Lateral ignition and flame spread test

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. 

Lateral Ignition and Flame Spread Test (ASTM E 1321)... 

The Lateral Ignition and Flame spread Test (LIFT) apparatus was developed primarily for lateral flame spread measurements. The apparatus, test procedures, and methods for data analysis are described in ASTM E 1321. A sample of 155 x 800 mm is exposed to the radiant heat of a gas-tired panel. The panel measures 280 x 483 mm. The heat flux is not uniform over the specimen, but varies along the long axis as a function of distance from the hot end as shown in Figure 14.6. The flux distribution is an invariant of distance when normalized to the heat flux at the 50 mm position. When methane or natural gas is burnt, the upper limit of the radiant heat flux is 60-65 kW/m2. The lower limit is approximately 10kW/m2 since the porous ceramic tile surface of the panel is only partly covered with flame at lower heat fluxes. 

FIGURE 21.9 Lateral ignition and flame spread test. 

No differences in flammability characteristics between the 0.1% Cu20-treated and untreated flexible polyurethane foam were observed. These characteristics were examined to assure that the positive effect on toxicity was not contradicted by negative effects on the flammability properties. The flammability characteristics examined were (1) ignitability in three systems (the NIST Cup Furnace Smoke Toxicity method, the Cone Calorimeter, and Lateral Ignition and Flame Spread Test (LIFT)), (2) heat release rates under small-scale (Cone Calorimeter) and medium-scale (furniture calorimeter) conditions, (3) heats of combustion under small-scale (Cone Calorimeter) and medium-scale (furniture calorimeter) conditions, (4) CO/CO2 ratios under small-scale (Cone Calorimeter) and medium-scale (furniture calorimeter) conditions, (5) smoke obscuration (Cone Calorimeter), and (6) rate of flame spread (LIFT). 

ASTM El 321 Standard Test Method for Determining Material Ignition and Flame Spread Properties (Lateral Ignition and Flame Spread Test, LIFT) [38]... 

Several tests are under development. The cone calorimeter is a heat-release calorimeter using oxygen depletion as a measurement technique. The LIFTS (lateral ignition and flame spread test) apparatus is similar to the radiant panel, but turned on its side. The NIBS toxicity test is under development by the National Institute of Building Sciences. Several tests are aimed specifically at plastics in aircraft passenger compartments. These are described in ASTM E906. 

Three test apparatuses and methods have been developed to determine the fire properties associated with flame propagation (1) the ASTM D 2863 oxygen index test method for downward flame propagation for small samples [14] (2) the ASTM E 1321-90 lateral ignition and flame spread (LIFT) test method for horizontal and lateral flame propagation... 

The ASTM E 1321-90 Lateral Ignition and Flame Spread (LIFT) Test... 

ASTM E1321-09 (standard test method for determining material ignition and flame spread properties) and ISO 5658-1 2006 and ISO 5658-2 2006 (reaclion-to-fire tests - spread of flame - part 1 guidance on flame spread and part 2 lateral spread on building and transport products in vertical configuration) for flame... 

Basically the test involves mounting a corner section specimen - a vertical 1.5 m high by 1.0 m wide panel and another 1.5 m by 0.5 m at 90 degrees - under an enclosed calorimeter bood. Tbe Fire Research Station says the setup can accurately measure the rate of heat release, considered one of the most important parameters in assessing fire growth, also time to ignition, rate of lateral flame spread, time of production of flaming droplets and rate of smoke release. 

This test method determines the material properties related to piloted ignition of a vertically oriented sample under a constant and uniform heat flnx and to lateral flame spread on a vertical snrface dne to an externally applied radiant-heat flux. For the ignition test, a 155-nun (6-inch) square sample is exposed to a... 

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