Applus+ Laboratories, the division of the Applus+ Group specialised in testing, engineering and product certification, has at its disposal new specialist facilities in which it will be able to perform flame-propagation tests, such as the Jet Fire test (ISO 22899-2), which are key for the maritime, chemical and oil and gas industries.
Applus+ Laboratories, the division of the Applus+ Group specialised in
testing,
engineering and
product certification, now has at its disposal new outdoor facilities enabling the performance of tests with flames, gases and explosives that cannot take place in a laboratory.
These facilities are located in the Can Padró training ground (just a few kilometers from the Applus+ main technological centre in Spain). They have been specifically designed to simulate dangerous situations and they make it possible to perform large-scale tests.
One of the main outdoor tests Applus+ will perform is the Jet Fire Test. This test consists of evaluating the flame resistance of
passive fire-protection products (doors, walls, roofing, fuel tanks) in virulent fires with a high rate of spread of the flames. To achieve this, the sample to be tested is continuously submitted to a burning combustible stream (jet fire) to check that it complies with the requirements established by ISO 22899-2, amongst others.
The Jet Fire Test simulates the jet fire caused by a leak in a tank, pipe or other equipment in which flammable fuel is stored or transported under pressure. At the moment, there are only five laboratories in the world capable of performing this highly specialist test, which is designed for shutters and construction elements installed in vessels, chemical plants, fuel tanks, oil or gas platforms.
The new facilities will also enable Applus+ to develop other lines of business related to explosives or ballistics. Currently, Applus+ is the only Spanish laboratory that is dedicated to the
assessment of the physical security of safes, and one of the main laboratories at the European level. These new outdoor facilities will provide Applus+ with the capacity to perform new tests with explosives and gas to evaluate the degree of protection of safes.