IS IT POSSIBLE TO PREVENT FIRE?V.S. Zvonov, A.S.Polyakov, V.R.Malinin

St.Petersburg2007

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IS IT POSSIBLE TO PREVENT FIRE?

(According to the materials of the first seminar of different branches of

science

PHYSICAL AND PHYSICAL - CHEMICAL METHODS AND MEANS OF

SUPEREARLY DISCOVERING OF INFLAMING November, 17, 1993)

Translated by Cathrine V. Zvonova

CONTENTS

Foreword of the Organizing Committee 2

Loskutov Y.N. On the Problem of Superearly Discovering ofInflamings and of Extinguishing Fires. 3

Bogdanov M.I. Fire and its Consequences 5

On the Conception of Superearly Discovering of Inflamings (from theremarks of the seminar participants). 7

The Aims of the Seminar and Some of its Basic Principles 9

Zvonov V.S., Polyakov A.S., Malinin V.R. Superearly Discovering ofInflamings is a Radical Way of Defense from Fires 12

ANNOTATIONS OF SPEECHES OF THE SEMINAR PARTICIPANTS16

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Foreword of the Organizing Committee

In these collected articles there is reflected our vision of the problemof superearly discovering of inflamings. We have processed the speeches and remarks of participants of theseminar and have collected together individual interesting thoughts andstatements upon this problem. The seminar lasted 3 hours and only thosematerials are included into the collected articles that favored the achievingof the purpose in hand. Because of this the authors apologize to thoseparticipants of the seminar, whose opinions didn't coincide with the aims ofthe seminar. We think that the aim of the seminar is achieved - for the first timethere was given a definition to the conception of superearly discovering ofinflamings. The idea of the seminar was supported by the governing body of theAdministration of State fire-prevention service (SFS) of St.Petersburg andits region, by the main naval chief of St.Petersburg rear admiral GrishanovV. V. and by the joint-stock company "BALTSTAR". The absolute majority of the participants of the seminar expressed anopinion about the necessity of the constant continuation of its work andexpressed the wish for taking part in practical decision upon this problem.The chief of the main administration upon the shipbuilding and thearmament of Russian Navy rear admiral Barskov M. K. proposed toorganize an interdepartmental coordination committee upon methods andmeans of discovering the inflamings on the base of SPbMTS. We have worked out and we submit to the discussion of the secondseminar the proposals upon the creation of Baltic interdepartmentaltechnical coordination council upon the discussed problem and the maindirections of its activities (see appendix). The organizers of the seminar express their great thanks to thegeneral director of the joint-stock company "BALTSTAR" V.I. Ovetchkin forfinancial support. Copyright reserved, the circulation of the materials of these collectedarticles is allowed only by the permission of the authors.

V.S. Zvonov, V.P. Malinin, A.S. Polyakov

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"...and is Russian land able to bearher own Newtons

and fast-minded Platons."M.V. Lomonosov

On the Problem of Superearly Discovering of Inflamings and ofExtinguishing Fires.

Today as never before State fire-prevention service of Russia is inneed of its own talented and "fast-minded" scientists. Traditionally there have been made two directions of SFS's activities.The first one includes methods and means of fire safety's preventiveinspection of units; the second - direct extinguishing the fire on the place ofits origin. How much effective this system is one can say basing on thefollowing statistical data of SFS. Most fires reach the level of maximumpermissible values of dangerous factors for 5 - 10 minutes since thebeginning of a fire, metal constructions loose their carrying ability for 10 -15 minutes. At the same time the effective actions of firemen start after 25minutes regarding their coming to a fire for average 17 minutes. Theweight of the consequences is aggravated for 50% repudiation of thesystems of automatic fire prevention . As we know, the aim of fire automatics is to raise reliability offire-fighting defense of units by shortening of the time of discovering andextinguishing inflamings. But now existing systems not always in time record comparativelyweak parameters' changes, that characterize the apportionments ofenergetic components during the beginning and development of burning infire's center. The scientists of SPbHFTS - Prof., dr. of technical sciences PolyakovA.C., candidate of physico-mathematical science, assistant professorZvonov V.S., ass. Prof., candidate in chemistry Malinin V.R. - saw thespace between these traditional directions and formulated a new one in thearea of fire safety. They called it "Methods and means of superearlydiscovering of inflamings and of putting down the fire". Enthusiasts of this direction wanted to start with something small,such as organizing a department seminar within the bounds of SPbHFTSof MIA (Ministry of Internal Affairs) RF. The first seminar upon this problem,that took place on November, 17, 1993, became as fate has willed it aninterdepartmental one, where about 90 scientists and specialists in thearea of fire safety were present.

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I think that these facts show the significance of the seminar's theme. It is necessary to create a coordination scientific-technical committeeupon this problem attached to SPbHFTS as to the founder of this direction. Developing this direction we don't oppose ourselves to the specialistsin fire safety. We just propose to work together on the chosen way ofsolving the general problem of Russia - struggle against fires. I hope this will find the support from the administration of State FireService of MIA of RF.

Chief of SPbHFTS Y.N. Loskutov.

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Fire and its Consequences

Bogdanov M.I.

The aim of science is first of all in looking for truth. Every scientificresearch work starts with defining the conception of the investigated object.Not always this is so easy to be done. I can give you an example. They sayoften that there is a triangle of fire: inflammable substance, acidifier andsource of lighting. But, according to such definition we can that smolderingof a cigarette-end in a dust-bin is also fire. GOST 12.1.004-85 characterizefire as uncontrolled burning outside some special hearth that bringsmaterial damage. The instruction upon the state registration of fires definefire as following: burning that can spread all by itself outside some speciallyallotted place that leads to traumatizing and death of people, or todestruction or damage of property and to other damages. There are manyother definitions that are rather discrepant and don't expose the essence offire and its consequences. Three main signs the presence of which makes a burning to beconsidered as a fire can be pointed out: lack of organization,unsanctionality, destruction of material values and affection of people. Butthese signs don't expose fully the consequences of a fire.

