Effects Of The Generic Nature Of Polymers On Their Fire Behavior

Abstract

Fire behavior of four aliphatic and two aromatic C, H, O, N, S, and Cl atom containing polymers has been examined. Experiments were performed in three ASTM E 2058 Fire Propagation Apparatuses. The differences in the ignition behavior of polymers were found to be mainly due to differences in the ignition temperature. Chemical effects appear to contribute about 25 % towards the ignition resistance of the polymers. For thermoplastics, formation of polymer melt and its burning as a pool fire was found to increase the fire intensity by factors of two to four. The combustion efficiency and generation efficiency of CO 2 were found to decrease and the generation efficiencies of CO and smoke were found to increase by changes in the generic nature of the polymers (aliphatic to aromatic to halogenated). About four times as much carbon atoms in the polymers converted to smoke than converted to CO. Large-scale fire propagation behavior of polymers was characterized by a Fire Propagation Index (FPI). The FPI values of melting type thermoplastics (showing rapid-fire propagation behavior) were high, whereas they were low for the engineered charring type and halogenated polymers (showing either slow or decelerating fire propagation behavior).

Insights on Thermal and Fire Hazards of Humins in Support of Their Sustainable Use in Advanced Biorefineries

“…One such empirical correlation used in this calculation is the Boie equation, which is mentioned below. , where C , H , O , N , and S are the mass fractions of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur, respectively, in the burning fuel, and Δ H c corresponds to HHV.…”

“…The fire behavior of humins was tested using an FPA (Figure ), commissioned at INERIS in 1997. − This apparatus is used as polyvalent equipment to characterize the fire behavior of various compounds under fire scenarios and associated thermal and chemical risks (e.g., fire-induced toxicity). The FPA is covered under various national and international standards, namely, FM 4910, NFPA 287, ASTM E2058, ISO 12136, and TR 16312 . The apparatus is also known as the Tewarson calorimeter from name of its early designer.…”

“…A sample mass of about 20–40 g is usually considered for testing chemicals under controlled gas flow in which characterization of the test sample (liquids, or dense or divided solids) can be made in a fuel-rich or fuel-lean environment to cover the full spectrum of fire conditions (well-ventilated to underventilated). Measurements such as mass loss rate, heat release rate, ease of combustion, and yields of combustion products for evaluating fire-induced toxicity are made by modern fire calorimetry relying of the assessment of oxygen consumption (OC) or carbon dioxide generation (CDG) . Such measurements give a broader view of the material’s response to fire that facilitates a sound scientific diagnosis.…”

Nanoscale Configuration of Clay-Interlayer Chemistry: A Precursor to Enhancing Flame Retardant Properties

“…Reinforcement of polymer strength and rigidity through stiffening uni-dimensionally or multi-dimensionally by pushing the chemical equilibrium towards char formation and increasing the barrier properties of chars could lead to new methods for fire retardancy. Hence, efforts have been directed for enabling mechanical stiffening of polymers [50] in a variety of ways that affect the flammability properties [51] closely coupled to ignitability [52] leading to a more controlled combustion arrest phase. For example, addition of co-monomers such as acrylonitrile, butadiene, and methyl methacrylate to the pyrolytic properties of polystyrene and styrene [53] and 2D-MoS 2 nanosheet-containing polyurethane [54] have been fabricated.…”

Enhancement of petroleum coke thermal reactivity using Oxy‐cracking technique

“…Most of these equations were originally proposed for coal and biomass; however, they could also be applied to petcoke. Those correlations that are often expressed in the linear form include the mass percentages of the atom elements C, H, S, N, and O, which are the major elements that can be presented in the chemical composition of fossil fuels . Table lists the relationships between the chemical composition and the HHVs of fuels.…”