Characterization of ignition and combustion characteristics of phenolic fiber-reinforced plastic with different thicknesses

The present study focuses on ignition and combustion characteristics of phenolic fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) with different thicknesses under different external heat fluxes using cone calorimeter, which receives little attention to date. A series of parameters including ignition time, thermal thickness, mass loss factor, mass loss rate (MLR), heat release rate (HRR), total heat release (THR), fire performance index (FPI) and fire growth index (FGI) are measured or calculated. Results indicate that the ignition time increases with the thickness, but decreases with the external heat flux. Phenolic FRP with thickness of 3 mm may be considered as thermally thin material. However, phenolic FRP with thickness of 5 and 8 mm is prone to be thermally thick material. The critical heat flux, minimum heat flux and ignition temperature are deduced and validated. The thermal thickness increases with the external heat flux. Linear correlations of the thermal thickness with the ratio of specimen density and external heat flux are demonstrated and presented. The mass loss factor decreases with the thickness. Three and two peak MLRs occur in the cases of low and high external heat fluxes, respectively. The average MLR increases with the external heat flux and thickness. The average and maximum HRR increases with the external heat flux. The FGI for the maximum HRR increases with the external heat flux. Linear correlations of the average MLR, the average and maximum HRR and the FGI for the maximum HRR with the external heat flux are demonstrated and presented.

     

Evaluate the flammability of a PU foam with double-scale analysis

Two-scale tests, microscale and bench scale, are conducted to analyze the flammability of a flexible polyurethane foam. Microscale tests include simultaneous thermal analysis coupled to Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and microscale combustion calorimeter (MCC). Evolved gas components, heat release rate per unit mass, total heat release, derived heat release capacity, and minimum ignition temperature are obtained. Bench scale tests are performed on cone calorimeter. Peak heat release rate per unit area, effective heat of combustion, minimum incident heat flux for ignition, and total heat release per unit area of different incident heat fluxes are obtained. FO-category of the PU foam is estimated by multiple discriminant function analysis based on the results of cone calorimeter test. The relationship between the two-scale tests is analyzed. The minimum ignition temperatures derived from multi heating rate MCC tests are used to predict the time to ignition and compared with the results from cone calorimeter tests. This PU foam is evaluated as a high fire hazard polymer having low heat release capacity, low ignition temperature, and short ignition time.

     

Influence of multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) dispersion on ignition of poly(dimethylsiloxane)–MWCNT composites

Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) filled with low contents of multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) was prepared using different ways to monitor the dispersion of MWCNT. The influence of the dispersion on thermal conductivity and transmittance was measured. High degree of transparence can be achieved with 0.02 phr of well dispersed MWCNT. Time‐to‐ignition (TTI) was also measured on 2‐ or 4‐mm‐thick specimens heated using radiative unidirectional source. Time‐to‐ignition was found to decrease with the incorporation of MWCNT because more heat is absorbed at the surface. Higher time‐to‐ignition was observed for partially translucent composites, due to different absorption in‐depth profiles. It can be assumed that time‐to‐ignition can be controlled by the dispersion of MWCNT into the polymeric matrix. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Experimental investigation of thermal properties and fire behavior of carbon/epoxy laminate and its foam core sandwich composite

According to structural characteristics, composites are classified as laminated structure and sandwich structure. Carbon/epoxy laminate and foam core sandwich composite are the most commonly used laminate and sandwich structure material in the aircraft industry. The flammability of epoxy resins and foam core material is an inherent hazard. Many previous studies focused primarily on their mechanical properties, while the studies on the thermal and fire properties of carbon/epoxy laminate and its foam core sandwich composite have rarely conducted. Therefore, to characterize their thermal and fire properties, a comprehensive experimental investigation and theoretical analysis were carried out in this work using thermogravimetric analysis, cone calorimeter, vertical/horizontal burning tests, limiting oxygen index and scanning electron microscope tests. Several typical characteristic parameters were obtained and analyzed, such as pyrolysis temperature, heat release rate, mass loss, flaming spread rate and limiting oxygen index. These experimental data coupled with theoretical analysis can provide support for fire risk assessment and fire protection design in aircrafts. The carbon/epoxy laminate and foam core sandwich composite are both characterized as the thermally thick materials. The ignition models and mass loss rate models were obtained. Foam core material negatively affects most of the thermal and fire properties of sandwich composite, but the foam core sandwich composite has self-extinguishing behavior during horizontal burning tests, whose LOI is higher than that of carbon/epoxy laminate. Thus, an important conclusion was reached that the ignition position and flame spread direction have critical effect on the fire behavior of foam core material.

