Plastic bin storage with high roofs
Plastic bin storage with high roofs
(OP)
We constructed a 70000 square foot metal fabrication plant a few years back for a customer. It is fully sprinkled, with a design density of 0.35 gpm/sf. The eave height is about 55 feet. The building houses large metal stamping presses. The customer originally stored both finished and work-in-process parts in noncombustible wire cages.
Their customer is now using collapsable HDPE crates (or stack bins) for parts transport and storage. They typically stack the bins 4 to 5 high, which yields storage heights of about 20 feet. We have been asked to evaluate necessary changes to the fire protection system. We are having trouble finding a solution using NFPA 13 due to the excessive eave height. The building has overhead bridge cranes and 70 foot spans between columns. Anyone have any ideas?
Their customer is now using collapsable HDPE crates (or stack bins) for parts transport and storage. They typically stack the bins 4 to 5 high, which yields storage heights of about 20 feet. We have been asked to evaluate necessary changes to the fire protection system. We are having trouble finding a solution using NFPA 13 due to the excessive eave height. The building has overhead bridge cranes and 70 foot spans between columns. Anyone have any ideas?





RE: Plastic bin storage with high roofs
As I see it they have the following options, they may not like it, but sometimes we just need to say what u did is not in the books!
1. Have the client store the bins on a dedicated area and lower the ceiling via a suspended ceiling and then upgrade this area with ESFR. Separate this area from adjacent area with a draft curtain.
2. Store the product on a rack and put in-racks at each level of storage.
3. Go back to a wire cages.
4. Store the plastic outside in a trailer.
You may want to post this question on the American Fire Sprinkler Association e-mail forum to.
sprinklerforum@firesprinkler.org