Radiant Panel Test Research Articles

Design of a radiant panel test at reduced scale for the high throughput development of artificial turf structures

Artificial turf structures are increasingly used in closed areas and have to comply with the European fire standard for building products (EN ISO 13501-1). The main test to evaluate the fire performance of flooring products is the EN ISO 9239-1 radiant panel test. The test principle is to determine the critical heat flux of floorings exposed to a forced ignition and a specific heat flux profile. As large amounts of material are needed to perform the test, the development of a radiant panel test at reduced scale was considered. The experimental design methodology was implemented to mimic the heat flux profile. The fire performance of artificial turf structures was evaluated at both scales and the results were compared. The burnt lengths of the specimens and thus the critical heat flux are similar for both scales. Thus, the downscaled device could advantageously be used for high throughput development of artificial turf structures.

European classes for the reaction to fire performance of wood-based panels

The classification system for the reaction to fire performance of building products in Europe has been applied to wood-based panels as being ‘products with known and stable fire performance’. The European classification system includes two sub-systems, one main system for all construction products except floorings and the other for flooring products. Panel properties such as density, thickness, joints and types of end-use application including different substrates have been studied thoroughly and are included in the classification. Most wood-based panels fall in classes D-s2, d0 or Dfl-s1 (for floorings). Testing has been performed according to EN 13823 SBI-Single Burning Item test, EN ISO 9239-1 Radiant panel test, and EN ISO 11925-2 Small flame test. Clear relationships between the main Euroclass fire performance parameters and product parameters (such as density and thickness) have been demonstrated. Tables with reaction to fire classification of different wood-based panels and end-use applications have been developed in two steps, approved by the European Commission and published in their Official Journal. The table is also included in the harmonized product standard and may be used for CE-marking. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

European classes for the reaction to fire performance of wood products

The new classification system for the reaction to fire performance of building products in Europe has been applied to five different product families of wood: Wood-based panels, Structural timber, Glued laminated timber, Solid wood panelling and cladding and Wood flooring as being ‘products with known and stable fire performance’. The European classification system includes two sub-systems, one main system for all construction products except floorings and the other for flooring products. Wood properties such as density, thickness, joints and types of end use application including different substrates have been studied thoroughly and are included in the classification. Most wood products fall in classes D-s2, d0 or Dfl-s1 (for floorings). Testing has been performed according to EN 13823 (2002) SBI- Single Burning Item test, EN ISO 9239-1 (2002) Radiant panel test, and EN ISO 11925-2 (2002) Small flame test. In all, more than one hundred wood products in different end use applications have been studied. Clear relationships between the main Euroclass fire performance parameters and product parameters (such as density and thickness) have been demonstrated. Tables with reaction to fire classification of different wood products and end use applications have been developed, approved by the European Commission and published in their Official Journal. This procedure is ongoing with further official decisions to be published.

Flammability Study of Wallboard Containing Thermal Storage Materials. Methods to Improve Flame Retardancy of Treated Wallboard

The introduction of thermal storage materials into wallboard can help to control the temperature fluctuations in the heating and cooling of a building. Thermal storage materials absorb or release heat in defined tempera ture ranges. Wallboard was treated with thermal storage materials, including hexadecane, 1-dodecanol, undecylenic acid, coconut oil and silicone wax. These treatments involved absorption of the compounds into the wallboard. The de sired uptake of material into wallboard was approximately twenty-five percent. The uptake rate for silicone was lower than for the other materials. Most of the energy storage materials are organic, therefore their odor, smoke production, and flammability are a concern. The flammability properties of wallboard samples containing these materials were studied using the E-662 NBS Smoke Chamber and the E162 Radiant Panel Test. The results showed that silicone wax, undecylenic acid and coconut oil treated wallboard samples have superior flame retardent properties compared to wallboard treated with hexadecane, and 1-dodecanol. Silicone wax has a lower latent heat for the phase change as measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) as compared with the other materials. To obtain better flammability properties of treated wallboard, the surface was coated with an epoxy paint containing aluminum trihydrate or magnesium hydroxide. Radiant Panel studies showed a major reduction in flame spread fac tor (Fs) and heat release factor (Q), compared to treated wallboard. However, NBS Smoke Chamber studies in the flaming and non-flaming mode did not show improvement in smoke generation for coated samples. NBS Smoke Cham ber results showed that silicone treated wallboard without any coating yielded lower smoke in the non-flaming mode over other energy storage materials, even when protected by a flame retardant paint. Dodecanol showed lower smoke pro duction in the flaming mode versus other samples.