Taking into consideration the importance of the cited above signs, wecan give the following determination: Fire is a burning with social-economical damage, it is a statisticallycounted fact, the cause and the corpus delicti of which are to be found out. So we can understand how necessary is to give first of all thedefinition to the conception of superearly discovering of inflamings and onthis base to formulate demands to the system of fire automatics.In the table you can see characteristics of fire consequences and theirqualitative description:

Characteristic ofconsequences

Qualitative description of consequences

1 Social 1. Trauma and death of people2. Moral-law consequences

2 Social-psychological

1. Stress condition (fear, depression, panic),sharp drop of productivity of labour

2. Destabilization of psychological stability ofinhabitants and postcrisis period

3 Social-political 1. Certain tension in society and reinforcement ofinternal political tension

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2. Wide international echo and drop of politicalprestige of the country

4 Economical 1. Considerable economical damage in moneyand in natural expression: direct and indirectdamage

5 Ecology 1. Death of animals2. Withdrawal from the reproduction of

considerable part of nature sources,agricultural lands, plants and so on

3. Environmental contamination6 Specifical 1. Different order of consequences, their chain

character (e.g. explosion - fire, or the otherway)

7 Administrative 1. There can be instability of situation, difficulty inforetelling the course of events and makingdecisions

2. Necessity of involving a lot of forces andmeans

3. Necessity of scale and emergency-rescueworks

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On the Conception of Superearly Discovering of Inflamings.(from the remarks of the seminar participants)

"Is there any sense in talking about superearly discovering of inflamings?"(V.S. Zvonov)

"When I felt the mightiness of the idea about superearly discovering ofinflamings, I was very surprised why I haven't worked with it before".

(G.N. Dulnev)

"Today no one among us can give clear definition to superearly discoveringof a fire".

(O.M. Alekseyenko)

"It will be a great merit of our seminar if there will be given the correctinterpretation of what superearly discovering of a fire really is".

(Y.M. Khaliulin)

"Superearly discovering is the period when it is still possible to prevent afire using some technical means."

(Y.S. Kiseliov)

"I consider to be superearly such discovering when there are no flame andno smoke, but there are only their portents".

(A.P. Belkin)

"Superearly discovering is discovering of the increase of the significance offactors that define an inflaming".

(I.A. Pavlov)

"Superearly discovering should probably also include some criterion that,being achieved can cause an inflaming".

(V.A. Verbitsky)

"Superearly discovering of inflaming is time that lets us either prevent theinflaming or abolish it with minimum losses".

(G.G. Gugiavin)

"The importance of today's seminar can scarcely be exaggerated. We allunderstand that we've intruded into the sphere, that troubles us greatly andworries us a lot".

(M.K. Barskov)

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"Superearly discovering of inflamings is the establishment with giventrustworthiness of the fact, the time and the place of the startedbefore-flame and flame processes that lead to the first stage of fire, whenthere still is the possibility of putting out the inflamings by means ofportable and built into the defended object automatized means of fireextinguishing before the arrival of sub-units of state fire service to the seatof fire."

(The organizing committee of the seminar: V.S. Zvonov, A.S. Polyakov,V.R. Malinin)

The definition was formulated by the organizing committee based onthe generalization of the opinions of the participants of the seminar and issuggested to be discussed during the second seminar.

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The Aims of the Seminar and Some of its Basic Principles

THE AIM OF THE SEMINAR

To generalize and to instill into the practice of fire-prevention defense ofdifferent objects the progressive home and foreign experience in thearea of methods and means of superearly discovering of inflamings.To develop and propagandize this experience by instilling it into theeducational process at secondary and higher school.To defend the authors' rights of the participants of the seminar.To give consultative and other help in instilling the competable works.To publish theses and reports of the participants of the seminar in aspecial book.

DISCUSSED DIRECTIONS

General problems of discovering of inflamings and of the causes of fires.Analysis and estimation of the possibility of using physical andphysico-chemical regularities in the interests of working out of methodsand means of superearly discovering of inflamings.Ways of perfection of professional training of personnel in the area offire-prevention defense.

SOME PRINCIPLES ON WHICH WAS BASED THE SEMINAR

Is the problem that we are solving integral?

In natural conditions we don't ask ourselves question about vitality ofthe problem that is to be solved. This seems to be evident: the problemmay be set by higher authorities while justifying the directions of activity. Itcan appear as a problem attendant to the fulfillment of research program.But very often the imaginative resolution appears to be new andunexpected because of the new definition of the problem.

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Is it possible to break the stereotypes of logical thinking?

All our reflections are limited to our past experience and education.When we meet some new problem we try to use old resolutions.Subjectively we try to understand the problem according to the skills takenin this area on a basis of extrapolation within narrow limits. The main task of the seminar is to take slowly brain away from theperceived problem up to the new point of another entrance to the problemfor solving the given problem basing upon fantasy, metaphor and analogyin order to unveil the whole individual experience, to use this experiencebut not logic that is limited by some certain area.

Is it possible to become more receptive to new ideas?

Man often reject a new idea if it is proposed by someone else. Whenwe run into some new idea, we see just its weak sides and ignore itsmerits. The objections against new idea are often hackneyed and arebased on some certain lower border of technical possibilities. So one of theaims of the seminar is to achieve such condition when man is ready toapprehend ideas openly so that the creative process would proceedwithout any obstacles. practical difficulties can be ignored for a while. Theywill be estimated on the next stage. As methods of creative resolvation ofproblems are based upon experience and emotions and not uponknowledge, so true estimation can be given without any preconceivednotion only on the basis of personal taking part in their promotion andusage.

How can others help?

Creative work is an emotional activity that hampers while workingwithin the limits of fixed rules. This activity is stimulated by free contactsbetween specialists from different fields of knowledge working together.

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RULES FOR THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE SEMINAR

1. You should write down into questionnaire your thoughts and ideas thatoccur during reports and speeches ( even if from your point of view theyare unreal ). After the end of the seminar questionnaires must behanded in to the scientific secretary of the seminar.

2. Your speech must be concise, clear, without any motivations, not longerthan 1,5 - 2 minutes. It is desirable to confine yourself to suggestionswith a minimum of basises.

3. Each participant may speak several times but not in succession.4. It is prohibited to criticize the expressed suggestions and to use

statements of this sort: "This won't work", "They have already tested itsomewhere" and so on.

5. During the briefing don't refuse the leader's suggestion to speak uponthe conception of the problem.

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SUPEREARLY DISCOVERING OF INFLAMINGS IS A RADICAL WAYOF DEFENSE FROM FIRES

Zvonov V.S., Polyakov A.S., Malinin V.R.

