Effects of variations in incident heat flux when using cone calorimeter test data for prediction of full‐scale heat release rates of polyurethane foam

The development of methods to predict full‐scale fire behaviour using small‐scale test data is of great interest to the fire community. This study evaluated the ability of one model, originally developed during the European Combustion Behaviour of Upholstered Furniture (CBUF) project, to predict heat release rates. Polyurethane foam specimens were tested in the furniture calorimeter using both centre and edge ignition locations. Input data were obtained using cone calorimeter tests and infrared video‐based flame area measurements. Two particular issues were investigated: how variations in incident heat flux in cone calorimeter tests impact heat release rate predictions, and the ability of the model to predict results for different foam thicknesses. Heat release rate predictions showed good agreement with experimental results, particularly during the growth phase of the fire. The model was more successful in predicting results for edge ignition tests than for centre ignition tests and in predicting results for thinner foams. Results indicated that because of sensitivity of the burning behaviour to foam specimen geometry and ignition location, a single incident heat flux could not be specified for generating input for the CBUF model. Potential methods to determine appropriate cone calorimeter input for various geometries and ignition locations are discussed. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Assessing the performance of intumescent coatings using bench‐scaled cone calorimeter and finite difference simulations

A method was developed to assess the heat insulation performance of intumescent coatings. The method consists of temperature measurements using the bench‐scaled experimental set‐up of a cone calorimeter and finite difference simulation to calculate the effective thermal conductivity dependent on time/temperature. This simulation procedure was also adapted to the small scale test furnace, in which the standard time–temperature curve is applied to a larger sample and thus which provides results relevant for approval. Investigations on temperature and calculated effective thermal conduction were performed on intumescent coatings in both experimental set‐ups using various coating thicknesses. The results correspond to each other as well as showing the limits of transferability between both fire tests. It is shown that bench‐scaled cone calorimeter tests are a valuable tool for assessing and predicting the performance of intumescent coatings in larger tests relevant for approval. The correlation fails for processes at surface temperatures above 750°C, which are not reached in the cone calorimeter, but are attained in the small scale furnace set‐up. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of flame heat flux on thermal response and fire properties of char‐forming composite materials

This study evaluates the effect of flame heat flux on the prediction of thermal response and fire properties of a char‐forming composite material. A simplified two‐layer flame model was developed and incorporated into a heat transfer thermal model to predict the thermal response and fire reaction characteristics of a burning material. A typical char‐forming material, E‐glass reinforced polyester composite, was used in the study. A cone calorimeter was used to measure the fire reaction characteristics of the composite. The flame heat flux in a cone calorimeter test setup was estimated using the simplified flame model. Thermal response and fire property predictions with and without the effect of flame heat flux were compared with experimental data obtained from the cone calorimeter tests. Results showed that the average flame heat flux of the composite in a cone calorimeter was 19.1 ± 6 kW/m² from model predictions. The flame had a significant effect on the thermal response and fire properties of the composite around the first heat release peak but the effect decreased rapidly afterwards. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

膨胀阻燃聚丙烯材料燃烧的模拟研究

通过对膨胀阻燃聚丙烯材料在锥形量热仪实验条件下燃烧的分析和研究,建立了能够描述膨胀阻燃材料升温、燃烧过程的物理模型.同时考虑传质传热过程并结合膨胀速度的经验公式,建立了膨胀阻燃聚合物燃烧的数学模型.实验中测量了样品在膨胀燃烧过程中的样品厚度随时间变化规律.通过比较发现,模拟的样品厚度随时间变化曲线与实验结果吻合较好,模型比较可靠.模型还可模拟样品在火灾燃烧过程中的温度分布.     