Latest developments in wool aircraft textile furnishings

Recent developments in Zirpro flame-retardant treatments and wool product engineering to meet the most recent stringent US Federal Aviation Regulations for carpets, upholstery, wall-coverings and other aircraft textile interiors with regard to flame-resistance, smoke emission, heat release and toxic gases are reviewed in this paper. Compliance with the kerosene burner test for aircraft upholstered seating and the Ohio State University heat-release test for wall-coverings requires particular attention to fabric construction and suitable flame-retardant treatment. The measurement of spread of flame, smoke emission and heat output in one test method (NBS Flooring Radiant Panel test) for carpets improves the possibility of assessing the overall flammability hazard of these textiles using one fire model. The selection of a relevant fire model is of particular importance in toxicity of combustion products tests, which contribute only one parameter towards the overall flammability hazard assessment of a material.

Fire exposure to exterior walls and flame spread on combustible cladding

A segment of the on-going research program on fire spread via exterior walls conducted at the Institute for Research in Construction of the National Research Council of Canada is described. The research includes full-scale experimental studies of fire exposure to exterior walls, fire hazards associated with the use of combustible materials, and the development of new test methods for assessing the flammability of combustible cladding. Correlations between the results of a new full-scale test and standard flame spread tests (Steiner tunnel test, radiant panel test, roof deck test) were investigated. A prototype of a reduced-scale test, the vertical channel test, is described. It was found that, at present, the full-scale test is the most appropriate method to evaluate the fire hazards of combustible wall assemblies.

Fair and Realistic Flammability Tests for Carpets

A comparison of the results of ten commercial carpets evaluated in the NBS Flooring Radiant Panel Test for spread of flame and in the ISO 5657 Ignit ability Test for ease of ignition indicated an inverse correlation between these two flammability properties.

Effect Of Sample Orientation On Piloted Ignition And Flame Spread

An experimental investigation is conducted to study the effect of sample orientation on piloted ignition and opposed-wind flame spread. Two types of wood (red oak and mahogany) were used for the purpose and two orientations (horizontal and vertical) were investigated. In the horizontal mode, axisymmetric fire spread over wood samples was studied and the corresponding piloted ignition tests were conducted on smaller samples of the same wood. In the vertical mode, lateral flame spread and piloted ignition tests were conducted in a radiant panel test apparatus. The experimental data were reduced according to the thermal flame spread theory of deRis using the measured surface temperatures. It was found that as long as the temperatures are defined consistently with the thermal theory, the results are orientation independent within the measurement error. The reasons for this orientation independence are: (i) dominant re-radiative losses, and (ii) insensitivity of the flame spread rate to the induced air velocity at ambient 02 concentrations.

Measurement of Material Flame Spread Properties

Abstract A concept was examined for measuring flame spread parameters suitable for predicting the performance of a material in fires. The study examines a radiant panel test apparatus used to measure downward and lateral flame spread, and ignition. An analysis of data from tests of Douglas fir particle board is presented. A procedure has been identified for measuring specific parameters useful in the general prediction of ignition and flame spread for complex materials.

Assessment of draft ISO radiant panel spread‐of‐flame test

AbstractA versatile radiant panel apparatus for studying flame propagation in materials used as interior finishes on floors, walls and ceilings is described. Comparative trials with this apparatus and other tests based on relatively very small sources of heat were made on a wide variety of floorcoverings. The results showed that fibre composition and specimen orientation have a marked effect on flame spread. Materials which gave favourable (low flame spread) results in the panel test also gave favourable results in the small heat source tests. On the other hand, some materials which gave favourable results in the small heat source tests gave unfavourable results in the panel test. It was concluded that although small heat source tests will continue to play an important role in flammability testing, the radiant panel test gives an additional assurance of the flame spread resistance of materials in general and should be strongly recommended for materials intended for high risk areas. The effects on flame spread in the panel test of various factors concerned for materials intended for high risk areas. The effects on flame spread in the panel test of various factors concerned with the structure and conditions of test specimens and the apparatus are discussed. A small modification of the radiant panel apparatus is described which enables it to be temporarily altered to simulate a standard French radiant panel test.