According to the information given by the chief of the Central Boardof State Fire Service (CBSFS) of Russian Federation Dedikov V.E.nowadays about 350 thousands fires happen each year. But inspite ofmany-billion losses (in 1992 the damage from fires was more than 7,5billion rubles), of the increasing number of people who died on fires, theimportance of the effective struggle against fires isn't yet realized byinhabitants and by the government. It is known that the higher is the level of technical development of thecountry and the rates of technical progress, the greater is the increase ofmaterial damage and human victims from fires, the more importantbecome the problems of safeguarding of fire security in all areas of humanactivities. Damages of ships and their wreck in consequence of fires get thesecond place among other kinds of accidents. The cost of the atomicsubmarine "Komsomolets" wrecked in consequence of a fire total about 4billion rubles. During the period of 1986 - 1990 there were about 900 hundred firesin coal pits. Every year the State spent more than 80 million rubles for theirputting out. Mining has no apparatus and no methods of early discoveringof inflamings. Weight of fire consequences depends on insufficient protection ofbuildings and constructions by systems of automatic fire defense, theirunskilled maintenance (more than 50% of such systems turn out to beineffective). General fundamental defect of all now existing systems of fireautomated mechanisms is in a very high percentage of false functioning,that exceed 90%. It is known that the number of false alarms of modern fireinformers is 14 to one fire. This reduces the confidence to automaticsystems of discovering of inflamings. Inadmissible number of false alarmswhile discovering inflamings on their early stages shows that methods andapparatus for notification on the early stages of fires are very far from thedemanded. That's a world-wide problem. The efficiency of prevention and liquidation of fires principally dependon the period of time between the beginning of post-accident situation'sdevelopment and its detection. For how much time a fire must bediscovered? What does early and superearly discovering of inflamingsmean? Is it possible to predict a fire? What must be registered and howmust it be registered? It is necessary to discover an inflaming but not everyinflaming leads to a fire. Unliquidated inflaming sooner or later will lead to afire. The length of this period depends on a great and hard to be accounted

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number of factors. On what depends the perfection of technical means offire alarm? Usually it depends on the stage on which a fire is discovered,on quick actions, on the possibility of determination of place of inflamings,on the controlled area, on the contents of the information presented by thesystem of discovering of a fire and of signaling about it, on the possibility ofself control, on the possibility of excluding false alarms, on the operatingmode (continuous, periodical, etc.), on safety, on dimensions (mass), oncost. The department of physics and heat exchange of SPbHFTS ofMinistry of Internal Affairs of Russian Federation was first to try to give acomparative estimation to the effectiveness of fire alarms that are the mainelements of technical means for discovering fires. The estimation has beenheld based on the official information of State Scientific Research Instituteof Fire Defense (SSRIFD) of MIA of RF (see the book "Modern means ofensuring of fire-explosion safety and of carrying out of emergency rescueworks. Catalogue-reference book. 1991 - 1992.", Moscow, SSRIFD, 1992).The results of the estimation are presented on drawings and in the tablethat we demonstrate in conference hall. The relative values of inertiality,effectiveness and cost of the informers were taken as comparison indices.Data of the alarms with the worst inertiality of functioning was taken asbasic value. The analysis of the results showed: - thermal informers are worse than smoke and optical ones ineffectiveness and are several times worse in inertiality; -optical informers are considerably superior in effectiveness, but atthe same time they are more expensive.

What must be the tendencies of future development of fire informers?For what minimum of time they should start functioning? It is known from foreign publications that we can consider to beperspective methods of superearly discovering of inflamings that are basedon processing dinamical and spatial-time signals generated by hotbeds ofburning. Such signals are fluctuations in temperature field with frequenciesfrom 0,1 to 20 GCS (cycles per second), dynamical and spatial-timesignals of infrared, visible and ultraviolet ranges. Within infrared rangeinflamings are characterized by radiation on at wavelengths of 2,4micrometers; 4,4 micrometers and 6,2 micrometers. A combination ofradiations at fixed wavelengths lets us clearly differentiate infraredradiation of fire's flame from high-temperature bodies and surfaces oftechnological systems. Besides, radiation at a wavelength of 4,4micrometers is able to differentiate flame with high or low temperatures. Amethod was documented upon discovering a fire through estimation offrequency spectrum of flame shimmering. Methods are considered to bevery informative when lasers are used. Analysis of correlation relationship

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between fluctuations of current rate of gas-air mixture and temperature inthe flame torch. For determining the fact of a fire within the attendant signs modernmeans of fire signaling and of automatical engaging of fire defensesystems include a great spectrum of fire announcers. But with all this thereis no system that would fulfill the analysis of fire situation upon all groups ofthe named signs that prevent the appearing of fire-dangerous situation atonce. They fix only the fact of inflaming. The problem is not that simple as it may seem at the first sight. That'swhy we've decided to organize this seminar. The aims of the seminar, the discussed directions and principles onwhich the seminar is based are presented above. We'll try to make the seminar according to the rules of synectics inorder to direct the spontaneous brain and nervous system activity atresearch and such transformation of the projected problem that will give anopportunity of formulating new progressive ideas. What is the essence ofsynectics? These methods are based on the achievements of system analysis.During the observations it was found out that group thinking shows to bemore effective than the sum of individual thinkings. This is connected withthe fact that group of specialists attacking some problem works as onewhole big man's brain. The appearing ideas get in contact with other ideaspresented during collective discussions. With such brain attack appears aflow of ideas - "cross-pollination". And it is not obligatory for one to presentonly good ideas. It is found out that there appear less good ideas if onlygood ideas get presented. A group of synectors discuss the putted problem using 3 types ofanalogy methods: direct, subjective and fantastic. In general we can saythat method of deadlock situations' liquidation provides for consciouschanging of search strategy. Psychologists say that regulated methods ofideas generating stimulate working out of new ideas. The plan of holding out of the seminar includes 4 stages. At the first stage professionals of fire-service will present theirreports: worker of the second subdivision of the administration of State FireService of St.Petersburg and its region Konovalov V.D. (the analysis ofhome and foreign experience in the usage of fire-signaling) and seniorscientist of St.Petersburg brunch of All-union Scientific Research instituteof Fire Defense Vasyliev M.A. (the estimation of modern fire automaticsand of the difficulties in its practical usage). Speakers mustn't stop upon details and must formulate the problemgenerally pointing out the central item and existing limits. We ask all the participants of the seminar to write down the occurredideas (even those that you consider to be very commonplace) at the card

