Firing INDEX

The fire properties of PE-ZCHS nanocomposites can also be evaluated using fire indices derived from cone data. One fire index is PHRR divided by tig while the fire growth index (FIGRA) is defined as the PHRR divided by tPHRR (70). The values are shown in Table III. Only the 5% loading exhibits improvement on these scales. It is important to note that nanocomposite additives are not effective fire retardants by themselves and should be considered as candidates for formulations that include other additives (13) in order to optimize all fire-related properties. 

SABS 961 - fire index offloor coverings. A specimen is placed horizontally on the floor of a tunnel furnace incorporating a radiant gas burner. It is ignited with a pilot flame and flame spread is observed. A Spread of Flame Index is calculated from the distance burned. SABS 960 describes a similar test for building materials, in which the specimen is mounted at 30° from the horizontal. 

Limiting Oxygen Index. The minimum concentration of oxygen in an O2/N2 mixture that supports combustion of a vertically mounted test specimen is called the limiting oxygen index (3,4). Test specimens are 0.65 x 0.3 cm x 12.5 cm. The principal advantage of this test is its reproducibiUty which makes it useful for quaUty control. The main disadvantage is that the results rarely correlate with the results of other fire tests. 

When exposed to fire. Teflon PEA contributes Httle in fuel value and is self-extinguishing when the flame is removed. The fuel value is approximately 5.4 MJ/kg (2324 Btu/lb). It passes the UL 83 vertical-flame test and is classified as 94VE-0 according to UL 94. The limiting oxygen index (LOI) by ASTM D2863 is above 95%. 

Methods for performing hazard analysis and risk assessment include safety review, checkhsts, Dow Fire and Explosion Index, what-if analysis, hazard and operabihty analysis (HAZOP), failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA), fault tree analysis, and event tree analysis. Other methods are also available, but those given are used most often. 

Dow Fire and Explosion Index. The Dow Eire and Explosion Index (3) is a procedure usehil for determining the relative degree of hazard related to flammable and explosive materials. This Index form works essentially the same way as an income tax form. Penalties are provided for inventory, extended temperatures and pressures, reactivity, etc, and credits are appHed for fire protection systems, process control (qv), and material isolation. The complete procedure is capable of estimating a doUar amount for the maximum probable property damage and the business intermptionloss based on an empirical correlation provided with the Index. 

EinaHy, the penalties are factored into the original material factor to result in a fire and explosion index value. The higher this value, the higher the degree of hazard. 

The next step is to apply a number of loss control credit factors such as process control (emergency power, cooling, explosion control, emergency shutdown, computer control, inert gas, operating procedures, reactive chemical reviews), material isolation (remote control valves, blowdown, drainage, interlocks) and fire protection (leak detection, buried tanks, fire water supply, sprinkler systems, water curtains, foam, cable protection). The credit factors are combined and appHed to the fire and explosion index value to result in a net index. 

Dow s Fire andExplosion Index Ha ard Classification Guide 6th ed., American Institute of Chemical Engineers, New York, 1985. 

Elame-spread and smoke-density values, and the less often reported fuel-contributed semiquantitive results of the ASTM E84 test and the limited oxygen index (LOI) laboratory test, are more often used to compare fire performance of ceUular plastics. AH building codes requite that ceUular plastics be protected by inner or outer sheathings or be housed in systems aH with a specified minimum total fire resistance. Absolute incombustibHity cannot be attained in practice and often is not requited. The system approach to protecting the more combustible materials affords adequate safety in the buildings by aHowing the occupant sufficient time to evacuate before combustion of the protected ceUular plastic. 

To achieve the maximum coating opacity the opacifter particle size should be between 0.2 and 0.3 ]lni. A good opacifter should not be soluble in the vitreous system, should have a refractive index substantially different from the refractive index of the system, should be inexpensive, easily milled to a submicrometer particle size, and thermally stable at the film s firing temperature. 

Artificial surfaces must be resistant to cigarette bums, vandaUsm, and other harm. Fire resistance is most critically evaluated by the NBS flooring radiant panel test (10). In this test, a gas-fired panel maintains a heat flux, impinging on the sample to be tested, between 1.1 W/cm at one end and 0.1 W/cm at the other. The result of the bum is reported as the flux needed to sustain flame propagation in the sample. Higher values denote greater resistance to burning results depend on material and surface constmction. Polypropylene turf materials are characterized by critical radiant flux indexes which are considerably lower than those for nylon and acryflc polymers (qv) (11). 

