Flame protection tests

Long Jr, R.T., An evaluation of the lateral ignition and flame spread test for material flammability assessment for micro-gravity environments, MS Thesis, Department of Fire Protection Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, 1998. 

As mentioned earlier, the fire hazard of interior finish materials is primarily due to the potential for rapid wind-aided flame spread over the surface. It is therefore not a surprise that reaction-to-fire requirements for interior finish materials in U.S. building codes are primarily based on performance in a wind-aided flame spread test. The apparatus of this test is often referred to as the Steiner tunnel. The Steiner tunnel test is described in ASTM E 84. Although the test does not measure any material properties that can be used in a model-based hazard assessment, a discussion of the test is included here due to its practical importance for the passive fire protection of buildings in the United States. 

Rossi RM, Schmid M, Camenzind MA. Thermal energy transfer through heat protective clothing during a flame engulfment test. Textil Res J 2014 84(13) 1451-60. 

In a fire, isocyanurate foams become charred on the surface and the carbonaceous layer protects the underlying bulk for a considerable time. A 25 mm thick slab of flame-retarded polyurethane foam burns through within 2 or 3 minutes when exposed to a jet flame at 1000 °C in the flame penetration test. A corresponding test piece of isocyanurate foam lasts 30 to 50 min in the same test (cf. Section 3.1.5.3). 

Workers deserve the most durable FR protection. Durability is the true measure of an FR garment s level of quality and perfonnance over time. To view a video of the Flame Stress Test, go to http //gsl-inc.com/video/ spentex-video/. i i... 

Figure 6-18. Example of the protection afforded to T-22 by a weld-overlay coating of Fc3Al after 50 h at 450-460 °C in a simulated coal-fired boiler flame impingement test (Tortorelli et al., 1998).

The autoignition temperature is the minimum temperature required for self-sustained combustion in the absence of an external ignition source. The value depends on specified test conditions. Tht flammable (explosive) limits specify the range of concentration of the vapor in air (in percent by volume) for which a flame can propagate. Below the lower flammable limit, the gas mixture is too lean to burn above the flammable limit, the mixture is too rich. Additional compounds can be found in National Fire Protection Association, National Fire Protection Handbook, 14th ed., 1991. 

The Fire Tests for Flame Resistant Textiles and Films, issued by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) ia 1989, is the method most used by iadustrial fire-retardant finishers (ca 1993) (50). It has been approved by the American National Standards Institute. 

PPS fiber has excellent chemical resistance. Only strong oxidising agents cause degradation. As expected from inherent resia properties, PPS fiber is flame-resistant and has an autoignition temperature of 590°C as determined ia tests at the Textile Research Institute. PPS fiber is an excellent electrical iasulator it finds application ia hostile environments such as filter bags for filtration of flue gas from coal-fired furnaces, filter media for gas and liquid filtration, electrolysis membranes, protective clothing, and composites. 

A protected-side restricdon, snch as a valve, can severely reduce a flame arrester s capabilides by magnilying reflected initial pressure on the arrester element. In snch a sitnadon, a downstream restriction should be included in the test protocol (see Chapter 6). 

There is a need to have all accepted test standards require that deflagration testing he done with a restricted outlet. More research is needed to evaluate the effect of restriction size and location on flame arrester effectiveness. Not all test standards require this for deflagration testing. This is important since protected side restrictions severely reduce flame arrester capability. 

Endurance Burn Test A test in which a flame arrester is subjected to a stable flame on the surface of the arrester for a length of time (depends on whether UL 525 or the USCG protocol is used) until the highest obtainable temperature is reached on the ignited side or until the temperature on the protected side has a temperature rise of 100°C. 

NFPA-701 (large and small scale) These tests are sanctioned by the National Fire Protection Association, a volunteer organization of fire protection professionals. Figure 1 illustrates the set up. The vertical alignment of flame and sample allows maximum heat and flammable gases to feed the flame front of the sample, assisting further combustion. 

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