- Author
- Simonson, M. | Milovancevic, M. | Persson, H.
- Title
- Hydraulic Fluids in Hot Industry: Fire Characteristics and Fluid Choice.
- Coporate
- Swedish National Testing and Research Institute, Boras, Sweden
- Report
- SP REPORT 1998:37, 1998, 41 p.
- Distribution
- For more information contact: SP Swedish National Testing and Research Institute, Box 857, SE-501 15 BORAS, Sweden. Telephone: +46 33 16 50 00, Fax: +46 33 13 55 02, Email: info@sp.se Website: http://www.sp.se/eng/default.htm
- Keywords
- hydraulic fluids | flammability | fire tests | test methods | fire resistance | toxicity | fire behavior | risk assessment
- Abstract
- As part of a two year project supported by the Swedish Council for Work Life Research, two methods for the determination of the fire characteristics have been applied to a series of 8 hydraulic fluids in order to obtain data about the fire behaviour of these fluids. The results of this comparison show that both methods give a good indication of the fire behaviour of the fluids but that the small scale method (IS0 15029-2) is less dependent on the viscosity of the fluid than the large scale method (IS0 15029-3). This is due to the method of creating the spray of fluid for ignition. In the small scale test a very well defined, pre-mixed, spray of small droplets (with a narrow distribution of diameters) is created using an aspiration method with a flow of air pushing the fluid through the nozzle. This spray gives a worst case burning behaviour with even relatively inflammable fluids burning. In the large scale method a well defined spray of fluid is created using a swirl nozzle. The spray is not premixed and the distribution of droplet sizes is broader. This method is more sensitive to the viscosity of the fluid with highly viscose fluids producing larger droplets. The large scale method is recommended for the resolution of any questions concerning the safety of the fluid should this not be clear from the results of the large scale test. This recommendation is based on the fact that the large scale method gives a better representation of what one would expect in real life. The fact that the large scale method is sensitive to the viscosity of the fluid, however, does leave the results open to manipulation through the addition of viscosity modifiers. These modifiers can at times be sensitive to shear and break down after a short period of use. Thus it is recommended that those fluids tested using the large scale method should be both as new fluids and after a given period of use. The large scale method has been crippled by the lack of a classification scheme. To remedy this a scheme is proposed. The understanding of the fire behaviour of the hydraulic fluids gained through the comparison between the two test methods provides the backdrop for an indepth study of hot industrial applications of hydraulic fluids. Two hot industries have been studied (a Zinc and Aluminium Foundry and a Brass Foundry) in particular detail. A risk assessment has been made of the Foundries and placed in the context of the choice of hydraulic fluid. Both of the Foundries studied use Fire Resistant fluids which was found to be necessary considering the risk associated with their operations.