The surface burning characteristics (flame spread index and smoke developed index) for wood and wood products as measured by American Society for Testing and Materials (44) can be reduced with fire retardant treatments, either chemical impregnation or coatings (48). Fire retardant treatments also reduce the heat release rate of a burning piece of wood (49,50). The heat release rates (51) of the burning materials are an important factor in fire growth. 

Optical Properties. The high refractive index (2.42 at 589.3 nm) and dispersion (0.044) are the basis for the brilliance and fire of a properly cut gemstone. The optical transmission out to 10.6 p.m for Type Ila diamonds makes possible windows for CO2 lasers and for devices such as were in the... 

Glaze coatings (58) are appHed to dry or bisque-fired clay ceramics to form a strong, impermeable surface that is aesthetically pleasing. Protective ceramic coatings can also be deposited by CVD (68,90). Plasma activated CVD has been used extensively to produce diamond and diamondlike films. Diamond films can also be used to make optical coatings with a tailored refractive index. 

Properties and Applieations. Aryloxyphosphazene elastomers using phenoxy and J-ethylphenoxy substituents have found interest in a number of appHcations involving fire safety. This elastomer has a limiting oxygen index of 28 and contains essentially no halogens. It may be cured using either peroxide or sulfur. Peroxide cures do not require the allyhc cute monomer. Gum physical properties are as follows (17) ... 

Fire and Explosion Index (Ffrom fires and explosions. frequency The rate at which observed or predicted events occur. HAZOP HAZOP stands for hazard and operabihty studies. This is a set of formal hazard identification and ehmination procedures designed to identify hazards to people, process plants, and the environment. See subsequent sections for a more complete description. 

Relative Ranking (DOW Fire and Explosion and Chemical Exposure Index) to evaluate siting/layout considerations... 

Dow Eire and Explosion Index (E El) A method (developed by Dow Chemical Company) for ranking the relative fire and explosion risk associated with a... 

In the absence of fire retardants the material has a limiting oxygen index of 27.5 and may bum slowly. Only some grades will achieve a UL 94 V-1 rating. The Underwriters Laboratories continuous use temperature index is also somewhat low and similar to the polyarylates with ratings of 135-140°C (electrical) and 105°C (mechanical with impact). Initial marketing has emphasised comparisons with the aliphatic nylons for the reasons given in the previous... 

Davison, G., and Hewitt, C.N. (ed.) (1997) Air Pollution in the United Kingdom, Royal Society of Chemistry, London. Dow Chemical Company (1993) Dow s Fire and Explosion Index Hazard Classification Guide American Institute of Chemical Engineers. 

Tools are available to assist in comparing the risk associated with two or more different processes. For example, the first sheet of the Dow Fire and Explosion Index (FEI) (Dow, 1994b) ranks the safety characteristics of the process from a fire/explosion standpoint, without taking credit for protective and mitigation features. The Dow Chemical Exposure Index (CEI) (Dow, 1994a) and Id s Mond Index (ICI, 1985 Tyler, 1985) are other ranking tools. 

Dow Chemical Company (1994b). Dow s Fire and Explosion Index Hazard Classification Guide. 7th Edition. New York American Institute of Chemical Engineers. 

Lewis, D. J. (1979). The Mond Fire, Explosion and Toxicity Index Applied to Plant Layout and Spacing. i3th Annual Loss Prevention Symposium, April 2-5, 1979, Houston, TX, 20-26. Loss Prevention, No. 13. New York American Institute of Chemical Engineers. 

Linked to the filing and indexing requirement, this requirement addresses the conditions of storage and also provides the reasons i.e. to prevent loss. On the subject of loss, you will need to consider loss by fire, theft, and unauthorized removal. If using computers you will also need to consider loss through computer viruses and unauthorized access, deletion, or the corruption of files. A booking in/out system should be used for completed records when they are in storage, in order to prevent unauthorized removal. 

Other important properties include Hash point, volatility, viscosity, specific gravity, cloud point, pour point, and smoke point. Most of these properties are related directly to the boiling range of the kerosene and are not independently variable. The flash point, an index of fire hazard, measures the readiness of a fuel to ignite when exposed to a flame. It is usually mandated by law or government regulation to be 120° or 130° F (48° or 72° C), Volatility, as measured... 

---