break of at least 30 min. after 4 hour
exposure

*Kupper, T., et. al., “Consensus Statement of the UIAA Medical Commission Vol. 15: Work in Hypoxic Conditions”

*Chiti, S., “Test Methods for Hypoxic Air Fire Prevention Systems and Overall Environmental Impact of Applications”
21
Applications of Oxygen Reduction Fire Protection

Credit: WAGNER Group, WAGNER Fire

Safety, Inc.
 Other EHS Implications

If a fire occurs in a reduced oxygen atmosphere, a fire would tend to

smolder, causing more CO, CO2, soot and hydrocarbons to be
produced (depending upon the oxygen concentration).

Could damage sensitive equipment and impair life safety

Source: Tewarson A, Jiang FH, Morikawa T. Ventilation-controlled combustion of polymers. Combustion and flame 1993; 95(1): 151–169

23
 Outline of Investigation – UL 67377

UL and the UL logo are trademarks of UL LLC © 2012

 Outline of Investigation – UL 67377

Outline of Investigation:

“UL may develop an Outline of Investigation when a

product (or service or test procedure) that is not covered
by the scope of an existing standard is submitted to UL
for investigation. An Outline of Investigation is
considered to be a non-consensus document. Outlines
of Investigation are certification documents; they are not
Standards.”

(i.e., a step along the path to developing a consensus based standard)

UL and the UL logo are trademarks of UL LLC © 2012

 Scope of UL 67377

UL and the UL logo are trademarks of UL LLC © 2012

 Purpose of UL 67377

1. The evaluation of individual parts that comprise a complete system for

fire, electrical, and mechanical safety.

1. The evaluation of the functionality of the complete system. UL employs

the principles of functional safety and safety integrity level (SIL) to
assess the reliability of the control logic equipment that manages the
complex operation of oxygen reduction fire protection system units.

UL and the UL logo are trademarks of UL LLC © 2012

 UL 67377: Requirements
1. Construction
• Compressors
• Pressure vessels and piping
• Electrical appliances
• Oxygen measurement equipment
• Etc.

1. Performance
• Functional Safety
• Abnormal Conditions

2. Manufacturing and Production Tests

• Leakage
• System output (O2%, volumetric flow)

3. Marking

1. Placards

1. Design, Installation, and Maintenance Instructions

UL and the UL logo are trademarks of UL LLC © 2012

 Suggested Reading:
• A. Barowy and S. Creighton, "Oxygen Reduction Fire Protection 101: An
Introduction and Case Study," Fire Protection Engineering, no. Q3, 2016.

• M. Nilsson and P. van Hees, "Advantages and challenges with using

hypoxic air venting as fire protection," Fire and Materials, vol. 38, pp. 559-
575, 2014.

• VdS, "3527en : 2015-05 Inerting and Oxygen Reduction Systems,

Planning and Installation," VdS, Köln, Germany, 2007.

• Comité Européen de Normalisation, "Fixed firefighting systems - Oxygen

reduction systems - Design, installation, planning and maintenance,"
Comité Européen de Normalisation, Brussels, May 2014.

UL and the UL logo are trademarks of UL LLC © 2012

10.2 Inspections

• Regular inspections at least once a year shall be carried out in order

to ensure operational readiness. The inspections shall be carried out
in accordance with the information provided by the installers and in
line with manufacturer's recommendations.

• The inspections shall be carried out by qualified and competent

persons/companies, who are specially trained for this work and who
know exactly what their duties are as well as having comprehensive
knowledge of oxygen reduction systems.

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Thank You.

Questions?
Contact:
Bob James
robert.j.james@ul.com

Adam Barowy

adam.barowy@ul.com