Comparison of Pyrolysis Behavior Results between the Cone Calorimeter and the Fire Propagation Apparatus Heat Sources

Abstract

The cone calorimeter and the fire propagation apparatus (FPA) are often used to carry out flammability studies of materials. There are various differences in the set-up of these two devices that could lead to different fire behaviour for the same material. Among these, the impact of the different heat sources used is studied here. The cone calorimeter employs an electrical cone heater and the FPA uses tungsten lamps to radiate a given heat flux level to the sample. Experiments are conducted in the FPA set-up using a conical heater or tungsten lamps as the heat source with clear PMMA and wood samples. Mass loss and temperature measurements are taken during the tests, and the bubble layer depth is measured after the tests. Significant differences in pyrolysis behaviour of both samples between the cone calorimeter and the FPA are consistently observed at the same heat flux level. These different pyrolysis behaviours can be explained by the wavelength dependency of the radiative material properties (reflectance, absorptance and transmittance). This conclusion is in agreement with, and provides an experimental confirmation, to theoretical findings in previous studies.

Absorption and reflection of infrared radiation by polymers in fire‐like environments

“…Bal and Rein extended the work of Jiang et al to consider the possibility of other parameters affecting the ignition time at high flux but again showed that it is influenced mainly by in‐depth absorption. In a related work, differences in the pyrolysis behavior induced by a cone heater or the FM Global Fire Propagation Apparatus (FPA) are discussed .…”

Effects of reduced oxygen environment on the reaction to fire of a poly(urethane‐isocyanurate) foam

“…For irradiance values lower than 50 kW.m −2 , the decomposition and charring of the condensed phase occur without any type of sustained flaming combustion. Therefore, the heating of the material and its reaction rate are only controlled by the intensity level of the radiant heat source . It seems natural that when the imposed irradiance level at the surface of the material is reduced, the amount of energy received and thus the temperature rise will be lower on the surface and in depth.…”

Modelling decomposition and fire behaviour of small samples of a glass‐fibre‐reinforced polyester/balsa‐cored sandwich material

“…This function is minimal at the surface Y F,s (0, t ). The in‐depth degradation depends on the spectral characteristic of the heat source, the radiative properties of the polymer and more particularly on its emissivity and on its transmissivity, defined on Figure by the absorption coefficient κ( x , t ) . Generally the emission spectra of large flame are continuous in the infrared.…”