- Author
- Babrauskas, V.
- Title
- Development of the Cone Calorimeter: A Bench-Scale Heat Release Rate Apparatus Based on Oxygen Consumption.
- Coporate
- National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD
- Journal
- Fire and Materials, Vol. 8, No. 2, 81-95, June 1984
- Report
- NBSIR 82-2611, November 1982, 84 p.
- Distribution
- AVAILABLE FROM National Technical Information Service (NTIS), Technology Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, Springfield, VA 22161. Telephone: 1-800-553-6847 or 703-605-6000; Fax: 703-605-6900; Rush Service (Telephone Orders Only) 800-553-6847; Website: http://www.ntis.gov
- Keywords
- calorimeters | combustion | fire tests | heat of combustion | heat release rate | ignition | oxygen consumption | plastics
- Abstract
- A new bench-scale rate of heat release calorimeter utilizing the oxygen consumption principle has been developed for use in fire testing and research. Specimens may be of uniform or composite construction and may be tested in a horizontal, face-up orientation, or, for ones which do not melt, also vertically oriented. An external irradiance of zero to over 100 kW/m(2) may be imposed by means of a temperature-controlled radiant heater. The rate of heat release is determined by measuring combustion product gas glow and oxygen depletion, while the mass loss is simultaneously recorded directly. The instrument has been designed to be capable of higher accuracy than existing instruments and yet to be simple to operate and moderate in construction cost. The instrument is termed a "cone calorimeter" because of the geometric arrangement of the electric heater.