Foam durability test

A direct observational procedure has been developed to deal with the paucity of laboratory data. The apparatus constructed for this experiment, which is called the foam durability test , can be operated at Permian Basin reservoir temperature and pressure. This device is illustrated in Figure 11. Its sapphire visual cell is initially filled with the pressurized sur-... 

Of course, the final test by which to assess the requirement that the surfactant should be capable of maintaining lamellae for mobility control in C02 floods is the measurement of foam mobility in cores. Because such tests are time-consuming and expensive, the foam durability test has been used as a useful screening tool for more rapid appraisal of surfactants at reservoir conditions. 

This particular manufacturer created a composite panel consisting of a glass-fiber reinforced plastic outer shell backed with a rigid polyurethane foam. The product looks like a cluster of hand split wood shakes. When installed, the panels interlock and look exactly like a shake shingle roof to the casual observer. These panels have been tested and qualify as a Class A built-up roof covering. In addition, they provide a much greater resistance to the transmission of heat than wood shake shingles. The panels are fast and easy to install and quite durable. 

The durability of a flexible foam may be determined by using a shear or a pounding force on the foam. Tests described here are designed to assess the suitability of foam for use in upholstery and are therefore primarily aimed at cellular latex or polyether urethane types of foam. A dynamic fatigue test using a roller shear at constant force is described in ASTM D 3574, Test U. However a much more popular fatigue test for cellular upholstery materials is determined by constant load pounding. 

One of the things we discovered was that there were some subtle differences in the surface characteristics of each version. Sometimes this was helpful, as it made easier to attach the foam knee pad to the board, and sometimes it was not. We also began to notice differences in their durability. In an attempt to quantify this, my boss and I hooked up a bunch of samples behind his car, and we drove around the parking lot for 15 min or so, towing the boards behind us, and doing everything we could to make them tumble and spin and bounce and collide. While there was no alcohol involved— and no animals were harmed in the testing—we did have a lot of fiia And we were also able to determine which materials had the best durability. 

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