FLAME SPREAD AND SMOKE & TOXICITY TESTING INTERPRETATIONS FOR PLASTIC PIPES

Lightweight composite materials are increasingly used in the ship industry as a substitute to their heavier steel alternatives. These materials are often inherently flammable and require an assessment of the fire risk associated with their flame spread and smoke & toxicity in order to enable their safe usage. However, for plastic pipes there are contradictions within the IMO (International Maritime Organisation) guidelines which lead to different interpretations and different implementations. The goal of this work is to evaluate whether smoke and toxicity is adequately assessed for products currently approved for use and commercially available on the market. Testing according to standardised means given in the IMO code shows that the materials fail both flame spread and smoke & toxicity testing. This proves that there are different interpretations and illustrates the need for clarity in this area to enable safe and consistent use of these materials.

Effect of Reaction Time and Hydrothermal Treatment Time on the Textural Properties of SBA-15 Synthesized Using Sodium Silicate as a Silica Source and Its Efficiency for Reducing Tobacco Smoke Toxicity

The synthesis of SBA-15 has been optimized using sodium silicate, an inexpensive precursor of SBA-15. In this work, the influence of synthesis times of the precipitation and the hydrothermal treatment steps, on the textural properties developed as well as for reducing the toxic compounds generated in tobacco smoking, has been studied. The hydrothermal treatment has been proved to be necessary to obtain materials with adequate performance in this particular application. Twenty-four hours of hydrothermal treatment provide materials with the best properties. Although the reaction stage usually involves the mixing of reagents during 24 h, 40 min is enough to obtain a material with stick-like morphology and typical textural properties. Moreover, between 1 and 2 h of reaction time, the material proved to have the best performance for the purpose of reducing the toxicity of the products generated during the tobacco smoking process. These results are of great significance for an eventual scaling up to industrial scale of the SBA-15 manufacturing process. Results of a pilot plant experiment in a batch of 4 kg of SBA-15 are reported.

Flame behaviour, fire hazard and fire testing approach for lightweight composite claddings – a review

Purpose The purpose of this study is to review and summarise the existing available literature on lightweight cladding systems to provide detailed information on fire behaviour (ignitibility, heat release rate and smoke toxicity) and various test method protocols. Additionally, the paper discusses the challenges and provides updated knowledge and recommendation on selective-fire mechanisms such as rapid-fire spread, air cavity and fire re-entry behaviours due to dripping and melting of lightweight composite claddings. Design/methodology/approach A comprehensive literature review on fire behaviour, fire hazard and testing methods of lightweight composite claddings has been conducted in this research. In summarising all possible fire hazards, particular attention is given to the potential impact of toxicity of lightweight cladding fires. In addition, various criteria for fire performance evaluation of lightweight composite claddings are also highlighted. These evaluations are generally categorised as small-, intermediate- and large-scale test methods. Findings The major challenges of lightweight claddings are rapid fire spread, smoke production and toxicity and inconsistency in fire testing. Originality/value The review highlights the current challenges in cladding fire, smoke toxicity, testing system and regulation to provide some research recommendations to address the identified challenges.