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you've received. After the end of the seminar the cards must be returned toscientific secretary. The second stage we devote to discussions. Everyone who wishesreads out his idea himself or it will do the secretary to whom he will passhis card during the brake. Speeches mustn't be more than 1,5 - 2 minutes long according to therules mentioned in participant's invitation. The third stage provides for writing the final chosen idea on the card .In so doing don't cross out previous idea even if it seems to you to beinept. After all that cards must be returned to the scientific secretary. Final totals of the session will be summed up by the organizingcommittee at the next meeting. We'll choose the most interesting idea andits author. This will be done in accordance with the following plan: 1) we make a nomenclature list of all presented ideas; 2) the ideas get paraformulated in universally adopted terms; 3) go lined out dubbing and additional ideas, formulated combinedintegrated ideas; 4) those signs get lined out according to which ideas can be united; 5) we make a list of ideas with special groups and in each groupideas get written down in order of generality: from more general toparticular that amplify or develop general ideas. Prepared list will be givento the seminar participants for putting priorities. Russia burns, valuties get destroyed that were accumulated by thelabour of the previous generations. There is no money, but it is necessaryto do something inspite of the break-down of economics. Let's follow theadvise of an american psychologist E. Bliss: "When you try to dosomething and nothing happens, stop. Instead of putting more and moretime in vain efforts analyze the problem and see if you can find some otherapproach". Only discovering and putting down fires on their superearly stageswill allow to change radically now existing in the world situation in thedefense of people and features from fire. This is the hardest way, thatdemands quite new and untraditional approaches to solving the problemsof fire safety. We are sure that scientists of NOrth-western region workingin the interdisciplinary areas will be able to put forward their elaborationsadapted to specific conditions of fire service. For finding new directions andorganizing investigations a coordination is necessary that eliminatesdubbing and provides work of scientists and of elaborators on thecompetition base. We needn't create any new institutes, it is necessary touse as fully as possible the existing material and technical basis andintellectual potential of the whole North-western region making temporarycreating collectives for solving very difficult problems in providing firesafety.

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ANNOTATIONS OF SPEECHES OF THE SEMINAR PARTICIPANTS

Konovalov V.G.

Many units are not equipped at all with fire automatics, in particularculture units. Even the Hermitage practically for 80% is not protected byfire automatics. In St.Petersburg more then 3000 units are under thedefense of State Institute of Defending from fires and the level of protectionis very far from modern. There broke out a fire at the library of the Academy of Sciencebecause of the fact that not all the premises were protected. If there wasfire signaling at news-paper hall, where the inflaming took place, the firewould be discovered on the earlier stage and damages would be minimum.In fact, the fire was discovered when it has already come away from theroom where the inflaming took place, this led to such grave consequences. One more example. Today a fire took place in the House of writers.Practically the whole construction is out of order now. State fire supervisionbodies since 1986 told to put signaling. All the terms were over, there werewarnings about suspension, the house was fined. But the lack of moneyled to serious consequences. In the House of writers only library andreading-hall were protected by fire signaling and the whole building wasburnt down. Nowadays foreign firms carry out reconstruction and construction ofhotels in our city. For example hotels "Nevsky Palace", "Europe", "Astoria"and some other units are equipped with modern fire-discovering systems.Foreign systems of fire automatics differ from ours. Sooner or later they'llneed to be repaired, but who'll train personnel for maintenance of thesesystems? As far as we know at our defense industry there are worked out finesystems of fire automatics, but we don't know much about them, besidesthey are too expensive for being wide-used. At the previously mentionedhotels there are installed address-analogy signallers. We don't have serialproduction of such signallers. There are some elaborations, but there is noserial production. In home systems of fire automatics 10 registers startworking due to one beam and if a fire has taken place in one of the rooms,it is necessary to examine all 10 rooms before the seat of the fire can befound. And in foreign systems with coming into action of signaller the signalgoes to the stand and the numder of the room where an inflaming tookplace gets lighted on the table. This favours the earlier discovering of a fire. We have practically no fire signalers for rooms with aggressivemedium. For example at "Formakon" in Moskovsky district there are

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installed home-made signalers of the type DPS-038. They are all rusty anddon't function for a long time and as a result - several serious fires onwhich people died. The problem appeared not today, the All-union Scientific Researchinstitute of Fire Defense studies it, but for now there is nothing yet in serialproduction.

COMMENTARY OF THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE From this report of a practice worker of the State fire supervisionbodies we see that there are no fire registers that we need. It is also obvious that the aims of the seminar don't contradict theinterests of State Fire Service in the struggle against fires, but fullycorrespond to them.

Ovechkin V.I.

Professionals of the highest rank gathered here. I would like to hearideas of native scientists and not those that are proposed by foreignspecialists. Let's find out who has such ideas and we must do in such waythat all these ideas were examined within the competive character of thisseminar. I think there will be such person that will say that he has suchidea but he has not enough money for its realization. If this idea will get theapproval of all the participants of the seminar, than we'll be able to work alltogether and to realize it. Are there such ideas or no? It is important to findthem. Let them give at least small percentage of superearly discoverings ofinflamings as this is preventing very huge fires, saving a great number ofpeople's lives. I know troubles made by fires not by hearsay. Graduated frommilitary navy school, i served at submarines, then at StateSPI of theministry of Internal Affairs. Now I am director general of joint-stockcompany "Baltstar"Right those people gathered to the seminar, that areresponsible for fire safety: here are representatives from Navy, fromMilitary academy of rear and transport, scientists from other highereducational institutions and scientific research institutes of the academy ofscience of Russian federation, of Aeroflot and, of course, of SPHFTS, thatin the nearest future must, supposedly, become fire academy. That's in SPHFTS where it is necessary to accumulate such ideas,create data bank, teach fire safety engineers how to use native systems offire automatics. We needn't ask neither Swedes, nor Finns. At least we cansave up the necessary money. We all here are not little boys. I know what I

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invest money in. If the seminar brings at least some saved lives, it meansthat we are on the right way.

Vasilyev M.A.

