Classifying Shipping Pod with Undefined Storage?

1/7/2022

What is the proper approach to classify a storage container that could be filled with any handful of miscellaneous materials?

We have a project and can't seem to get a straight answer from anyone, including the local plan reviewer.

These are basically 8-foot tall steel shipping containers that are pod-type portable storage units, where people can load their belongings into them and these pods get collected inside this warehouse until the original owners need them.

The existing warehouse building has a CMDA system, designed at 0.38 gpm over 2,000 sqft.

Has anyone here had experience going about classifying these shielded hazards with non-defined storage inside?

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9 Comments

Paul Pinigis

1/7/2022 08:08:49 am

So, what the sprinklers will see is a metal box with a fire inside. Since the contents are any mix of household goods, I would consider it a Class IV commodity.

Franck

1/7/2022 08:33:00 am

What you describe is part of the "grey area", where no straightforward solution exists. And is out of the scope of NFPA 13.
You cannot identify a proper commodity class, as some of them may be a class II or class III, while other could be a group A plastic, or even worse if they contain flammable liquids with no retention means, for example, or barbecue with gas containers that may explode, or ammunitions and fireworks...

But there are some good news.
What is the probability to have a fire inside ? Very very low as there is normally no source of energy (even though not nil, as you may have Li-ion batteries with a potential failure, or possible slow developing fire when you pack the stuff inside the container).
What is the probability to have a fire within the container to go out and spread to other one?
Very limited as well.
Why ?
Because when the fire inside the container will spread out of it, it will activate the sprinkler system at the ceiling level and if the other exposed materials are themselves inside metal box containers, the wetting and cooling effect from the ceiling sprinkler system, with the density you indicate, is much more than what would be required for an exposure protection of a building.
This means that everything inside the burning container will be lost, and items stored in containers directly agaisnt may be damaged to a certain limit (fire damages by conduction).

It is difficult to say that you don't have a potential issue. The only problem is that you normally don't know what is inside the box. But the probability to have a situation out of control is, to my personal point of view, very limited.
Just be sure to keep some seperation distance between the containers, so that the sprinkler protection from the ceiling can act as a cooling effect for exposed containers.

Alex

1/7/2022 10:30:44 am

To add onto Franks comment regarding the limited to no fire ignition, if you have lithium batteries, ensure you have thermal runaway measures. This is off topic but key when it comes to limiting hazards.

Dave

1/7/2022 11:15:02 am

For all we know, Schrödinger's cat could be in the box.

Casey Milhorn

1/7/2022 02:43:04 pm

And to make it worse, the storage classification for live cats is completely different than dead ones.... Dave, you just added a whole other level of complication to his issue.... lol

1/7/2022 08:52:45 am

We wound up turning down a project like, but the plan we were proposing was to establish a floor plan with predetermined layouts of the pods, paint the layout on the floor, run a dropdown system with flex drops with sprinklers located in the places where you would be able to protect the pods if they were there. You would have to drill holes for pendents or sidewalls into the pods that can be used for sprinklers while inside, but can also be plugged while the pod is being used. Most pods I've seen are metal and be protected by 2 sprinklers. It's not covered by NFPA 13 or FM Global that I am aware of so I would talk to the AHJ and propose a calculation of 1 or 2 pods flowing at a time for storage up to 18" down from the deflector. In our area this would need to be signed and sealed by an FPE as well so their input would be needed. The best bet for a tenant like this is to lease space in a building that does not require sprinklers. I'm interested in hearing the results.

Glenn Berger

1/7/2022 08:55:59 am

Congrats - You are getting the same run-a-round that has become a standard practice. While there should be no ignition sources within the POD, AHJs do not accept this scenario.

For your particular set-up: Are the PODs stack on each other or are they placed within a rack assembly? What is the configuration that is proposed? How are the PODs moved around when they are received and then ready for transport out? What is the gross square footage of the facility?

These are just the basic questions that needs to be determined prior to picking sprinkler system configuration for this potential scenario.

Jesse

1/7/2022 08:59:54 am

This has been the bane of many of our existence for a long time.

Franck has a great answer.

Brian Gerdwagen FPE

1/7/2022 09:44:11 am

I have always used Factory Mutual Data Sheet 3-26 when I have had to design for something like this. "Highway trailers, trucks, boxcars, or similar metal vehicles with combustible materials with the potential for a shielded fire." It uses HC-3, 0.3/2500 if the ceiling is up to 30', and 0.5/3000 if over 30' to the roof. Last time I used this was for indoor RV storage, but it may be appropriate for your scenario if the containers are one level high.

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Classifying Shipping Pod with Undefined Storage?

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