Development of a New Large Flaming Ignition Source for Upholstered Seating and Mattress Tests. Part 1: Characterisation of Ignition Sources

Abstract

Flaming ignition sources are used in standard tests to assess the ignitability of upholstery seating and mattress composites. These sources should preferably be equivalent to the ignition source occurring in real life situations. BS 5852 defines a total of seven ignition sources of which the No. 5 Crib is used for testing upholstered seating and mattresses designated for use in public premises. In this paper this ignition source is compared to two newspaper ignition sources of 20 grams and several other ignition sources. Extensive rate of heat release measurements in the cone calorimeter tests and heat flux distribution measurements towards the back and the base of an inert L-shaped test rig simulating the seating test rig are presented and discussed. Flaming ignition sources are used in standard tests to assess the ignitability of upholstery seating and mattress composites. These sources should preferably be equivalent to ignition sources occurring in real life situations. BS5852 defines a total of seven ignition sources of which the No. 5 Crib is used for testing upholstered seating and mattresses designated for use in public premises. This paper discusses different candidate ignition sources and compares them with the 20 gram newspaper ignition source required by the EC as part of the earlier draft Furniture Directive. Modified crib structures as well as multi-jet gas burners have been studied and the final selection of the ignition source was based on extensive tests on upholstery seating and mattress composites.