How is a Fan Door Integrity Test Done ?

A Room Integrity Fan Test, also known as a Door Fan Test, is simply a way to measure the leakage of an enclosure. A large fan is temporarily installed in the doorway of the room to be tested, with the fan blowing into the room (pressurizing the room). The fan speed is adjusted to obtain flow pressure equivalent to the pressure exerted during a fire suppression system discharge. The fan is then reversed on the door to draw air from the room (depressurizing the room). The airflow and pressure readings obtained are entered into a computer program designed to calculate the equivalent leakage area (ELA) for the room. When a room has a suspended (drop) ceiling, then the below ceiling leakage area (BCLA) is calculated as one-half the total ELA and is used in the calculations for retention time.

Given that most gaseous chemical agents used for fire suppression are heavier than air, the agent will begin to leak out of any lower level penetrations left unsealed. The rate at which the agent leaks is directly proportional to the amount of leakage at higher elevations of the room. As agent leaks out, fresh air replaces it from above. The point where fresh air above meets the concentration air mixture is called the descending interface.

Because of its nature, a Door Fan Test will always calculate the worse case leakage for the room. It draws air through leaks in the room and under the floor as well as above the suspended ceiling to predict the descending interface of the suppression agent. The length of time it takes for the descending interface to reach the minimum protected height identifies the concentration hold time. (https://www.orrprotection.com/mcfp/clean-agent-fire-suppression-room-integrity-testing)