scholarly journals Use of the cone calorimeter to detect seasonal differences in selected combustion characteristics of ornamental vegetation

2005 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 321 ◽  
Author(s):  
David R. Weise ◽  
Robert H. White ◽  
Frank C. Beall ◽  
Matt Etlinger

The flammability of living vegetation is influenced by a variety of factors, including moisture content, physical structure and chemical composition. The relative flammability of ornamental vegetation is of interest to homeowners seeking to make their homes ‘fire safe’. The relative importance of the factors influencing fire behaviour characteristics, such as flammability, is unknown. In the present study, oxygen consumption calorimetry was used to obtain selected combustion characteristics of ornamental vegetation. Peak heat release rate, mass loss rate, time to ignition and effective heat of combustion of 100 × 100-mm samples of foliage and small branches were measured using a bench-scale cone calorimeter. Green and oven-dry samples of 10 species were collected and tested seasonally for a period of 1 year. Similar measurements were made on whole shrubs in an intermediate-scale calorimeter. The range of cone calorimeter peak heat release rates for green and oven-dry samples was 1–176 and 49–331 kW m−2, respectively. Moisture content significantly reduced heat release rates and increased time to ignition. Peak heat release rates for Olea europea and Adenostoma fasciculatum were consistently highest over the year of testing; Aloe sp. consistently had the lowest heat release rate. The correlation of peak heat release rates measured by the cone calorimeter and an intermediate-scale calorimeter was statistically significant yet low (0.51). The use of the cone calorimeter as a tool to establish the relative flammability rating for landscape vegetation requires additional investigation.

Wood Research ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 66 (6) ◽  
pp. 933-942
Author(s):  
ZHIGANG WU ◽  
XUE DENG ◽  
LIFEN LI ◽  
LIPING YU ◽  
JIE CHEN ◽  
...  

A high-efficiency fire retardant composition was prepared with dicyandiamide, phosphoric acid, boric acid, borax, urea and magnesium sulfate and it was used to process veneers which were then to prepare the plywood. Meanwhile, heat release and smoke release from combustion of plywood were tested by a cone calorimeter, including heat release rate, mass loss rate, CO yield, CO2 yield and oxygen consumption. Results showed that the plywood with this fire retardant treatment had the better flame-retardant performance and smoke suppression effect as well as the stronger char-forming capability compared to plywood without fire retardant treatment. The average heat release rate, total heat release, average effective heat of combustion, total smoke release, CO yield and oxygen consumption of the plywood with fire retardant treatment were decreased by 63.72%, 91.94%, 53.70%, 76.81%, 84.99% and 91.86%, respectively. Moreover, the fire growth index of plywood treated by fire retardant was relatively low (3.454 kW·m-2·s-1) and it took longer time to reach the peak heat release rate, accompanied with slow fire spreading. The fire performance index was relatively high (0.136 s·m2·kW-1) and it took longer time to be ignited, thus leaving a long time for escaping at fire accidents. The fire hazard of plywood with fire retardant treatment was low, and its safety level was high.


2011 ◽  
Vol 217-218 ◽  
pp. 631-635
Author(s):  
Yong Wang

This paper, analyzes some parameters with the help of Cone Calorimeter (CONE) for the time to ignition, smoke extinction area, heat release rate, carbon monoxide yield and mass loss rate. The results show that the fire retardant agents affect KVV’s flame retardant property. Such as TTI ( time to ignition ) is prolonged to nearly two times, and the average HRR ( heat release rate ) reduces about 18% compared with the ordinary one and the maximum HRR down about 33%of its counterpart.


2010 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 484-490 ◽  
Author(s):  
Romualdas Mačiulaitis ◽  
Vladas Praniauskas

The paper analyses three different wood products used for research exposing them to the surface heat flow density of 30 kW/m2, 50 kW/m2 and 70 kW/m2 and applying the test method described in ISO 5660–1 Reaction‐to‐fire tests – Heat release, smoke production and mass loss rate – Part 1: Heat release rate (Cone calorimeter method). Research was performed applying 18 mm and 29 mm thick laminated wood chipboards and 24 mm thick medium density fibreboard. The paper provides an overview of the fire properties of wood products and discusses testing methods and the percentage composition of the tested wood products. Mean time to their ignition was determined. The mean values of the maximum heat release rate and time required to achieve them were investigated. Furthermore, the measurements of the released heat and efficient heat of combustion were taken. Further research covers the performance of statistic analysis, deriving empiric equations, correlation and determination coefficients, standard errors and Student criterion. The results of research are summarized. Conclusions are provided at the end of the paper. Santrauka Straipsnyje nagrinejami trys skirtingi medienos gaminiai, su kuriais atlikti tyrimai veikiant 30 kW/m2, 50 kW/m2bei 70 kW/m2 paviršiniais šilumos srautais taikant ISO 5660–1 “Reaction‐to‐fire tests – Heat release, smoke production and mass loss rate – Part 1: Heat release rate (Cone calorimeter method)” bandymo metoda. Tyrimai atlikti su 18 mm ir 29 mm storio laminuotomis medžio drožliu plokštemis bei 24 mm storio vidutinio tankio plaušo plokšte. Darbe apžvel‐giamos medienos gaminiu gaisrines savybes. Aptariama bandymo metodika ir tirtu medienos gaminiu procentine sudetis. Nustatytas vidutinis laikas iki ju užsidegimo. Ištirti vidutiniai maksimalios šilumos išsiskyrimo greičio ir laiko iki ju pasiekimo dydžiai, taip pat išmatuota visa išskirta šiluma ir efektyvi degimo šiluma. Atlikta statistine analize, gautos em‐pirines lygtys, koreliacijos bei determinacijos koeficientai, standartines paklaidos bei Stjudento kriterijai. Apibendrinami tyrimo rezultatai. Darbo pabaigoje suformuluojamos išvados.


