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What is the Flame Retardant Pass Cone Calorimeter Test?
The Flame Retardant Pass Cone Calorimeter Test is one of the modern materials used for fire performance testing. It is the instrument named after the cone-like shape of its main component, so it is called "cone calorimeter". Its basic principle is to investigate the combustion behavior of the sample under the condition of thermal radiation. It mainly measures the parameters of heat release rate, combustion duration, flue gas generation and mass loss to infer the quality of its flame retardant performance.
The test method is to prepare the material sample into the specified specifications and place it on the bearing of the cone calorimeter, so that the surface is facing up. The top of the instrument is equipped with a high-temperature radiation cone, which controls the radiant heat flux, and uniformly heats the surface of the sample to simulate the enthusiasm in the actual fire. After being heated, if the material is flammable, a chain reaction such as pyrolysis, gas release, and combustion will occur, and the external ignition source will then cause the gas on the surface of the sample to burn and catch fire.
During the combustion process, the cone calorimeter calculates the heat released per unit time by measuring the decrease in oxygen concentration in the flue gas, which is the Heat Release Rate (HRR) according to the principle of oxygen consumption. The maximum heat release rate is an important parameter for judging the fire hazard of the material. Looking at the total heat release during the whole process of combustion, it can be known that the potential combustion energy of the material.
In addition, during the test, the concentration changes of some products in the flue gas, such as carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, can be monitored synchronously, and the loss of sample quality can be continuously recorded through a precision balance, and the decomposition rate and product evolution can be analyzed. The smoke density or light transmittance sensor can better reflect the characteristics of smoke formation when the material is burned.
The advantage of this method is that the test conditions are controllable, and the obtained data are quantitative and accurate, which can fully reflect the whole process of the material being heated, ignited, burned and extinguished. It is an important scientific and technological means for evaluating the fire resistance of new flame retardant materials and engineering application materials. From this perspective, the core of the Cone Calorimeter Test is to stimulate the combustion process of the sample with thermal radiation, collect multi-dimensional data, and collectively measure its flame retardant ability.
What flame retardant performance parameters can be detected by the Flame Retardant Pass Cone Calorimeter Test?
Flame Retardant Pass Cone Calorimeter Test is an essential method for testing flame retardant materials. The method is based on ISO 5660, which uses a cone heat flow meter to quantify the heat flow on the surface of the material to observe its thermal combustion performance. There are many parameters measured in this test, all of which are closely related to the flame retardancy of the material. The main ones are as follows:
One is the Heat Release Rate (HRR), which is the heat released by the material per unit time, reflecting whether the combustion is intense or not. This is measured to evaluate whether the material can rapidly expand the fire when it burns. The level of heat release is an important measure of the quality of flame retardancy.
The second is the total heat release (THR), which is the total heat released by the material during the whole combustion process. The higher the value, the greater the flame-supporting effect of the material. On the contrary, the better the flame retardant effect.
The third is the ignition time and the ignition temperature. The former refers to the time required for the material to be heated until a visible flame occurs, and the latter is the temperature required for the first flammable. If the ignition takes a long time and the required temperature is high, the material has its own better flame retardant properties.
The fourth is the Mass Loss Rate (MLR), which is the rate at which the material loses weight per unit time when burning. The lower the value, the stronger the flame retardant ability of the material.
Five is the smoke release rate and total smoke release, both of which reflect the amount of smoke generated when the material is burned. If there is a lot of smoke, it will hinder the line of sight and increase the damage to respiration during fire, so the smoke release status is also one of the factors to measure the flame retardant materials.
Six also have the release rate and accumulation of harmful gases such as carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, so as to evaluate the toxicity of the material during combustion. Flame retardant materials should take into account low toxicity and avoid exacerbation of disasters.
From this perspective, the cone calorimeter method can comprehensively detect the heat release, ignition, mass loss, flue gas and toxic gas release properties of the material in case of fire, and infer the advantages and disadvantages of its flame retardancy. The data of this method is intuitive and can provide a solid basis for material modification and engineering protection. The Cone Calorimeter Test is widely used in flame retardant science and is reused around the world.
What international testing standards does the Flame Retardant Pass Cone Calorimeter Test meet?
Flame resistance materials are increasingly widely used today. To identify their refractory properties, it is necessary to rely on scientific testing methods. As is known to the world, the cone calorimeter test method is an indispensable means in modern times. Its international standards are quite respected. There are several main points when considering its standards.