I work at St.Petersburg branch of All union Scientific ResearchInstitute of Fire Defense (ASRIFD) and I am engaged by my job intoworking out systems of fire automatics. The most authentic statistics uponfire situations is the metro's one, as each event is fixed at the centralobservation post. In 1992 there were fixed 1114 signals fromfire-prevention systems, and the number of exposed fires was 4. 28 timessignaling came into action when there were actual signs of smoke-screensfrom the winding of transformers, smoking and welding works. So this was not uncontrolled burning. In 1114 mentioned cases fireservice should have been called, but it came there rarely. For example, atmetro station "Vladimirskaya" there were no activities at any of 4 firesexposed by fire automatics and fire service was called only by theinformation presented by passengers, when smoke was already in theentrance-hall of the station. All this indicates of not very good work of ourfire automatics. There happen tragic events because of distrust toautomatics. There is an enormous field between fire fighting equipment - that'sconnection lines. Fire signalers are not adapted to any stable receiving firedesk. For example the signalers IP-212/9 of Ryasan factory should beused in complex with serially produced apparatus including PPK-2, but itsometimes produces false comings into action. The factor of parameters' changes while using the devices is left outof account. It is considered that we've got a notifier and that it is an idealone. This can't be true and everybody understands it. Concretely, smokenotifier RICh-6 in the rate, when its field transistor becomes covered withdust, starts consuming 2-3 mA current and not 20 mA one as it's written inthe certificate. In this case 10 notifiers that are in one train continuouslyproduce emergency signals and soon the train gets disconnected. We've worked out some motions upon regulated works, testingapparatus, we've made model examples, that are being tested in metronow. The system estimates condition of fire automatics on any stage ofexploitation. Our market will not soon be full with good foreign apparatus becauseof its high prices. Moreover it gets out of order rather soon because of thebad preparatory work of our users. Home apparatus can discover for certain a fire on its early stageusing smoke daters. Our laboratory has worked out model examples of

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address additions. The essence of the elaboration is in adding acomplimentary block to a serial dater. After fire signaler coming into actionyou may call fire guard. It is necessary not only to discover a fire, but alsoto bring the information to the chief of the guard on his way: where, inwhich room, on which floor has broken out a fire for the guard to startputting out the fire as soon as possible. The system asks which notifier hasgiven a signal, that means where happened the inflaming. The furtherprocessing of the information is not a problem in the conditions of ourcomputerization. All this can be done nowadays on serially producedapparatus, you just need to have money. Can we offer some new physical phenomenon for discovering a fire?There is such title on the poster of the organizing committee: soundnotifiers. We can't use them right now not only because of financialdifficulties, but also because of scientific ones. We can consider to beperspective the acoustic method, when volumetric picture of soundspectrum of an acoustic signal is measured. Sound spreads much quickerthan smoke and so the inflaming will be discovered on the early stage ofthe fire.

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE COMMENTARY The situation in fire-prevention defense of objects is aggravated notonly by false comings into action of automatics, but also by sad statisticsupon their low reliability (or more correctly - non-reliability), by late arrival(approximately after 17 minutes) of fire squads to the hearth of fire. On our sight, this raises completely the importance and actuality ofthe struggle against fires on the superearly stage of their origin.

Kiselyov Y.S.

In connection with the fact that for now fire service specialists don'thave such conception as superearly discovering of a fire, it must beworked out at this seminar. For doing this we must take into considerationtwo rates of fire beginning. The first rate is called thermal explosion, thermal spontaneousignition. The main point of it is in the fact that burning (explosion) appearsat the expense of internal (chemical, nuclear) heat sources, that acceleratewhile the temperature increases. In this case the initial hearth of burningappears in thermophysical center of chemical, nuclear combustibles'accumulation. As temperature rises during its influence upon theaccumulation of materials, the initial hearth moves to the periphery and

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when the temperature becomes high enough, the burning appears on thesurface. The other rate is is called "lighting" or "compelled lighting". To estimate the daters' sensitivity of systems for discovering andputting down fires, they usually take certain accumulation of combustiblesand set fire to it. Clearly, such method of testing daters concerns only tothe rate of compelled lighting. It can't be applied to the rate of spontaneousignition. With spontaneous appearing of a burning (explosion) by the momentwhen signs of burning appear on the surface of the material, than it ispractically impossible to prevent it from destruction. In this case the systemof superearly discovering of fires should base not upon the signs ofburning, but on the signs that precede a burning. One can see that the system of superearly discovering of a fireshould have intermediate position between the system of discovering ofinflamings and the system of fire prevention. Contrary to traditionalpreventive work, that is held through the system of technical measures, theelaborated system of superearly discovering of fires should base ontechnical means. So we should consider to be superearly the discovering of the signsthat can lead to a fire on such stage when it can be prevented by technicalmeans.

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE COMMENTARY The definition presented by professor Kiselyov is the first swallowthat brought a new spring into definition system of fire service. It's veryprecious to know, that during the preparations for the seminar he, aspecialist with 45-year scientific-pedagogical stage, at first felt skepticalabout the seminar and then became its passionate supporter. It's worth ofa real scientist.

Khaliulin Y.M.

The discussed questions are very important. We were shown one ofthe models of superearly discovering of inflamings. Probably for talkingabout superearly discovering the chairman of the seminar should havegiven his own definition of this conception. A chemist will talk from thechemical point of view, a physicist will talk from the physical point of view.But time is not mentioned here. We should consider time to be one of thecriteria as it's very important. In the examined model there are physical,chemical, even biological methods, but we don't mention here thecorrection for the incompetence and low level of training of personnel.

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Most often big fires happen when a man who should have struggledagainst the flame, himself organizes a fire. So we shouldn't affirm toocategorically, that we need to look for methods of superearly discovering ofa fire. We should consider the cost of the damage to be another criterion.Preventing the damage from a fire or an accident may be equal topreventing a war. Preventing an accident is the gain that we'll get as theresult of non-admission of the damage. We should also have a clear idea upon the objects of superearlydiscovering. There are objects where a fire can bring tremendous damageand death of people. But there are also objects that are not of a specialvalue. Is it necessary to work out systems for superearly discovering ofinflamings for them? It is quite necessary for ship units, especially after theloss of the cruiser "Otvazny", to create a system for superearly discoveringof an inflaming or the hearth of a fire that would prevent explosions inrocket rooms. Nowadays such system is created with the participation ofthe specialists that are present here today. This is an automated systemfor rocket rooms, where everything happens in a moment. It is notnecessary for other units as it is very expensive. So, it will be a great merit of our seminar, if we explain, what issuperearly discovering. After that we can talk clearly about the criteriaupon choosing of notifiers. It is necessary to find out supercritical units, forwhich it is quite necessary to work out such systems.