Effects of natural weathering on the fire properties of intumescent fire‐retardant coatings

Fire‐retardant coatings could be one option for providing enhanced protection to buildings during a wildfire, particularly when applied to combustible siding and in under‐eave areas. Limited studies have been conducted on their effectiveness but maintaining adequate performance after weathering has been questioned. This paper reports on a study evaluating the effect of natural weathering on the performance of intumescent‐type fire‐retardant coatings. The main concerns were (a) the reduction of ignition resistance of the coating after weathering and (b) the coating might contribute as a combustible fuel and assist the fire growth after weathering. This study evaluated the performance of 3 intumescent coatings that were exposed to natural weathering conditions for up to 12 months. A bench‐scale evaluation using a cone calorimeter was used to evaluate the performance of the coatings at 3 heat flux levels (30, 50, and 70 kW/m²). Our results showed that weathering exposure reduced the effectiveness of fire protection of intumescent coatings, but the weathered coatings did not act as additional fuels. Weathering orientation showed much less effect on the performance of intumescent coatings in comparison to other parameters. There was statistical evidence that weathering duration, heat flux level, and coating type affected the combustion properties.     

Prediction of heat release in the single burning item test

This paper presents a modification of an existing mathematical model that uses cone calorimeter test results to predict heat release rate in the single burning item (SBI) test. A method for classification of cases based on multivariate statistical analysis is incorporated in the modified model. This makes it possible to determine the development of the heat release curve in the SBI test with better precision than the original version was able to. The model has been applied to 100 cases of cone calorimeter test results from 33 different products. For most of the products the predicted shape and level of the heat release curves are close to measurements in the SBI test. Using the predicted heat release results as input to calculation of FIGRA_0.2MJ and THR_600s within the new European system for reaction‐to‐fire classification, we were able to predict membership of the correct class in 90% of the analysed cases. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

茶皂素基膨胀型阻燃剂的制备及其在涂料中的应用

采用多羟基、多羧基的活性天然产物茶皂素为原料,与聚磷酸铵和季戊四醇在一定条件下反应,制备一种聚磷酸酯类茶皂素基三位一体新型环保膨胀型阻燃剂。采用傅里叶红外分析技术对阻燃剂进行了结构表征,采用综合热分析仪对阻燃剂的热降解性能进行了研究。结果表明,茶皂素与聚磷酸铵、季戊四醇发生反应,生成聚磷酸酯类茶皂素基膨胀型阻燃剂,且该阻燃剂具有良好的热稳定性,降解热释放较小,高温残留率高,最终的质量残留率高达30.77%。将制备阻燃剂用于阻燃涂料中,并采用氧指数测试仪和锥形量热仪研究了阻燃涂料的阻燃性能和热解性能。研究表明,茶皂素基三位一体膨胀型阻燃剂能显著提高涂料的阻燃性能,阻燃涂料的氧指数值高达34.2%,耐火时间为11.1 min,且锥形量热实验中,该阻燃涂料试样的平均热释放速率（m-HRR）为36.18 kW/m2,总热释放量（THR）为5.25 kJ/m2,平均有效燃烧热（m-EHC）为5.11 kJ/kg,与含复合型阻燃剂的阻燃涂料试样相比,阻燃性能得到极大提高。该制备阻燃剂不含卤素,集三源一体,具有阻燃性能优越,相容性能良好,高效环保等优点。     

Testing fire protective properties of intumescent coatings by in-line temperature measurements on a cone calorimeter

An experimental setup was proposed for evaluating the thermal shielding efficiency of intumescent coatings. In particular, a cone calorimeter as heater source was coupled with a thermocouple as detector of the temperature of steel plates coated with intumescent coatings. According to ENV 13381-4 test procedure, the heating curves of the setup was measured by plate thermocouple and compared with ISO 834 standard curve. Meanwhile, the comparison was also made between temperature profiles of blank steel plates at different heat fluxes and unprotected steel elements under ISO fire. The possible correlation between bench scale and large scale test was hence discussed. Several factors (heat flux, distance to cone heater, coating thickness, sample size, edge effect and heat insulator) were deeply investigated and discussed: significant relationships between these parameters and the thermal protective properties of the intumescent coating were evidenced; furthermore a fully developed intumescent char could be obtained by controlling the aforementioned parameters. As a conclusion, the proposed bench-scale test was found to be comparable to the large scale test only in the early heating stages.     