The first is the ISO 5660 standard, which is called "Cone Calorimeter Method for Combustible Materials' Combustion Performance", with a total of fractions. The first part of it sets out the general principles and test methods, covering the preparation of samples, instrument settings, test procedures and data processing methods, detailing the determination of flame spread, heat generation rate, smoke emission and other quantities; the second part is dedicated to the exposure of the test piece, specific conditions such as vertical placement or external ignition variants, which are also one of the test specifications. Secondly, ASTM International American Society for Materials and Testing has also formulated ASTM E1354, which is the standard law for local cone calorimeter testing, specifying the test instrument type, heat flux, water vapor volume and related parameters. This standard is expressly applicable to polymers, wood, fabrics and other types of solid materials. There is also the AS/NZS 3837 standard in Australia/New Zealand, which is in line with ISO 5660. It stipulates the energy release evaluation of building materials during combustion, and the test parameters are mostly equivalent to international standards. In Europe, there is the EN ISO 5660 standard, which is uniformly adopted in the European Union to ensure that the cone calorimeter test method is in line with ISO.
These standards are all based on the heat flux specified by the fire source to test the specimen, and its ignition time, energy release rate (HRR), total energy release (THR), mass loss, smoke fraction and other factors are tested. In this way, the flame resistance material test can be scientifically quantified to compare the advantages and disadvantages. The international standards of cone calorimeters, upholding scientific fairness, have been widely adopted by the world. Anyone who wants to prove the flame retardancy of materials, following these methods, the data obtained can be used for international recognition, and the common standards can be adhered to in the fields of trade and scientific research.
In short, the cone calorimeter test of flame resistance materials is mainly based on ISO 5660, ASTM E1354, EN ISO 5660 and AS/NZS 3837 international standards, which are approved by the world. In this way, the test is fair, the data is true, and it is in line with global needs.
What are the test sample sizes and preparation requirements for the Flame Retardant Pass Cone Calorimeter Test?
Flame Retardant Pass Cone Calorimeter Test is a method for determining the refractory properties of materials. The sample used, size and preparation must be in accordance with the standard regulations, and care must be taken. To consider the essence, the material needs to be cut into a square or rectangle, and the size should always be 100 mm square. The thickness is subject to the actual application, usually not more than 50 mm. If the material thickness is uneven, it should be taken as a representative part, and it should be impartial. Soft materials must be fixed with a frame or fixture that does not affect the performance, so that they are flat and tidy, and must not be curled and warped during testing. If it is composed of multiple layers, it should be assembled in the original state of use, and cannot be increased or decreased at will. The edge of the sample must be trimmed neatly, without burr debris, so as not to affect the measurement results. The surface should be clean and dry, and should not be stained with grease or impurities; if special pretreatment is required, it should be clearly stated in the report. Before the test, the sample should be conditioned under constant temperature and humidity conditions for 24 hours to ensure test consistency. The normal temperature of the conditioning environment is 23 degrees Celsius, the relative humidity is 50%, and the lower limit is not less than 35%. It should not be changed at will. If the material has volatile components, it should be specially noted and properly stored to prevent escape. If it needs to be bonded, punched or grooved during the preparation process, it should be recorded truthfully, and the process steps should be retained for inspection. Each sample for testing usually needs more than three pieces to ensure the reproducibility and representativeness of the data. All preparation details should be recorded in the original test records for assessment. In this way, the data obtained by the Flame Retardant Pass Cone Calorimeter Test can be trusted and scientific, and will not be superfluous.
How do the results of the Flame Retardant Pass Cone Calorimeter Test judge whether the material passes?
Flame extended combustion test, called cone calorimeter test, is an important means to judge the flame resistance of materials. This instrument uses a controlled heat flow to illuminate the sample to observe its combustion behavior, and measures its heat release rate, total heat release, flue gas generation and weight loss rate. In order to test the quality of the material, it is necessary to refer to the relevant national and international standards to determine whether it is passed or not.
The method is based on quantitative parameters, focusing on the heat release rate (HRR), total heat release (THR), ignition time, smoke generation rate and carbon monoxide release. If the heat release rate is high, the fire will spread rapidly and the material will have weak fire resistance; otherwise, the heat release will be slow, and the material will not spread easily in case of fire, which is beneficial to delay the fire. National standards may be limited to the peak heat release rate, for example, if it is less than a certain value, it is qualified; or based on the ignition time, if it exceeds a specific number of seconds, it is qualified. And the total heat release, burnout time, etc. are as supplementary judgments, and the flue gas and toxicity shall not exceed the limit.
When evaluating, check the peak heat release rate first. If it is lower than the specified upper limit, then check the ignition time and whether it can delay the ignition. Check the flue gas yield and carbon monoxide generation item by item. If it does not exceed the limit, it will be qualified. If you don't have all of them, it is difficult to be called an excellent material. It should be noted that the calorimetric test should be re-checked several times and averaged to see the physical performance. Whether it is qualified or not, the final standard shall prevail, such as UL 94, ISO 5660, GB/T16172, etc., all of which are clearly stated.
In summary, the flame ignition test of the cone calorimeter is evaluated by the rate of heat release, the total heat release, the ignition time, and the smoke poison. Only when all parameters are in compliance with the regulations can it be said to be passed; if not, it is judged as not suitable for fire protection. If it is evaluated by the regulations, it is not tolerated. In this way, it is the right way for the determination of flame resistance materials.