Investigation Into The Influence of Impregnation on pine Timber Combustion Using a Cone Calorimeter and Large Scale Tests

Abstract

Fire safety is one of the main requirements with respect to the regulations on the buildings involved into the category of human hazards. Human safety measures are applied equally to inhabitants, users, customers, spectators, etc., as well as to fire brigades taking part in the activities connected with rescue actions. Methods for emission research were applied to estimate thermo-kinetic parameters related to smoke and toxic gases. The methods fall into two types: full scale methods reflect fire conditions and small laboratory scale methods having a significantly lower degree of reflection. This paper presents the results of studies on the influence of BAK-1 and Flamasepas-2 fire retardants produced in Lithuania and applied for timber on the selected parameters of the fire environment. Experimental studies were conducted using a cone calorimeter (small scale) in the closed compartment equipped with measuring devices (full scale). The undertaken studies have demonstrated that considering some parameters, such as heat release rate (HRR), a positive effect of the lower amount of the released heat can be obtained. Unfortunately, in case of the major part of the studied parameters, including time to ignition, CO concentration and extinction parameter reflecting smokiness, worse results (shorter time, higher CO values and higher extinction coefficient) have been observed for the treated timber rather than for the non-impregnated one. The obtained results have showed combustion with piloted ignition. In case of no piloted ignition, the results were slightly different. For all studied specimens treated with fire retardants, no ignition was observed and tests were terminated following 15 minutes. CO concentration and extinction parameter (smokiness) were higher for non-impregnated timber. Full scale experiments have confirmed the above provided information; moreover, it has been found that the application of fire retardant has no significant impact on temperatures in the compartment.

Toxicity Research of Smouldering and Flaming Pine Timber Treated With Fire Retardant Solutions

“…Timber (Šaučiuvėnas et al 2011;Kängsepp et al 2011;Bednarek et al 2009;Juodeikienė 2009;Bednarek, Kaliszuk-Wietecka 2007), fire retardants (Glenn et al 2012;Babrauskas et al 2011;Gałaj et al 2011a;Grigonis et al 2011;Karpovič et al 2010;Karpovič 2009;Vobolis, Albrektas 2009;Pereyra, Giudice 2009;Półka 2008), timber treated with fire retardant solutions in connection with its toxicity during combustion (Gałaj et al 2011b;Šukys, Kar-povič 2010;Karpovič, Šukys 2009;Paul et al 2008;Lestari et al 2006) and computer modelling for combustion (Capote et al 2012;Keshavarz et al 2012;Fouladgar et al 2012;Vaidogas et al 2012;Cheng, Hadjisophocleous 2011;Gałaj 2009) have been already analysed in the field of fire safety. However the toxicity of smouldering and flaming pine timber which is non-treated and treated with fire retardant solutions has not yet been studied within an integrated approach.…”