When there is a fire or an explosion incident where gas is possibly involved, it is standard practice to test the operation of gas system regulators that are present and in a condition that allows them to be tested. In some cases, regulators are catastrophically destroyed and no operational testing can be performed. Yet, in other cases, a regulator that is subject to some degree of fire exposure may not be considered catastrophically destroyed. Great care should be exercised prior to concluding that a regulator which has been exposed to uncontrolled fire conditions either failed or was in a defective condition prior to the exposure.

This whitepaper evaluates:

• The impact of heat impingement to the integrity of a selected gas regulator model.
• The range of temperatures and exposure times under which the regulator can be expected to remain operable.
• The range of temperatures and exposure times under which the integrity of the regulator can be expected to fail.
• Pre and post exposure comparative analysis and testing on the regulators and their internal components.
• Laboratory oven testing combined with existing research on heat degradation of various material parts within the regulator.
• Recommendations made to investigators evaluating regulators that have been exposed to heat or flame but are considered as a potential causative factor in a fire or explosion incident.