Together with TÜV NORD Akademie the Center for Fire and Explosion Safety of DMT GmbH & Co. KG held the expert conference "Fire and Explosion Safety in Power Plants" on June 22 and 23, 2010. More than 80 participants took advantage of this two-day meeting of experts to gain an overview of the requirements, solutions and concepts in this complex of themes.

Under the heading "Experts in Dialogue" a forum was set up for planners, constructors and operators of power plants, personnel from professional, in-plant and auxiliary fire services, as well as for fire safety officers and personnel from the domains of maintenance and occupational safety. Acknowledged specialists exchanged worldwide experience and best- practice solutions with international experts and discussed problem-solving approaches.

Holistic concepts

The matters of prime interest included holistic fire and explosion safety concepts for power plants and the discussion of possible divergences between theory and practice. In addition papers were presented on the conversion and extension of power plant sites from the point of view of fire safety, on new knowledge concerning the fire behavior of insulation fluids and on the fire safety of transformers. The measures that have to be taken for the fire and explosion safety of coal mills were also discussed and they stimulated a lively debate.

The fire safety organization at RWE Power AG was presented as an example from actual practice. In addition particular duties and liability aspects for power plant operators connected with fire and explosion safety were examined from the point of view of a legal specialist. The first day of the conference was rounded off with a survey of the current state of special extinguishing systems for power plants.

High priority

Within the conference and during the interesting discussions it became clear that special significance is attached to safety in the planning, construction, operation and maintenance of power plants. Fire and explosion events in particular can have serious consequences, such as the shut-down of the whole power plant or, in the worst case, personal casualties. But the different power plant systems are so complex and varied that all safety systems and concepts invariably have to be tailored to the relevant plant type.

Of all things, fire and explosion safety are given very high priority in a power plant. Architects, owners of plants under construction, contractors and plant operators are often confronted with an overwhelming mass of specifications and regulations. On top of this there are the requirements imposed by the different plants, sectors, and accident or property insurers. It is therefore essential for all power plants therefore that the safety strategy and system applied are optimized specifically to suit them. Alongside the individual protective goals, economic aspects are also crucial.

Realistic fire tests

On the second day of the conference the program included the demonstration of realistic fire tests in Germany's longest fire tunnel at the DMT Center for Fire and Explosion Safety. Under authentic conditions it was possible to give an impressive demonstration of the spread of fire and smoke, taking as an example conveyor belts. In addition the DMT experts used fire and smoke tests to highlight the possibilities and practical limits of fire alarm systems in power plants.

In view of the great success of the conference, participants and organizers were agreed that they would meet again next year at the next Expert Conference in the Westfalenhalle Conference Center in Dortmund – with new and topical papers and experience reports on everything to do with "Fire and Explosion Safety in Power Plants".

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