Ignition Properties of Fabrics

Abstract

ASTM E2058 (NFPA 287) Fire Propagation apparatus was used to determine the Critical Heat Flux (CHF) and Thermal Response Parameter (TRP thin ) of 10 fabrics by measuring time to ignition at different heat flux values. CHF values were in the range 15-25 kW/m 2 and decreased with fabric areal density and cation content. TRP thin values expressed as areal density  heat capacity  ignition temperature above ambient were in the range 500-2439 kW -s/m 2 . There was a reasonable correlation between the measured TRP thin values and the areal density of the fabrics examined in this study. Light areal density fabrics with low TRP thin values ( 1000 kW-s/m 2 ) had high ignitions with the fast smoldering cigarette, while heavy areal density fabrics (! 1200 kW-s/m 2 ) had high ignitions with the slow smoldering cigarette.

Preparation and performance study of waterproof and breathable layer of alginate/aramid-based fabrics and flame-retardant multilayer combination

“…The ignition time reflects the degree of combustion resistance of fabrics [ 33 ], and there is a certain gap in the ignition time of multi-layer fabric combinations. This may be because the fabric fully absorbs external heat during the pre-ignition period.…”

Do open flame ignition resistance treatments for cellulosic and cellulosic blend fabrics also reduce cigarette ignitions?

“…sailcloth) can have high ignitions with fast smouldering cigarettes, while heavy density fabrics (e.g. cotton duck) can have high ignitions with slow smouldering cigarettes [40,41]. Gann et al [42,43] showed that cigarettes can be modified (some combination of reduced tobacco packing density, less porous paper, smaller cigarette circumference and no citrate [burn additive] in the paper) to have a lower relative ignition propensity than conventional cigarettes.…”