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE COMMENTARY The wording of the conception of superearly discovering of inflamingswasn't presented by us purposely, in order not to bind the thoughts of theseminar's participants. As chess players say, we had home procurement ofthis definition. We think, that in the report of Mr. Khaliulin we can observe the ideaupon the necessity of systematical approach to the solution of thediscussed problem.

Alekseyenko O.M.

The theme of today's seminar is "Superearly discovering of a fire". Noone of us can give right now an exact wording of what it is. So, the latest stage is flame. Before the flame there may appearsmoke. It's too late. Heat. It's also too late. What comes earlier? Smell,spray. Is it late or not? It isn't late yet. And more earlier? Noise, ultra-violetrays or something else - I don't know. Physicists, what is it? What maythere be before in the process of inflaming? It is clear that there must be

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some other radiations. As we don't know it for sure, we'll put aquestion-mark here. Acoustics. So, what's before this? (from theauditorium: "Clairvoyance... Precautionary regulated measures, that shouldbe carried out... We say, there paint something at a submarine, there carrytank-cars. A smell appears (gas, paint and so on) and from here comes thedanger of an explosion. Preventive measures? A fireman mustn't let themcarry out painting before there will be compulsory ventilation. There is noventilation - the preventive measures are not fulfilled. Will this be asuperearly discovering..? He has to come to a telephone, make a report,prohibit the work. He doesn't do this.") I agree with you completely. It depends on us. And what about thethings that doesn't depend on us? Where does a fire come from? There isnobody in the room but fire begins. No, we don't talk about this now, wetalk about the fact of appearing, how a fire begins, where it appears, whereit comes from. Is there anything earlier? We talk about superearlydiscovering of fire. (from the auditorium: "Overheating") What do youmean? (from the auditorium: "Overheating leads to raising of pressure inclosed room".) Yes, pressure. What can the most unique device in the world - man - react upon?Upon flame, smoke, heat. (from the auditorium: "Upon electromagneticradiation".) All this can be done by the most perfect apparatus in the world- by man. What can be done by physical, chemical and other devices thatwe use to discover the signs of an appeared fire? They define flame. Thereare daters for this. Are there smoke daters? Yes, there are. Are there heatdaters? Yes, there are. Are there smell daters? In our country we don'thave them. Are there acoustic daters? (from the auditorium: "They are notused. There are no such daters in fire service".) Let's take more general conception: biological dater. Pay attention tothe fact that birds and animals leave the region of an earthquake 2 - 3hours, or even 24 hours before it happens. Why rodents and ants leave aship before a fire starts? Why? We don't know this. So, biology. Here is apotential, here is the thing that should be studied seriously. On this seminar we talk about methods of superearly discovering of afire. Let's make some conclusions of the discussion. Here first of all weshould define the term itself, what does it mean "superearly discovering ofa fire". We must begin with the portents of fire. We can present itschematically as following:

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From the presented scheme it is evident that the last two signsaccompany already existing fire. These are precisely the factors that themajority of now-existing native measures of fire discovering react upon. Itis clear that they can't be refered to measures of superearly firediscovering. We can refer to relatively early time factors that are connected withthe appearing of the signs of fire at one object in a defended room. Theseare the increasing temperature of the object itself, arising of aerosols in thearea of the object and at last open flame at the object. The rest of the signs, also connected with with the object (biological,electromagnetic vibrations, smell, acoustic vibrations), may be probablyreferred to reacting on superearly level. So to provide early fire discovering we need only to put modernmeasures right in the location of potential source of fire appearing. As forsuperearly discovering of fire, we need to work out new means of fire

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discovering, that would react upon the factors inherent to super earlystages or prerequistes to possible inflaming of the defended object. However the questions of superearly discovering of fire can't bestudied in isolation from the questions of superearly reacting of fire-fightingmeans upon the signs of fire occurrence. Connected with all this thestudied question should be set like this: "PHYSICAL ANDPHYSICO-CHEMICAL METHODS AND MEANS OF SUPEREARLYDISCOVERING OF INFLAMINGS AND PUTTING OUT FIRES".

ORGANISING COMMITTEE COMMENTARY We demonstrated some fragments of the discussion that occurredfrom the problem of defining the conception of superearly discovering ofinflamings, for you to feel how the process of ideas' generating takesplace. We've found out that it is necessary to register the information uponfire precursors. the main carriers of the information are smoke, light, heat,noise, smell. Today detectors are able to regist smoke, light, heat, rise ofpressure. As for noises and smells, the level of our knowledge in theseareas is rather low for now and we don't know how to use them in creatingfire notificators. Each of us in his practice happened to prevent a fire, discovered bysmell. On which stage of fire smell occurs? We know that if somecombustibles are exposed to thermal influence, then occurs itsthermooxidizing destruction, the materials get decomposed and smellappears. It would be a unique case, if we created some fire notifier by the sortof a "nose".

Moskalets O.D.

The main misfortune of all the systems of early and superearlydiscovering inflamings is the presence of false functionings. A systemdoesn't feel and doesn't estimate the probability of fire beginning. I'd like to continue a little this idea. Radiolocation gained its success onlyby using widely the theory of signals and interferences. As for fires, here,as far as I know, the situation with models of signals and interferences isvery bad. We discuss individual ideas, even fabulous and half-fantasticones, but if we don't solve the problem of models of signals andinterferences while discovering inflamings, we won't gain any success. Look by yourself. Mr. Vasyliev said that in metro there were only 4inflamings for 1114 functionings of automatical fire-fighting systems. If thesame correlation of false alarms and incorrect discoverings existed in

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radiolocation,it wouldn't be used at any unit. This work must be financed bysomeone, inspite of the fact that it is in some sense theoretical. Until therewill be installed clear adequate models of signals and interferences indiscovering inflamings, the work will continue to be done by the method oftests and mistakes, blindly and we won't get any result soon.

Korovin O.P.

