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Author
Quintiere, J. G.
Title
Furniture Flammability: An Investigation of the California Technical Bulletin 133 Test. Part 1. Measuring the Hazards of Furniture Fires.
Coporate
National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD
Report
NISTIR 4360, July 1990, 29 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. Website: http://www.ntis.gov
Keywords
furniture | flammability | test methods | fire hazards | carbon monoxide | flashover | ignition | smoke
Identifiers
California Technical Bulletin 133
Abstract
The hazards due to furniture fires are examined. These include ignition of an adjoining item, flashover, CO toxicity, and reduced visibility as a result of smoke. Theoretical analyses are given to quantify the hazards, and typical parametric values are given for several materials representative of a range of fire performance. Results are presented in terms of conditions at the flame tip, at the onset of flashover, and for a ventilation-limited fire. Critical hazard measurements are identified, and an illustration is given on how to characterize the hazards. Finally, a critical review of the measurements used in the California Technical Bulletin 133 is made, and recommendations for improvements are offered.