Tests and fire

The term thermal properties is open to more than one interpretation. Specific heat, thermal conductivity and diffusivity clearly come under this heading but the term can be taken to also include heat ageing, low temperature tests and fire resistance. However, these are more properly dealt with, as in this volume, under Effect of Temperature. Thermal analysis is a group of techniques in which a property of a sample is monitored against temperature, or time at a temperature, and, therefore, is also generally concerned with measuring the effect of temperature. Nevertheless, for convenience, a brief overview of thermal analysis is given here. 

ASTM E05 fire standards (primary fire standards development committee, with subcommittees on smoke and combustion products (which includes heat release), surface burning, combustibility, external fire exposures, furnishings and contents, transportation, large-scale tests, and fire resistance)... 

As discussed in Section 2.4, there are four basic methods for assessing the fire hazard of commodities for warehouse storage. This includes small-scale fire tests, subjective physical comparison, intermediate or full-scale fire tests, and fire tests based upon calorimetry. The most accurate assessment of the fire hazard of a commodity will be obtained with intermediate or full-scale fire tests and with some commodities, fire tests based upon calorimetry. 

Chemical warfare materiel (CWM) encompasses diverse items that were used during 60 years of efforts by the United States to develop a capability for condncting chemical warfare. Non-Stockpile CWM (NSCWM) is materiel not included in the current U.S. inventory of chemical munitions and includes buried materiel, recovered materiel, components of binary chemical weapons, former production facilities, and miscellaneous materiel. NSCWM that had been buried on former military sites is increasingly being dug up as the land is developed for other purposes. Other NSCWM may be found on or near the surface at former research facilities or test and firing ranges. 

Manufacturers should select components and materials that have been previously flammability tested. Because of the popularity and focus on flammability in the United States (hot flaming oil test and fire enclosures), many materials and components have been tested and rated by UL. European testing and certification bodies generally recognize the UL flammability test results and classifications. 

Countless applications require that the polymers used must exhibit ever higher levels of fire safety. The construction industry is a key one whereby all industrialised countries have their own complex system of fire tests and fire classifications. This is the main reason that building products still have to be tested and approved in each and every one. 

Gun Propellents. Although the stresses on individual gun propellant grains are less severe because of the small size, these propellants must withstand much higher weapon pressures and accelerations. Formulation options are usually more limited for gun propellants than for rocket propellants because the products of combustion must not foul or corrode a gun, should have a low flame temperature, and should exhibit minimum flash and smoke characteristics. Gun propellants are examined microscopically for porosity, are tested for mechanical characteristics, and fired in closed bombs to determine the burning characteristics. 

Smoke, Flash, and Fire Points. These thermal properties may be determined under standard test conditions (57). The smoke poiat is defined as the temperature at which smoke begias to evolve continuously from the sample. Flash poiat is the temperature at which a flash is observed whea a test flame is appHed. The fire poiat is defiaed as the temperature at which the fire coatiaues to bum. These values are profouadly affected by minor coastitueats ia the oil, such as fatty acids, moao- and diglycerides, and residual solvents. These factors are of commercial importance where fats or oils are used at high temperatures such as ia lubricants or edible frying fats. 

One problem associated with discussing flame retardants is the lack of a clear, uniform definition of flammabiHty. Hence, no clear, uniform definition of decreased flammabiHty exists. The latest American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) compilation of fire tests Hsts over one hundred methods for assessing the flammabiHty of materials (2). These range in severity from small-scale measures of the ignitabiHty of a material to actual testing in a full-scale fire. Several of the most common tests used on plastics are summarized in Table 1. 

CAL 133. California Technical Bulletin 133 is a test of the fire hazard associated with upholstered furniture (22). The test is carried out by igniting a standard fire source directiy on the piece of furniture being tested. In the most recent version of the test, the fire source is a gas flame. Smoke, heat, and toxic gas emissions are measured dufing the test. A related test, BS 5852, uses various wooden cribs as the fire source (23). 

Fire Test Standards, American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), Philadelphia, Pa., 1990. 

UE 910 Standardfor Safety, Test Methodfor Fire and Smoke Characteristics of Electrical and Optical Fiber Cables used in Air Handling Spaces, Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. Northbrook, lU., 1985. 

Handbook of Fire Retardant Coatings and Fire Testing Services, Technomic, Lancaster, Pa., 1990. 

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%. 

Miscellaneous chemicals are used to modify the final properties of rigid polyurethane foams. Eor example, halogenated materials are used for flammabihty reduction, diols may be added for toughness or flexibiUty, and terephthalate-based polyester polyols may be used for decreased flammabiUty and smoke generation. Measurements of flammabihty and smoke characteristics are made with laboratory tests and do not necessarily reflect the effects of foams in actual fire situations. 

Some of the tests and criterion used to define fire resistance may be found in the Hterature (9). Additionally, the compression—ignition and hot manifold tests as defined in MIL-H-19457 and MIL-H-5606, respectively the Wick test as defined by Federal Standards 791, Method 352 flash point and fire point as defined in ASTM D92 autoignition temperature as defined in ASTM D2155 and linear flame propagation rate are defined in ASTM D5306 are used. 

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. 

Underwriters Laboratories 333 Pfingsten Road Northbrook, Id. 60062 Standards for Safety is ahst of more than 200 standards that provide specifications and requirements for constmetion and performance under test and in actual use of a broad range of electrical apparatus and equipment, including household appHances, fire-extinguishing and fire protection devices and equipment, and many other nongenerady classifiable items, eg, ladders, sweeping compounds, waste cans, and roof jacks for trader coaches. 

Fire and Wind Hazards. Weather resistance of roof covetings is not necessarily correlated to fire and wiad resistance. Underwriters Laboratory and the Factory Mutual System test and rate fire and wiad hazard resistance, and some durabiUty tests. Organic felt or fiber glass mat base shingles are commonly manufactured to meet minimum UL requirements, which, ia addition to minimum mass, require wiad and fire resistance properties. 

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. 

Eire equipment Fire alarm and fire-fighting equipment must be regularly inspected, maintained and tested Portable extinguishers to have designated locations/be of correct type. Instructions must be provided as to where and how to use them. Practice is necessary... 

The mean time to failure of various instrumentation and equipment parts would be known from the manufacturer s data or the employer s experience with the parts, which then influence inspection and testing frequency and associated procedures. Also, applicable codes and standards—such as the National Board Inspection Code, or those from the American Society for Testing and Materials, American Petroleum Institute, National Fire Protection Association, American National Standards Institute, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and other groups—provide information to help establish an effective testing and inspection frequency, as well as appropriate methodologies. 

Before performing any inspection or maintenance on a flame arrester, the associated process eqnipment and piping shonld be taken ont of service or isolated. The work area mnst be proven by test to be free of any harmfnl gases or vapors. It shonld also be verified that all piping is clean and free of obstrnctions and debris. All plant, company, local, state, and federal safety and fire codes and standards shonld be followed. 

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