Talking about superearly discovering of inflamings we can berepelled both from time and fire occurrences themselves. Minimal time isdetermined by concrete conditions. For example, for a ship 1 minute issuperearly discovering but in another case it takes 10 - 20 minutes for afire car to come. But that is not the main item. Fire development is the increasing of temperature, accumulation andrelease of energy. If we take such point of view as the basis, we can makeclear the situation with detectors. Every warm body radiates anelectromagnetic wave. With room temperature the length of radiated wavewill be very big. With the rise of temperature the length of the wavedecreases, but the frequency of radiations increases. So from the point ofview of superearly discovering it is useless to set ultra-violet detectors.Ultra-violet radiation occurs when everything is burning with blue blaze. For autonomous systems it is necessary to use detectors based onthermoelements. It is possible to construct batteries from thermoelementsof sufficient power, so the sensitivity of these detectors may be very high.Thermoelements are able to register temperature up to decimal places of adegree. Gas-analizator can be used for specific systems, but gas oraerosol appear only when there is the process of warming. We mustregister the dynamics of the development of this process. We could offeran original construction of such detector on thermoelement basement.

Rogachyov N.A.

I'd like to comment the report of Mr. Korovin. Electromagneticradiation with room temperature has its maximum only by 10 ÿ7mÿ0m.With 300 degrees Celsium this maximum moves to 5ÿÁ ÿ7mÿ0m and thisis not hard to be discovered. There exist only one problem withthermoelements: the second joint must be taken far away from the placewhere the temperature changes and the temperature around it must be

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constant and this is not so easy to be done. Thermoresistors have theirsensitivity's threshold of 9 - 10 W, they are more technological, it meansthat their parameters are easier for being reproduced. Moreover, it is mucheasier to measure current than electromotive force. So rational locating ofthermoresistors may in principal solve the problem of superearlydiscovering of inflamings.

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE COMMENT Mr. Korovin and Mr. Rogachyov never before concerned themselveswith the problem of fire safety. In Ioffe Physico-technical institute ofRussian Academy of Science one of them worked out SHF systems forspace objects, and the other was one of the leading scientists in ourcountry in the field of semi-conductor technologies. Alas, Mr. RogachyovN.A. died suddenly from heart attack on January, 8, 1994. He wasn't even50 years old at that time.

Belkin A.N.

In the Military Academy of rear and transport an opinion hasappeared upon early and superearly discovering of fires:ÿ1 early -ÿ0 whenfire is discovered with forestalling, it means, by the first derivative of smokeconcentration change.ÿ1 Superearly - when fire is discovered by the flameprecursors: by smell changes on heating, by sublimation and destruction ofmolecule, by distortion of acoustic, thermal and electromagnetic fields. Precursors can be numerous. For example, a very sensitiveprecursor - changing dielectric permeability of medium. It is known thatrelative dielectric permeability of nitrogen and oxygen is equal to 1. Theychange dielectric permeability only on the fourth decimal place when thetemperature changes. Naturally, during the burning there release water, alcohols, oxides ofcarbon, metals and paints. Water for example increases dielectricpermeability in 30 times and the appearance of an alcohol increases itmore than in 150 times.This data is rather important, though there aresome others. While choosing detector we mustn't forget about economics, takinginto consideration two factors: cost and time. The cost factor is expencesfor creating the system. For example, it's too expensive to use gasanalyses. Damage from the fire that is inversely related to the expences forcreating such system, must also be taken into consideration. Time factor isfast acting of devices. Here the time constant of the change of the index, towhich we tune our detector: smoke, temperature, pressure, dielectric

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permeability, etc. may be considered as the lowest level of time constant.The highest level will probably satisfy everyone if we'll take 0,5% from thetime of fire liquidation or from the moment of announcing to the beginningof fire extinguishing. When we deal with automated equipment we need to place heavydemands on detector. Detector gives a signal and automated equipmentputs out fire. If this is connected with announcing fire squad and it gomesfrom faraway, so time of detetector's functioning is not very important andthe choice of criteria is not too important from the economical point of view. Talking about superearly discovering of inflamings it is necessary tofix fire precursors, such as for example the change of medium's dielectricpermeability. In the Academy there was created a method based on thereaction of quality of artificial resonators in the areas of dangerousconcentration of steams or of oxidation and sublimation products. Thismethod works well at ramified linear objects. The realisation principle is asfollows. For example, in multistory hotel building we form placed in seriesfluctuation circuits - delay lines - with high coefficient of waves' reflectionon the ends. In particular, we can take wiring and radiator, separating themby barrage filters and tuning each line upon different resonancefrequencies of vibrations. Then using time impulces generator we stimulateright-angled impulse, that contains a wide spectrum of frequencies. Oncommon stroke each circuit answers with its own sound having rather highquality with a very low dielectric permeability. With the help of band filtersand figure measuring instrument of quality - Q-meter - we find the circuitwhere quality became lower because of the fire, or by the character ofdumping we determine the fact of a fire and by compensating the loss inthe place of canged impedance we can determine the probable place offire. It is possible to find out the floor and room number where fire tookplace. This is an example of superearly discovering of inflamings bysaturation of flammable steams or of smouldering isolation products beforethe rise of smoke concentration. It is very difficult to connect time with space. The fact is that in onemoment of time smoke will appear first and then will appear flame, inanother moment flame will appear earlier than smoke. Once again I repeatwhat I've told you at the beginning: I consider to be superearly suchdiscovering when there is no smoke or flame, but only their precursors.And they must be registered. The smell of paints and electroisolation whileheating is a precursor of smoke and flame. It can be registered, forexample, by measuring the changes in dielectric permeability whensaturated with the steams of decomposed paint or isolation. The quality offluctuation circuit may therewith change in 80 - 100 times. Right this issuperearly discovering.

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Organizing committee commentary We think that it is necessary to work out and test the model of suchmechanism to find out whether it is advisable to use it for controlling linearramified objects.

Gougiavin G.G.

I think that we need to agree with the following definition ofsuperearly discovering of an inflaming: that's time during which it ispossible either to prevent inflaming or liquidate it with minimum losses withtechnical means. The opponent of professor Belkin estimated his proposal as fabulousone. We meet the word fabulousness not for the first time. For example,we had a task in Afghanistan to discover distantly places of diversionssituated 10 - 15 km away from the places of garrisons' location. When weoffered our system, we were told that it was from the area of fantasy.Nevertheless the systems were used and saved lives of tens and hundredsof soldiers. By the way, your colleagues from the research institute of firedefence asked us to help them to organize communication channels underthe ground, in the metro, where ultra-short waves communication worksonly at distance of 50 - 70 m. When we proposed to use radiolop, we weretold, that was fabulous. Nevertheless in 3 weeks we made 1,5 km channelthough there was necessity of only 250 m. This radiochannel can becondensed by reproducing information in the form of figure code. So insuch way it is possible to organize stable communication in any place ofthe building with steel framework, and this is very important when a fireoccurs. Untraditional methods give pleasant results. Man shouldn't work for along time in one area. His experience and knowledge can be used withsuccess in other areas. Our seminar with its untraditional approach tosolving the problem of superealy discovering must for sure lead to verygood results.

