Laboratory tests for flammability using enhanced oxygen

Abstract

A comparison has been made between laboratory test results from the ASTM E-2058 Fire Propagation Apparatus and the observed propagation behavior in an intermediate-scale fire test. The intermediate-scale fire test consists of two 2.4 m high parallel panels with a 60 kW fire source at the base. The intermediate-scale test determines whether a material could sustain upward fire spread under conditions associated with clean room hazards. Tests have been conducted with materials that, when used in the intermediate-scale test, provide examples of both propagating and non-propagating behavior. Eight polymeric materials are studied here four of which propagate and four of which do not propagate in the test. Ignition times have been measured at imposed radiant fluxes of 50 and 60 kW/m 2 in laboratory tests with horizontal samples. Heat release rates have also been measured from horizontal samples at an imposed radiant flux of 50 kW/m 2. In addition, the tests have been performed with vertical samples (measuring the propensity for propagation) with the bottom third of the sample exposed to a radiant flux of 50 kW/m 2. Both the horizontal and vertical sample tests have been conducted in normal air and in air containing 40% oxygen. Of all the small-scale test series, the propagation tests with a vertically oriented sample in air containing 40% oxygen give the best correlation with the propagating behavior observed in the intermediate-scale parallel panel test series.