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- Englisch (6) (entfernen)
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- Cone calorimeter (2)
- Controlled-atmosphere cone calorimeter (2)
- Fire debris (2)
- Heat release rate (2)
- Ignitable liquids (2)
- Oxygen consumption (2)
- Accelerant (1)
- Arson analysis (1)
- Chemical analysis (1)
- Excess air (1)
The influence of fire accelerants on the fire behavior during living room fires was experimentally investigated by performing 5 different room fire scenarios. During the tests flre-technological quantities were determined as well as chemical-analytical studies were carried out. The focus was on the detection of smoke gases and the proof of used fire accelerants. The evaluation of traceable fire accelerants and the reconstruction of the fire development are based on a precise Chemical analysis of the combustion products.
In this work an innovative methodology was developed to combine available analyticai techniques to draw conclusions from solid, liquid and gaseous fire residues about the fire process. Each ofthe fire rooms was equipped with the same living room inventory. The location and amount of fire accelerant (a mixture of diesel/gasoline) differed in 4 of 5 tests. Orte room fire experiment was carried out without fire accelerant.
The following fire technological characteristics were determined during the room fire experiments: mass loss (of the complete room), temperatures (at several locations in the room), heat release and smoke gas emission (measured at three different locations: in the chimney, in the fire room and at the door opening).
While the smoke gases were analysed by using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, the fire residues and swipe samples (particles) were examined by Headspace-Solid Phase Microextraction-
Gaschromatography-Mass spectrometry. These procedures make it possible to detect low concentrations of volatile components of the fire accelerants. The Chemical analyticai results of the fire accelerant detection are presented.
The chemical analysis of fire debris represents a crucial part in fire investigations to determine the cause of a fire. A headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) procedure for the detection of ignitable liquids in fire debris using a fiber coated with a mixture of three different sorbent materials (Divinylbenzene/Carboxen/Polydimethylsiloxane, DVB/CAR/PDMS) is described. Gasoline and diesel fuel were spiked upon a preburnt matrix (wood charcoal), extracted and concentrated with HS-SPME and then analyzed with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The experimental conditions—extraction temperature, incubation and exposure time—were optimized. To assess the applicability of the method, fire debris samples were prepared in the smoke density chamber (SDC) and a controlled-atmosphere cone calorimeter. The developed methods were successfully applied to burnt particleboard and carpet samples. The results demonstrate that the procedure that has been developed here is suitable for detecting these ignitable liquids in highly burnt debris.
A controlled-atmosphere cone calorimeter that is built by modifying the Standard apparatus with the addition of a controlled-atmosphere chamber offers a time- and cost-saving approach for reaction-to-fire testing in vitiation- and ventilation-controlled atmospheres. Due to the design of the added enclosure no mechanical changes on cone calorimeter’s Standard ductwork are required. This offers some advantages but also important limitations. The design has an open connection between the outlet of the added enclosure and the cone calorimeter’s exhaust hood. Therefore, sufficient ambient air from the laboratory surroundings is drawn into the System to introduce effects which have the potential to affect test results significantly.
A procedure which is is suitable to consider physical effects of the ambient air on the calculation of the heat release rate is presented as well as initial results of an application towards toxic potency assessment. Signs for Chemical effects of the ambient air such as post reactions are shown but subject of an ongoing work.
Layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly coatings reduce the flammability of textiles and polyurethane foam but require extensive repetitive processing steps to produce the desired coating thickness and nanoparticle fire retardant content that translates into a fire retardant coating. Reported here is a new hybrid bi-layer (BL) approach to fabricate fire retardant coatings on polyurethane foam. Utilizing hydrogen bonding and electrostatic attraction along with the pH adjustment, a fast growing coating with significant fire retardant clay content was achieved. This hybrid BL coating exhibits significant fire performance improvement in both bench scale and real scale tests. Cone calorimetry bench scale tests show a 42% and 71% reduction in peak and average heat release rates, respectively. Real scale furniture mockups constructed using the hybrid LbL coating reduced the peak and average heat release rates by 53% and 63%, respectively. This is the first time that the fire safety in a real scale test has been reported for any LbL technology. This hybrid LbL coating is the fastest approach to develop an effective fire retardant coating for polyurethane foam.
The standard cone calorimeter according to ASTM E 1354 and ISO 5660 enables reaction-to-fire tests to be performed in ambient atmospheric conditions. A controlled-atmosphere chamber modifies the standard apparatus in a way that allows tests to be performed in nonambient conditions as well. The enclosed chamber is placed underneath the standard exhaust hood and does not have a closed connection to the hood. With this open arrangement, the exhaust gases are diluted by excess air drawn in from the laboratory surroundings. Heat-induced changes in the consequential dilution ratio affect the calculation of fire quantities and, when neglected, lead to deviations of up to 30% in heat release rate. The paper introduces a test protocol and equations to calculate the heat release rate taking dilution effects into account. A mathematical correction is shown that compensates for the dilution effects while avoiding extensive mechanical changes in the equipment.
Reconstructing the course of a fire and performing chemical analysis of ignitable liquids in fire debris is an important tool to conduct fire investigations in suspected arson cases. Here, a total of five fire tests has been performed to investigate the effect of fire accelerants on the fire development of a room fire and to prove the capability of analytical methods. Different experimental scenarios have been realized (no accelerant, accelerant applied at different positions, and different amounts of fire accelerant). Each test room was equipped with an identical set of living room furnishing. The location and amount of the fire accelerant applied löschen varied in four of five tests. One experiment was carried out without fire accelerant. Fire quantities such as mass loss (of the entire room), gas temperatures (at several locations in the room), and heat release were determined during the experiments, and chemical-analytical studies were carried out. A headspace solid phase micro extraction procedure, using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, was used to analyze fire debris samples to potentially detect ignitable liquids. Beside the analysis of fire debris samples, swipe soot samples were analyzed and the detectability of the fire accelerant used was demonstrated. Results show that it is possible to provide evidence of ignitable liquids in soot samples collected from walls. This allows an additional sampling strategy at potential crime scenes, besides taking fire debris samples.