The External Fire Test

The purposes of this test are to investigate the, damage to surroundings from shock waves, the effect of heat and fragments, from any explosion and the damage level for stack packages when they are heated by a fire. 

To observe the burning situation of sporting paper caps, one begins with a burning test one a larg case containing 3000 caps. 

Ten liters of waterfto avoid overheating), 10 liters of light oil and 1 liter of gasoline are poured into a container. A large case of caps is laid on the metal frame. Two nickel—chrom wire ignition balls are placed at two comers of the containers. After all people are moved 100 m away from the site, it is ignited. The phenomena were observed and recorded by eyes camera, video camera and microphone. 

The large case was burned for 5 minutes a violent combustion was not observed. The combustion was similar to the slow combustion of paper caps. 

The test conditions were similar to that used for the one large case. 

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The UN classification of explosive packages consists of three kinds of tests i.e. the single package test, the stack test and the external fire test... 

Fig. 5.10 Neumann jet of No. 0 detonator Fig. 5.11 Result for a stack package 5.2.10 The external fire test...

Fig. 5.16 The external fire test of 3 packages of large showing the of oil and the packages after 3 minutes of ignition...

Fig. 5.17 The thermal histories from the external fire test for 3 packages of 5 large of sporting paper caps...

Photographs illustrating the External Fire Test are shown in Fig. 5.39 to Fig.5.42. Fig.5.39 is a photo which shows the inside of the test package. Three styrofoam plates, each containing 7 generators, were piled up with dummy plates on the top and bottom. 

Division 1.5 Very insensitive substances having a mass explosion hazard which are so insensitive that there is very htde prohahility of initiation or of transition from burning to detonation under normal conditions of carriage. As a minimum requirement they must not explode in the external fire test... 

Fig. 5.40 shows the arrangement of the test package and the fuel to make an external fire. From previous experience, we found that a combination of railroad ties, small pieces of wood, and a mixture of kerosene and gasoline is suitable for external fire tests. The sample was placed on top of the fuel pile. 

Battery safety is so important for mobile and vehicle apphcations. Especially for vehicles, on the road, accident likely becomes heavy, and the crash accident should not bring more danger by release of the energy stored in the cells. And various tests are usually conducted. In ZEBRA battery case, test results were reported. Crash of an operative battery against a pole with 50 km/h, overcharge test, overdischarge test, short circuit test, vibration test, external fire test, and submersion of the battery in water have been specified and performed [6]. The ZEBRA battery did pass all these tests owing to its four-barrier safety concept [7, 8] chemical aspects, cell case, thermal structure, and battery controller. 

Measurement of flame spread under external heat flux is necessary where the thermal radiation is likely to impinge on the textile materials, for example, the flooring material of the building or transport vehicles whose upper surfaces are heated by flames or hot gases, or both. The French test method, NF P 92-503 Bruleur Electrique or M test involves radiant panel for testing flame spread of flexible textile materials. This test method (flame spread under external heat flux) is the basis of that used by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) for assessing flammability of textile composites used in thermal/acoustic insulation materials (FAR 25.856 (a)) used in aircraft and has also been included by the EU for fire test approval of floorings such as prEN ISO 9239 and BS ISO 4589-1. 

Fire-Rated Valves that handle flammable fluids may have additional safety-related requirements for minimal external leakage, minimal internal (downstream) leakage, and operability during and after a fire. Being fire-rated does not mean being totally impervious to fire, but a sample valve must meet particular specifications such as those of American Petroleum Institute (API) 607, Factory Mutual Research Corp. (FM) 7440, or the British Standard 5146 under a simulated fire test. Due to very high flame temperature, metal seating (either primary or as a backup to a bumed-out elastomer) is mandatory. 

Polyphenylene sulfide will not burn when tested by any of the common standard tests used for plastics, such as ASTM D635 and UL-94. However, when exposed In a fire, It will continue to burn until the externally applied flame Is removed. It burns with a yellow-orange flame, producing gray smoke with traces of black. 

Combustibihty characteristics (cone calorimeter) were performed according to the standard procedures ASME E1354/ISO 5660 using a DUAL CONE 2000 cone calorimeter (fire testing technology (FTT)). An external radiant heat flux of 35 kW/m was applied. All of the samples having a standard surface area of 70 x 70 mm and identical masses of 13.0 0.2 g were measured in the horizontal position and wrapped with thin aluminum foil except for the irradiated sample surface. 

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