     

Simulation of pool boiling of nanofluids by using Eulerian multiphase model

In the present work, a new simulation of nanofluid/vapor two-phase flow inside the 2-D rectangular boiling chamber was numerically investigated. The Eulerian–Eulerian approach used to predict the boiling curve and the interaction between two phases. The surface modification during pool boiling of silica nanofluid represented by surface roughness and wettability is put into the account in this simulation. New closure correlations regarding the nucleation sites density and bubble departure diameter during boiling of silica nanofluid were inserted to extend the boiling model in this work. Besides, the bubble waiting time coefficient which involved in quenching heat flux under heat flux partitioning HFP model was corrected to improve the results of this study. The numerical results validated with experimental works in the literature, and they revealed good agreements for both pure water and nanofluids. The results found that when improving the heat flux partitioning model HFP by considering the surface modification of nucleate pool boiling parameters, it will give more mechanistic sights compared to the classical model, which is used for predicting of boiling heat transfer of pure liquid.

     

How accurate is your two-dimensional numerical simulation? Part 1. An introduction

Numerical simulations of the diffusion processes at electrode surfaces are subject to three sources of error: those arising in the calculation of the concentration values, those arising in the numerical approximation of the flux at the electrode surface, and those arising from the integration of the flux over the electrode surface. In this paper we investigate the effects of each type of error on the accuracy of numerical simulation at the microdisc electrode by solving the steady state problem (for which the analytical solution is known). We are able to show that the major source of error is due to the boundary singularity at the electrode edge. By introducing a simple model problem, we demonstrate that the theoretical rates of convergence of the standard finite difference schemes can be attained in the absence of a boundary singularity, but these rates are destroyed by the presence of the singularity when solving for the electrode problem. Finally, we show that it is not possible to recover accuracy using n-point flux calculations or spline functions at the electrode edge.     

Sensitivity analysis of a predictive model for the fire behaviour of a sandwich panel

A sensitivity analysis to assumptions and input variables is carried out for a predictive model previously developed [1] for the fire response of a glass-fibre/polyester panel and a glass-fibre/polyester-Vermiculux sandwich. It is an unsteady, one-dimensional model using the porous medium approximation and a constant gas pressure with two-step, finite rate kinetics for the thermal decomposition and combustion of the polymeric resin, moisture evaporation described by an Arrhenius rate law, heat and mass transfer by convection, heat conduction and radiation described by effective thermal conductivities, variation of the volumetric fractions of the polymeric resin and the moisture with the conversion degree, effective specific heats, external heat transfer resistances and surface ablation. The strongest impact on the model predictions is exerted by the imposed external heat flux with variations on the characteristic process times between 49 and 774%. An important role in sample heating/conversion is also played by surface ablation and/or external heat transfer resistance with variations up to 30-72% or, when ablation is disregarded, with temperatures along the core layer well below those of the degrading skin. These are also significantly affected by surface heat losses, with the assumption of adiabatic bottom surface leading to heterogeneous ignition of the lower skin, and evaporation of moisture with variations in the characteristic times up to 35%. The model for the effective thermal conductivity of the fibre-reinforced skin (the Parallel, the Maxwell-Eucken and the Effective Medium Theory models versus the Series model) is also important resulting in characteristic time variations up to 35%. The absence of local thermal equilibrium between the condensed and the gas/vapour phase and the kinetic details of the polymer reactions are comparatively less important (maximum diminution in the characteristic times of 16%). Moreover, although over-pressures, modelled by the Darcy law, become quite high especially during the moisture evaporation stage (up to ten times the atmospheric value), their effects on the thermal response of the structure are completely negligible when structural changes are not modelled. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is also carried out to input parameters.     

Fire behaviors study on 18650 batteries pack using a cone-calorimeter

To investigate the effects of different state of charges (SOCs), external heating powers and charging/discharging treatment on the fire behaviors of 18650 batteries pack, three groups of abuse experiments were conducted with the help of a cone-calorimeter. The fire hazards of batteries pack were characterized by measuring the flame photographs, battery surface temperature, ignition time, thermal runaway time, heat release rate and radiative heat flux. According to the results, it is found that the fire behaviors of batteries pack will appear in advance and behave more violent with the increase in SOC. Additionally, the higher heating power will exacerbate the fire hazards of batteries pack by increasing the surface temperature rise rate, the total heat released and the total heat flux of pack leading to an earlier thermal runaway and more rigorous consequence. Finally, the pack with discharging/charging treatment has a much lower heat released compared to the pack without any treatment due to the incomplete burning and incomplete release of energy. Besides, their fire behaviors also exhibit earlier and severer.

     

The role of oxygen in the ignition of polystyrene by a small flame

The ignition of slabs of high-impact polystyrene by a lean hydrogen–oxygen flat flame was studied. The ignition delays and inital rates of flame development after ignition are reported as functions of gas temperature and the separation between flame and polymer surface. The delays follow an Arrhenius-type expression with an activation energy of 98 ± 18 kJ mol^?1. The rates of flame development drop as the gas temperature increases. During long ignition delays the apparent heat transfer coefficient at the sample surface dropped from about 100 W m^?2 K^?1 to values close to that expected for a hot gas impinging at right angles on a cold surface. For short delays it was higher and more constant at about 100 W m^?2 K^?1. Although the surface temperature reached before ignition exceeded that required for nonoxidative pyrolysis, the polymer surface charred only when oxygen was present. It is concluded that both oxidative and nonoxidative pyrolysis contribute to the ignition of polystyrene.     