A theoretical model for quantifying expansion of intumescent coating under different heating conditions

This article presents an analytical method to calculate the expansion of intumescent coatings under different heating and fire conditions, being the most critical step in quantifying their fire protection performance under different conditions. The proposed method extends that of Amon and Denson, originally developed for spherical bubbles in viscous fluid subject to increase in pressure within the bubbles, to intumescent coatings with non‐uniform temperature field and temperature‐dependent viscosity. The pressure increase inside the bubbles is a result of the conversion of intumescent coatings from melt to gases at high temperatures. The extended analytical method has been used to predict the expansion processes of intumescent coatings tested by Zhang et al. under cone calorimeter with different heating rates and under furnace fire condition with different temperature–time curves, and those of Muller under cone calorimeter heating. In these tests, intumescent coatings were applied to steel plates and the tests examined the effects of different coating thicknesses and steel plate thicknesses, therefore allowing the fire and cone calorimeter tests to encompass a wide range of temperatures and rates of heating. Comparison of the analytical calculation and test results indicates that the proposed method is suitable for quantifying the expansion process of intumescent coatings. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 56:798–809, 2016. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Flame retarded epoxy resins by adding layered silicate in combination with the conventional protection‐layer‐building flame retardants melamine borate and ammonium polyphosphate

The pyrolysis and flammability of phosphonium‐modified layered silicate epoxy resin nanocomposites (EP/LS) were evaluated when LS was combined with two flame retardants, melamine borate (MB) and ammonium polyphosphate (APP), that also act via a surface protection layer. Thermogravimetry (TG), TG coupled with Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (TG‐FTIR), oxygen index (LOI), UL 94 burning chamber (UL 94) and cone calorimeter were used. The glassy coating because of 10 wt % MB during combustion showed effects in the cone calorimeter test similar to nanodispersed LS, and somewhat better flame retardancy in flammability tests, such as LOI and UL 94. Adding APP to EP resulted in intumescent systems. The fire retardancy was particularly convincing when 15 wt % APP was used, especially for low external heat flux, and thus, also in flammability tests like LOI and UL 94. V0 classification is achieved when 15 wt % APP is used in EP. The flame retardancy efficiency of the protection layers formed does not increase linearly with the MB and APP concentrations used. The combination of LS with MB or APP shows antagonism; thus the performance of the combination of LS with MB or APP, respectively, was disappointing. No optimization of the carbonaceous‐inorganic surface layer occurred for LS‐MB. Combining LS with APP inhibited the intumescence, most probably through an increase in viscosity clearly above the value needed for intumescent behavior. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

叶蜡石改性膨胀型涂料阻燃性能研究

为了提高木质胶合板的阻燃性能,以聚磷酸铵(APP)-季戊四醇(PER)-尿素为基础配方,叶蜡石粉作为改性添加剂制备膨胀型阻燃涂料(IFRC);采用锥形量热仪、静态接触角测量仪、扫描电镜、X射线衍射仪和拉力机等仪器对试样的阻燃性能、疏水性能和力学性能进行了表征,并且研究了叶蜡石粉含量对所制备涂料性能的影响。结果表明:在膨胀型阻燃涂料中加入适量的叶蜡石可以提高涂料的阻燃效果,当掺加叶蜡石粉的质量分数为2%时,涂料的火灾增长指数(FGI)降低了47%,火灾性能指数(FPI)增加了89%,并且阻燃性能指数(FRI)提高至2.5倍;叶蜡石粉的加入促进涂层在燃烧过程中形成连续致密的炭层结构,并形成了可以有效隔绝氧气和热量的熔融态物质,进一步增强了涂料的阻燃隔热性能;此时涂层的疏水性能和燃烧后木质胶合板的力学性能达到最佳,水接触角增大了8°,拉伸强度提高了45%,断裂伸长率也提高至8.5倍。本文研究结果对木质胶合板阻燃体系涂料配方的开发有一定的参考作用。     