Flammability Properties of Carpets with Polychloroprene Latex Foam Underlayments

Abstract The flammability properties of a carpet underlayment system are dependent on all the components of the system. Most important is the choice of carpet fiber and construction. Large differences in results were seen between the various carpets tested. Once the carpet construction is chosen—and this is most often done for reasons of aesthetics, comfort and wear—the fiammability properties are influenced by the the foam pad or underlayment and by the carpet anchor coat. In all cases tested the use of a foam pad decreases the critical radiant flux of the carpet system as measured by the Flooring Radiant Panel Test. The decrease in critical flux is much less severe for foam pads based on polychloroprene latices than for those based on SBR. This is even true where hydrated alumina filler is incorporated in the SBR foam formulation. From this it is concluded that a carpet with a polychloroprene pad is likely to contribute less to the spread of fire than the same carpet with an SBR pad. Other workers have found polyurethane pads to be equivalent to SBR pads. For the optimum flammability properties, foam density and thickness should be held as low as possible. All results are equivalent whether the pad is attached or separate from the carpet. Where a foam pad is to be installed it is important that hydrated alumina filler be incorporated in the latex anchor coat used to lock the pile in place. It is concluded that where a designer requires a certain level of flammability as measured by the Flooring Radiant Panel Test, the broadest range of carpets can be used if hydrated alumina is included in the anchor coat and if the foam pad is based on polychloroprene latex. Foam pads based on this latex also give excellent results in other flammability and smoke tests as well as excellent physical properties.

The E162 radiant panel flammability test and foamed plastics

A limited number of flammability tests of foamed plastics indicates that the ASTM E162 radiant panel test will rank thermosetting foamed plastics in a plausible merit sequence. The method attributes undue merit, however, to the influence of the low emissivity of aluminum-foil-facing and rates thermoplastic foams very favorably because of their melting and dripping characteristics.

Flammability characteristics of fiber reinforced organic matrix composites

AbstractThe effect of resin, fiber, and fire retardant additives on flammability characteristics of organic matrix composites was evaluated. Information is presented on the flame spread index, determined by the radiant panel test, the amount of smoke generated, and products of combustion, using the National Bureau of Standards Smoke Density Apparatus, and the amount of oxygen required to support combustion using the Oxygen Index method. These methods were effective in screening the flammability characteristics of organic matrix composites. Of the materials evaluated the polyimide composites were the most resistant to flame spread, exhibited the lowest evolution of smoke and toxic products and had the highest oxygen index. No differences in flame spread and oxygen index were observed for the polyester epoxy glass‐cloth laminates. Addition of antimony trioxide and hydrated alumina to the polyester and epoxy resin systems significantly decreased the flame spread index and increased the oxygen index, but showed a marked increase in smoke evolution. Smoke properties depended on resin content whereas the type of reinforcement did not appear to affect flame spread index or smoke properties. The use of protective barriers in selected shipboard areas can reduce flame spread and lengthen the lime for generation of smoke.

Flammability testing for carpet

Criteria have been proposed using the new Flooring Radiant Panel Test that provide safety equivalent to the level provided by the NFPA's Life Safety Code. Note: The test methods described herein do not pertain to carpet used other than for floor covering.

Burning Behavior of Carpets: The Advantages of Wool and Flame-Resistant Wool

A comparison of the burning behavior of carpets of very similar construction made from different fibers or blends evaluated by the methenamine tablet test, F.A.R. vertical flame test, British radiant panel test, and the French epiradia teur test shows that wool and particularly flame-resistant wool perform significantly better than the other man-made fibers investigated, especially in the more severe vertical and radiant panel tests. With the latter tests the carpet backing has to be flame resistant, the flame-resistant wool sheared pile density should be above 0.10 g/cm', (0.058 g/in2), and the pile weight and thickness should not exceed a certain value to allow effective heat sink from the pile, thus ensuring short spread of flame. Flame-resistant, wool-rich blends with nylon burn significantly more than comparable flame-resistant, all-wool carpets, when evaluated by the radiant panel tests.