Study on Installation of Wire Netting with Intumescent Coating at Openings of Buildings to Reduce Fire Spread by Radiation

Abstract

This study focuses on a new device that can reduce radiation heat at the openings of buildings. Intumescent coating is sprayed on wire netting affixed to the open spaces in the external wall of a building to reduce radiation heat and fire spread. This study uses a 1.2 m × 1.2 m × 1.2 m furnace to conduct fire-resistance tests according to the ISO 834-1 standard (the standard 1 h temperature rise curve and the furnace pressure). The study variables include wire netting with different mesh numbers (mesh widths) and wire netting with different coating thicknesses. The results from six sets of fire tests show that under the same coating thickness, less radiation heat is generated for a larger mesh number (i.e., smaller mesh width). Under the same mesh number for the wire netting, less radiation heat is generated for a larger coating thickness. At distances of 50 cm, 100 cm, and 150 cm from a fire source with a temperature of 945°C, the radiation heat calculated based on the theory is 6.9 W/cm2. This study proves that the radiation heat can be dropped to 0.48 W/cm2 with the installation of intumescent-coated wire netting, and that this type of netting can effectively prevent fire spreading by radiation.