聚丙烯膨胀成炭行为对裂解燃烧过程的影响

对膨胀阻燃聚丙烯材料在锥形量热仪试验条件下的燃烧过程进行了研究，分析了材料膨胀成炭行为对裂解燃烧过程的影响。测量了纯聚丙烯及膨胀阻燃聚丙烯在膨胀燃烧过程中的质量损失速率、热释放速率和炭层膨胀高度随时间变化规律。分析了膨胀高度、膨胀速度、炭层结构对裂解燃烧的影响。结果表明，随着膨胀阻燃剂添加量的增加，膨胀升高的速度有加快的趋势；随着外部辐射功率的加大，膨胀速度加快。聚丙烯材料的炭层整体性越强，炭层结构越致密，阻隔效果越好，热释放速率越低。通过对材料膨胀成炭过程的理论分析也验证了膨胀高度（或膨胀速度）和炭层的结构都对裂解燃烧过程有很大的影响。     

Development of fire‐retarded materials—Interpretation of cone calorimeter data

There is little consensus within the fire science community on interpretation of cone calorimeter data, but there is a significant need to screen new flammability modified materials using the cone calorimeter. This article is the result of several discussions aiming to provide guidance in the use and interpretation of cone calorimetry for those directly involved with such measurements. This guidance is essentially empirical, and is not intended to replace the comprehensive scientific studies that already exist. The guidance discusses the fire scenario with respect to applied heat flux, length scale, temperature, ventilation, anaerobic pyrolysis and set‐up represented by the cone calorimeter. The fire properties measured in the cone calorimeter are discussed, including heat release rate and its peak, the mass loss and char yield, effective heat of combustion and combustion efficiency, time to ignition and CO and smoke production together with deduced quantities such as FIGRA and MARHE. Special comments are made on the use of the cone calorimeter relating to sample thickness, textiles, foams and intumescent materials, and the distance of the cone heater from the sample surface. Finally, the relationship between cone calorimetry data and other tests is discussed. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Influence of external heat flux and coating thickness on the thermal insulation properties of two different intumescent coatings using cone calorimeter and numerical analysis

Polymeric intumescent coatings are fire protective materials that increase their thermal resistance when exposed to high temperatures to prevent building structures from damage. The idea of the investigation was to develop a simple test method to determine the time dependent thermal conductivity of intumescent coatings. Therefore steel plates were coated with two different intumescent systems. During cone calorimeter tests the temperature at the back side of the coated plates was measured. These results were used to calculate the time dependent thermal resistance of the protective layer with the simulation program IOPT2D for different external heat fluxes and different layer thickness. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Accumulation of Flammable Gases in Cone Calorimeter Tests is Responsible for Flash Ignition of Wool and Cotton Samples

In this paper a possible explanation is presented for the differences found between the fire behaviour of materials in small-scale cone calorimeter tests and the large-scale furniture calorimeter. The results obtained with cone calorimeter/FTIR equipment at 35 kW m⁻² will show that the early flash ignitions of typical materials like cotton and wool are due to the liberation of flammable gases during the pyrolysis phase and the typical ignition situation on the cone calorimeter, that is, the presence of a sparking igniter above the sample. This fast flash ignition and the early heat release behaviour on the cone calorimeter may be in contradiction to the early fire growth in other fire tests where the ignition conditions are clearly different from pyrolysis circumstances, that is, ignition via a burning newspaper, match, gas flame, etc.     

