Oxygen combustion cone calorimetry

As shown in Figure 17.1, the three required elements to sustain combustion include a source of fuel, heat, and oxygen. Removal of any one of these elements from the cycle can prevent combustion. It takes heat to initiate combustion (AH 1) and once combustion begins heat is liberated (AH 2). This would correspond to the total heat released as measured by cone calorimetry (see Section 17.8)... 

Cone calorimetry (CC) is one of the most effective medium-sized polymer fire behavior tests. The principle of cone calorimeter experiments is based on the measurement of the decreasing oxygen concentration in the combustion gases of a sample subjected to a given heat flux, in general from 10 to 100 kW/m [83]. Figure 4 illustrates the experimental set-up of a cone calorimeter. Standardized in the United States (ASTM E 1354), the cone calorimeter test is also the subject of an international standard (ISO 5660). 

Instrumentation for the measurement of the flammability characteristics of polymers intended for use in mining, electrical, transport, furniture, construction materials is discussed in Chapter 17, including methods of identifying combustion products and the measurement of oxygen consumption by oxygen cone calorimetry. New methods based on pyrolysis - gas chromatography - mass spectrometry and laser pyrolysis time of flight mass spectrometry are also discussed. 

Cone calorimetric measurements of these systems showed an improvement in fire retardancy as indicated by a reduced peak release rate. Cone calorimetry determines fire relevant properties such as heat release rate (HRR) and carbon monoxide yield during combustion of the material using oxygen depletion-based calorimetry. Gilman et have conducted a thorough study of the flamm-... 

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