2018 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abhishek Bhargava ◽  
Patrick Van Hees ◽  
Bjarne Husted ◽  
Antonio Rodolfo Junior ◽  
Corina Neumeister

A heat transfer and sub-grid chemical reaction kinetic model for solid phase combustion of a charring polymer is presented based on distributed reactivity modeling approach. The model is used to compute flammability parameters of a polymer sheet of a given thickness to simulate test results of a cone calorimeter experiment. Comparison of model simulations with cone calorimeter test data shows that it gives reasonable prediction of mass loss rate, heat release rate, and total heat released of poly-vinyl chloride (PVC) and ethyl vinyl acetate–aluminum tri-hydroxide (EVA-ATH). The solution of governing equations with the current form of distributed reactivity modeling model poses numerical challenges due to appearance of a double integral in the chemical reaction model. Hence, an analytical approximation has been derived to solve mass and energy conservation equations representing the model. Simulation results indicate that with the approximated form of the distributed reactivity modeling model, along with the input parameters retrieved from literature, the model shows comparatively good predictions for EVA-ATH for mass loss rate, heat release rate, and total heat released, but calculates under-predicted values for PVC.


2017 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolas Hernandez ◽  
Rodolphe Sonnier ◽  
Stéphane Giraud

The flammability of nine polypropylene fabrics or sheets has been tested using cone calorimeter at various heat fluxes (25, 35, 50, and 75 kW/m2) in order to assess the relevance of this fire test for thermally thin materials. The chosen procedure uses a grid and allows maintaining a constant exposed surface during the test, except for the lightest fabric. The structure of the knitted fabrics has a relatively small influence on the main flammability parameters. On the contrary, the area density of the sample (from 218 to 5729 g/m2) impacts strongly the time to ignition, the peak of heat release rate, and the increase in heat release rate after ignition (fire growth rate). At a fixed heat flux, thicker is the sample, higher are the time to ignition and the peak of heat release rate and lower is the fire growth rate. Moreover, thick samples exhibit the highest sensitivity of peak of heat release rate and the lowest sensitivity of fire growth rate to heat flux. This study emphasizes the fact that a moderate change in weight may have a significant influence on cone calorimeter results, without any significance on real flammability.


2019 ◽  
Vol 118 ◽  
pp. 01034
Author(s):  
Guoan Zhang ◽  
Lingling Wei ◽  
Junhao Gao ◽  
Tingting Qiu ◽  
Rongnan Yuan ◽  
...  

Polyvinyl chloride foam (PVC) is widely used as the wall materials of the high-speed train. The combustion characteristics of PVC foam under the heat fluxes of 20-60 kW/m2 are investigated by fire Propagation Apparatus (FPA). The results show that the ignition time of PVC foam decreases with the increase of heat flux. The peak of heat release rate, mass loss rate and smoke production rate increase with the increase of heat flux. Under the condition of 60 kW/m2, the heat release rate has the peak value of 109.10 kW/m2. The research on the combustion characteristics of the PVC can be used to analyse the fire risk of the train and guide the formulation of safety measures.


2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (12) ◽  
pp. 1705-1715 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yousof M Ghazzawi ◽  
Andres F Osorio ◽  
Michael T Heitzmann

The fire performance of polycarbonate resin and the role of glass fibre reinforcement in altering the fire performance was investigated. Three different fibre weaves with comparable surface density, plain, twill, and unidirectional glass fabrics, were used as reinforcements. E-glass fabrics were solution-impregnated with polycarbonate/dichloromethyl, laid up, and compression-moulded to consolidate the glass fibre reinforced polycarbonate composite. Cone calorimetry tests with an incident radiant flux of 35 kW/m2 were used to investigate the fire properties of polycarbonate resin and its composites. Results showed that glass fibre reinforcement improves polycarbonate performance by delaying its ignition, decreasing its heat release rate, and lowering the mass loss rate. The three fibre weave types exhibited similar time to ignition. However, unidirectional fibre had a 35% lower peak heat release rate followed when compared to plain and twill weave fibres.


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