Influences of specimen size and heating mode on the ignitability of polymeric materials in typical small‐scale fire test conditions

Small‐scale fire tests including the Underwriters Laboratories 94 (UL94) vertical burning test and the cone calorimeter test are widely used. In this paper, the ignition times of materials heated by the conical heater of a cone calorimeter and the UL94 flame were measured. It was found that for polymer bars heated by the UL94 flame, the ignition time is relatively short and increases with the specimen thickness. But the contribution of the specimen thickness to the delay of the ignition time is limited. The intrinsic properties of materials play a more important role in the ignition time than the specimen thickness. In addition, respectively corresponding to one‐dimensional, two‐dimensional, and three‐dimensional heat transfer, three heating modes of the UL94 flame were presented and compared with the conical heater. It was found that whether the heat source is the conical heater or the UL94 flame, the ignition time depends on the heat flux and the multidimensional heat transfer. The ignition time decreases with the increasing heat flux, and the magnitude order of the ignition time might drop when the heating mode changes from one‐dimensional to multidimensional heat transfer. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Preparation and characterization of microcapsulated red phosphorus and its flame‐retardant mechanism in halogen‐free flame retardant polyolefins

Microcapsulated red phosphorus (MRP), with a melamine–formaldehyde resin coating layer, was prepared by two‐step coating processes. The physical and chemical properties of MRP were characterized by Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and other measurements. The flame retardant action and mechanism of MRP in the halogen‐free flame retardant (HFFR) polyolefins (PO) blends have been studied using cone calorimeter, limiting oxygen index (LOI), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and dynamic FTIR spectroscopy. The results show that the MRP, which is coated with melamine–formaldehyde resin, has a higher ignition point, a considerably lower amount of phosphine evolution and of water absorption compared with red phosphorus (RP) itself. The data observed by cone calorimeter, LOI and TGA measurements from the PO/HFFR blends demonstrated that the MRP can decrease the heat release rate and effective heat of combustion, and increase the thermostability and LOI values of PO materials. The dynamic FTIR results revealed the flame‐retardant mechanism that RP can promote the formation of charred layers with the P–O and P–C complexes in the condensed phase during burning of polymer materials. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry     

Heat release rate and computer fire modelling vs real‐scale fire tests in passenger trains

The materials and products used in passenger trains may not be the first ignited element, but during the fire development, these materials, especially ceiling linings and wall coverings, contribute significantly to the fire growth. The fire safety requirements in passenger trains consist mainly of bench‐scale tests, with particular focus on the sample geometry, position and fire exposition. When this information is extrapolated to real end use conditions limitations appear. In this paper, a discussion of the use of fire dynamics simulator model and heat release rate experiments in cone calorimeter (bench‐scale test) is presented in order to represent the fire development in a passenger train compartment. For the study, two fire scenarios were selected: (1) the single burning item SBI test (modified) and (2) a passenger train compartment. Initially, the limitations of the assumptions and hypothesis made when producing the model were analyzed and the research team carried out a sensitivity study of the model results considering different grid sizes. In order to validate the model, both bench‐ and full‐scale fire tests were considered based on the results provided by the European research program FIRESTARR. The limitations and uncertainties in the results demonstrate the importance of two basic factors: the incident heat flux in the cone calorimeter tests and the prescribed ignition temperature. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Study on Char Structure of Intumescent Flame-Retardant Polypropylene

The structure and properties of the char of intumescent flame retardant polypropylene (IFR-PP) have been studied by cone calorimeter, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). Charring tendency analysis indicates IFR-PP is more likely to form a thick and homogenous char at low heat flux than that at higher heat fluxes. The SEM study indicates different char structures are formed at different stages. DSC analysis studies thermal stability of IFR-PP. Theoretical analysis of intuemscent charring shows when intumescent velocity increases, the heat diffusing into the underlying material will decrease if the thermal diffusivity of the material keeps constant.     

Application of a one‐dimensional thermal flame spread model on predicting the rate of heat release in the SBI test

A one‐dimensional thermal flame spread model was applied to predict the rate of heat release in the single burning item (SBI) test on the basis of the cone calorimeter data. The input parameters were selected according to the features of the SBI test and using particle board as a model tuning material. The features of the measured and calculated rate of heat release curves were compared for a series of 33 building products. The fire growth rate (FIGRA) indices were calculated to predict the classification in the forthcoming Euroclass system. The model gave correct classification for 90% of the products studied. An essential feature of the model is that only one cone calorimeter test at the exposure level of 50 kW m^?2 is needed. The model, therefore, provides a practical tool for product development and quality control. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.