- Author
- Miles, L. B. | Bhat, G. R. | Sun, R. L. | Yeh, K. | Spivak, S. M.
- Title
- Extinguishability of Flammable Textiles. Part 3. Effects of Cooler, Inert Bodies.
- Coporate
- Maryland Univ., College Park
- Journal
- Journal of Consumer Product Flammability, Vol. 5, No. 3, 135-162, September 1978
- Sponsor
- National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD
- Contract
- NBS-GRANT-R-9019
- Keywords
- textiles | flammability | extinguishment | heat sinks | combustion | TRI flammability analyzer | fabrics
- Abstract
- One aspect of fabric extinguishability, the effect on burning behavior of approach with a cooler body (or heat sink), has been studied using a modified TRI Flammability Analyzer. Linear burning rate and heat flux were measured for a variety of flammable apparel fabrics burned in the presence of a heat sink device. The variables of distance and temperature for the heat sink device were studied. It was found that burning rate decreases with decreasing heat sink to fabric distance but that heat flux goes through a maximum and then decreases at very close heat sink to fabric distances. In this study, heat sink temperature was not found to have a significant influence on the burning rate or the heat flux of a fabric. A comparison of the sensitivities of the fabrics to approach with a heat sink device, and to oxygen depletion, shows much similarity. This would seem to indicate a strong influence of oxygen depletion due to the pressence of a cooler, inert body in the region of the flame front. The work of other investigators who have also employed heat sink type devices to assess extinguishability is reviewed.