Heat Emission from Burning Fabrics;Potential Harm Ranking

Abstract

A technique for continuous monitoring of the heat released when a freely-suspended fabrie burns under natural con vection is described. The primary responses obtained from this measurement include (1) the maximum rate of heat emission, (2) the time to reach the maximum rate, and (3) the postmaximum time required for the heat-emission rate to subside to one-half its maximum value. Two different ways of combining these three responses are presented, leading to two single-valued expressions which describe relative potential harm, the functions [H]₁ and [H]₂. These functions haue been evaluated using data obtained for two large collections of fabries, one comprising a wide variety of fiber and fabrie types, and the other, cotton fabrie samples treated with flame retardants. Both the [H]₁ and [H]₂ functions show a strong direct correlation with Mushroom Apparel Flammability Test heat-transfer values obtained for the same mate rials. For the flame-retardant cotton fabries the two potential harm functions show a systematic response to flame- retardant add-on level.

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References

Braun, E. et al., Back-Up Report for the Proposed Standard for the Flammability of General Wearing Apparel, NHSIR 76-1072, National Bureau of Standards, June 1976.

Miller, B. , "A New Concept for Monitoring the Burning Behavior of Fabries," Proc. 10th Annual Meeting of the Information Council on Fabrie Flammability, December 1976, pp. 198-208.

Miller, B. , Martin, J.R. , and Meiser, C.H. , Jr., Design, Calibration, and Use of a Convective Air Flow Dynamic Calorimeter, Thermochimica Acta 20, 253 261 (1977).