Organizing committee commentThis speech once again reaffirms the correctness of the method of brainattack that we use at the seminar and indicates that only by collectiveefforts of different profile specialists it is possible to get the desired results.

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Mamertchook B.M.

Causes of fires may be different. The most frequent causes of fireappearing at a ship are:

- malfunctions in electric equipment;- breakage of elements' thermoisolation of power grids;- infringement of the rules and conditions of storaging and usinginflammable and explosable substances, liquids and gases;

- careless handling of open fire and electrical heating applian ces bypersonnel.

So it wasn't by chance that I talked about the necessity of putting outreglamentary works in time, analyzing and talking about the causes offires. I find out, for example, the drop of isolation resistance. How greatwas this drop? Minimum resistance must be 100 MOm. Will there appear afire or not? We don't know. Once I was in the Mediterranian Sea on a ship with "zeroth ionizationpotential" of its hull. We de-energized starboard side, then port side, gavean alarm, started looking for the mechanism that "hulls". That's a precursorof fire. We wait for a fire but we can't find its cause. As soon as we came tonorthern latitudes a fire occurred. A simple electro-heater that wasn'tswitched on in the Mediterranian Sea started functioning in the North. There are different causes of fires and we have lots of life examplesof this. I think, we should proceed from the kind of a fire and from the unit'scharacteristics and this will determine the kind of detector. And the veryfirst "detector" is the functional duties that everyone must discharge on hisworking place, especially those who are responsible for electric equipment.There is a drop of isolation resistance - here is a fire precursor. Think,work, search for a reason?

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE COMMENT Rear admiral B.M. Mamertchook was the commander submarinesquadron of northern Navy, now he is the is the chief of the higher navalacademy of submarine navigation. From his speech we can understandthat the theme discussed at the seminar is also important for seamen.There is a field for future contacts.

Pavlov I.A.

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Professor Kiselyov defined as superearly such discovering when it ispossible to prevent fire by technical means. I'd like to give my owndefinition. Superearly discovering of an inflaming is the discovering of theincreasing significance of factors that determine an inflaming. The universally accepted factors are the essence of fuel, acidifier andsource of inflaming. But these are not all the factors. On board ofsubmarine there are about 80 tons of fuels in each compartment. Thefactor of fuel exist always. There is enough oxygen that is an acidifier.Potential sources of inflamings can be numerous. The temperature incompartments may vary from 15 to 80 degrees Celsius, but not alwaysthere occurs fire. So these are not all the factors. We should search forothers, that define the appearing of inflaming, and work upon these factors.Fire is a dynamic and quick-developing process and if we'll be able toregister the derivative of dangerous fire factors, than we'll be able to predictfire appearing.

Barskov M.K.

On ships and submarines there can be often observed latent andgradual development of fire. It is especially characteristic of defectiveelectroequipment and while destroying of thermoisolation of power grids. Inthe process of fire development we can mark out 3 stages: heating,smouldering and appearance of open fire. Each stage is accompanied by certain signs that let us find outdangerous fire situation and register the fact of inflaming. Nevertheless atpresent there is not a single system that would carry out the analysis of firesituation in compartments and in premises. Inspite of the variety of thedetectors, now-existing systems don't let us determine the appearance offire-dangerous situation, but they usually register only the fact of inflaming.Traditional methods and means, used in the systems of fire signaling donot allow us to provide the guaranteed discovering of local overheating inship equipment. Detectors and connection lines get out of use during thefire in 5-10 minutes, that doesn't let control distantly the process of puttingout the fire, estimate the efficiency and sufficiency of measures undertakenby personnel upon localization and liquidation of fire. We came to the conclusion that it is necessary to work anindicationsystem of new generation. Everybody understand that ship andsubmarine are concentrators of problems connected with fire danger.Really in each compartment the specific volume of correlation of inflamable

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and unflammable materials is probably one of the most critical compared toany object that is on the surface of earth. After the tragical accidents at thecruiser "Otvazny" and the submarine "Komsomolets" we came to theconclusion that things are not going well with the questions of fire-safety,with working out means of technical diagnostics for the prevention of firedanger and struggle against fire. There must be a complex, otherwise wewon't get positive result. In the Central Navy Research Institute number 1 there are interestingworks connected with providing fire- and explosion safety. Nothing heremust be kept as a secret, on the contrary we must take measures forsooner introduction of the things that we have worked out. We can talk alot about science, about its usefulness, but not always its results come tothe stage of introduction. There always exist a strict succession thatincludes research works and experiments, all kinds of tests and only afterthat - introduction. We can't overcome this chain in some other way. So wemust come from words to acting. On each stage it is necessary to decide,is the system of fire defense that is more expensive than the very objectworth of being created? Yes, scientific works must be carried out, but it isnecessary to define correctly the necessity of introducing its results on oneor another object. So today'seminar is very important. We all understandquite well that we have broken into the area that excites and disturbs us all,and we understood that in this area we work unfortunately not quitecarefully. We can use the experience that existed always in the area of militaryshipbuilding. If there occurred any problem that was to be solved quicklyan with minimum expenses, we always created inter-departmentalcoordination council. There were representatives of different organizationsin it that deal with researches and create examples of machinery fordifferent areas of science and production. And today for solving thediscussed problem may be it would be good to create such council.Representatives of different departments joined the seminar:representatives from aviation, navy, Ministry of internal affairs. Andprobably we won't be able to manage without such official union approvedby the heads of the departments, without joint plan of work, that wouldinclude discussions upon the problems in certain succession, and alsowithout getting financial support. These questions must be solved finally atthe next seminar.

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE COMMENT The idea is rather fruitful and pragmatic. It is worth of being studiedand supported. Let's take this idea into consideration and try to presentproposals upon general directions, the project of principal proposition uponthe activities of such council and its supposed composition.