Calculations of the heat release rate by oxygen consumption for various applications

Abstract

The calculation of heat release rate by oxygen consumption is based on the assumption that all materials release approximately the same amount of heat per unit mass of oxygen consumed. This technique is now being employed to determine the heat release rate of materials in various heat release rate calorimeters. Other uses include the heat release rate of assemblies in the fire endurance furnaces and the total heat release rate in room fire tests. These different applications lead to different experimental procedures which require different formulas. The experimental choices or constraints include open or closed systems, paramagnetic or high temperature oxygen analyzers, CO analyzers or CO traps, and the use of a gas burner whose heat release rate must be deducted from the total. Various assumptions about CO levels in the exhaust duct and vitiation and humidity in the incoming air are made. General formulas for the heat release rate by oxygen consumption are developed in this paper from which the formulas for specific applications can easily be derived.