A cone calorimeter is a modern device used to study the fire behavior of small samples of various materials in condensed phase. It is widely used in the field of Fire Safety Engineering.
Contents
It gathers data regarding the ignition time, mass loss, combustion products, heat release rate and other parameters associated with its burning properties. Device usually allows the fuel sample to be exposed to different heat fluxes over its surface. The principle for the measurement of the heat release rate is based on the Huggett's [1] principle that the gross heat of combustion of any organic material is directly related to the amount of oxygen required for combustion.
Its name comes from the conical shape of the radiant heater that produces a nearly uniform heat flux over the surface of the sample under study.The Cone Calorimeter is the most significant bench scale instrument in the field of fire testing. Fire Testing Technology Limited (FTT) in the UK is currently the largest manufacturer of Cone Calorimeters.
Fire Safety
A cone calorimeter is a useful apparatus in the department of Fire Safety and Analytical Services. It is able to study small samples of materials (approx. 100*100 mm*mm), in order to determine their flammability. The fire characteristics of the material can be determined from several different standard models of the cone calorimeter. A list of various test standards is provided below by the UL Fire Safety Engineering Department: - ASTM E 1354 - ASTM D 5485 - CAN/ULC-S135 - ISO 5660-1 - NFPA 271
The different models of the calorimeter can be used to evaluate different aspects of the flammable materials. The research using the cone calorimeters can be used for product safety, environment, and health services.
This device is important when dealing with safety issues. By using the device, it is easier to see how many different materials react with fire. Knowing that information, safety regulations can be made easily to protect the people that come in contact or work with the material often. It is important to know and understand the flammability, heat of combustion, ignitability, heat release, and smoke production of many materials in order to maintain a safe environment, all of which can be found by using a calorimeter. The cone calorimeter is an experimental design made to depict real-world fires.
Using a Cone Calorimeter
Many devices that were used before the invention of the cone calorimeter were known to be very faulty and had several experimental errors. However, research improved with the addition of the cone calorimeter in 1982. Unlike any other apparatus, the cone calorimeter introduced ‘a system for measuring smoke optically and soot yield gravimetrically.' The changes in design allowed for the operation of the device to become much easier and the data more reliable. It is now considered one of the most important devices for Fire Engineering and Safety Services, and its usage in research has grown increasingly over the years.
The fire calorimeter is used by encasing a small sample in aluminum foil, wool, and a retainer frame that is ignited below an exhaust hood. A conical heater is placed in between in order for materials to combust. The cone-shaped apparatus outputs high amounts of energy and turns electricity into heat. Without this portion of the device, it would be very difficult to measure the temperature, pressure, and smoke coming off the sample. The conical heater is what makes this device different from the rest, but in reality is only a small part of the entire apparatus.
Ventilation is also a very important part of the device, as well as the electrical power to run the conical heater. A small water supply is necessary to cool and regulate the heat in the system of the device. Since temperature and pressure are being evaluated, two different measurement tools are needed in the exhaust tube. Gas samples, smoke measurements, and soot collections are also collected using this device and all need a place to be measured after the exhaust tube.