Combustible gas dispersion and detector location analysis in residential occupancies

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About the webinar

This webinar presents the research on combustible gas dispersion and detector location analysis in residential occupancies by Gexcon US for the Fire Protection Research Foundation.

The research included a literature review of the existing guidance for combustible gas detector location and installation in residential occupancies, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations to clarify and strengthen the technical basis for combustible gas detector installation criteria in residential occupancies.

CFD simulations were conducted to quantitatively evaluate gas detector performance as a function of placement in residential occupancies. Natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas releases are simulated in different residential structures and gas concentrations are tracked at numerous potential detector locations within these structures to evaluate which locations are most effective for reliable and early detection.

Research deliverables will support the development of the new NFPA Standard, NFPA 715 on the installation of fuel gas detection and warning equipment.

About the speaker

Scott Davis, Ph.D., PE, CFEI

CEO – Principal Engineer @ Gexcon US

Dr. Scott Davis specialises in mechanical and aerospace engineering, and the engineering analysis and testing of combustion, thermal, and fluid processes. Dr. Davis applies his expertise to the investigation, prevention, and risk assessment of fires, explosions, and dispersion hazards such as flammable vapours and toxic exposures. Dr. Davis is a principal member of the NFPA 59A technical committee and provides key training in Gexcon’s advanced safety courses on major hazards, which includes LNG safety. Dr. Davis has published over 100 papers and is a regular speaker at process safety conferences.

Stephen Olenick

Principal Engineer @ Combustion Science & Engineering, Inc.

Stephen graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park in 1998 with a Bachelor of Science in Fire Protection Engineering and in 1999 with a Master of Science in Fire Protection Engineering. His master thesis research concentrated on material flammability in micro-gravity environments and included several experimental campaigns aboard NASA’s KC-135 ‘Vomit Comet’ parabolic flights. He is a licensed professional engineer (PE) as well as a certified fire and explosion investigator (CFEI) and holds an MBA degree from Loyola University in Maryland.

Stephen’s professional interests include smoke and fire detection and notification, spacecraft and space environment fire safety, material flammability, fire modelling, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), carbon monoxide and fuel gas detection, and forensic fire investigation and reconstruction. These interests have led him to take leadership positions in the Fire Protection Engineering and Fire Science communities on these topics. He is a principal member of the National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code (NFPA 72) Technical Committee on Single- and Multiple-Station Alarms and Household Fire Alarm Systems and was a principal member of the Standard for the Installation of Carbon Monoxide (CO) Detection and Warning Equipment (NFPA 720) Technical Committee on Carbon Monoxide Detection until the committee disbanded in 2017. He is Chair of the newly formed Fuel Gases Warning Equipment Technical Committee responsible for the new Standard for the Installation of Fuel Gases Detection and Warning Equipment (NFPA 715).