Methods to Quantify Smoke Detection Performance in Risk-informed Engineering Applications

The use of risk-informed, performance-based methods have gained popularity as an alternative to prescriptive fire protection requirements in the US commercial nuclear power industry. To achieve optimal benefit, quantifying the risk to a facility from the effects of fire in a probabilistic risk assessment is essential. An important element of this assessment involves quantifying the performance of smoke detection systems. The methods currently available to quantify their performance are presented, along with simulation-based method that has yet to mature into viable solution.