热辐射通量对沥青改性PMMA燃烧特性的影响

采用本体聚合法制备沥青改性聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯(PMMA)块体,研究了热辐射通量对其热释放速率平均值、质量损失速率平均值、点燃时间、CO及CO_2产率的影响。结果表明,添加沥青的PMMA点燃后300 s内平均热释放速率由569 kW/m~2降低到了525 kW/m~2,沥青使其燃烧更加平稳;沥青改性PMMA的平均热释放速率、质量损失速率和CO产率与热辐射通量成线性递增关系;点燃时间随着辐射通量的增加而呈指数衰减趋势;CO_2产率在热辐射通量低于40 kW/m~2时基本不变,高于40 kW/m~2时呈线性递增。添加沥青之后PMMA能够平稳燃烧使其可以作为锥形量热仪标准物质候选物,得到的燃烧特性与热辐射通量的函数关系式为其不确定度评估提供了依据。     

Analytical expression of the concentration of species and effectiveness factors in porous catalysts using the Adomian decomposition method

A mathematical model by Hayes et al. [10] of porous catalysts that have non-linear reactions kinetic is discussed. The model involves the non-linear steady-state reaction-diffusion equation. The analytical solution for the concentration of species is obtained using the Adomian decomposition method. Simple and an approximate polynomial expressions for concentration and effectiveness factors are derived for general non-linear Langmiur-Hinshelwood-Haugen-Watson (LHHW) type models which has variety of real rate function. Comparison of the analytical approximation and numerical simulation is also presented. A good agreement between theoretical predictions and numerical results is observed. The concentration and the effectiveness factors are also computed for the limiting cases of LHHW type models.     

Efficiency of wollastonite and ammonium polyphosphate combinations on flame retardancy of polystyrene

The thermal and fire properties of polystyrene (PS) flame retarded by a system composed of ammonium polyphosphate (APP) and wollastonite (W) were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis, pyrolysis‐combustion flow calorimeter, pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry, cone calorimetry and epiradiator. The combustion residues were observed by scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy and analyzed by X‐ray diffraction. The combination of both additives enables increasing the thermal stability of PS while increasing simultaneously the high temperature residue. The peak of HRR was also significantly reduced while time to ignition varied depending on the composition. It was shown that the degradation pathway of PS was affected by the presence of the additives implying a reduction of the effective heat of combustion. In the condensed phase, APP decomposition promotes char formation and favors the reactivity between phosphorus and silicate. A layer composed of char, W and a mixture of calcium and silicon phosphate is formed at the sample surface during combustion. This layer is cohesive enough to limit the release of combustible gases to the gas phase. Moreover, the thermally stable protective layer reaches high temperature enabling the re‐irradiation of a part of the incident heat flux. The flame retardancy of PS is thus enhanced. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ignition and burning behaviors of automobile oil in engine compartment

Accidental leakage of automobile oils is of great inclination to initiate pool fires in engine compartment, with threats to induce the flashover of other components and flame penetration into the passenger compartment. This paper presents experimental results of the ignition and burning behaviors of a kind of automobile oils (automatic transmission oil) using a cone calorimeter. Measurements of oil temperature, ignition time, mass loss and heat release rate are performed at different external heat fluxes and initial fuel depths. The comparison between experimental and numerical oil temperature evolutions shows that the variations of the ignition time at different experimental conditions depend on the heat dissipation process inside the liquid phase. The steady mass burning rate is nearly independent of initial fuel depth and has a linear relation with external heat fluxes. In addition, the results indicate an increase in peak heat release rate by a large margin initially, followed by a relatively small margin under thicker initial fuel depths, while its variations are proportional to external heat fluxes. Correlations are also developed to determine the peak heat release rate as a function of the initial fuel depth.

     

High‐Temperature Study of 2‐Methyl Furan and 2‐Methyl Tetrahydrofuran Combustion

The ignition behavior of methyl furan (2‐MF) and methyl tetrahydrofuran (2‐MTHF) is investigated using the shock tube technique. Experiments are carried out using homogeneous gaseous mixtures of fuel, oxygen, and argon with equivalence ratios, ?, of 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 at average pressures of 3 and 12 atm over a temperature range of 1060–1300 K. In addition to ignition delay time measurements, fuel concentration time histories during ignition and pyrolysis of 2‐MTHF are obtained by means of laser absorption spectroscopy using a He–Ne laser at a fixed wavelength of 3.39 µm. With respect to ignition delay times, it is observed that under similar conditions of equivalence ratio and argon/oxygen ratio (D), 2‐MTHF has longer ignition delay times than 2‐MF at 3 atm. In addition, 2‐MTHF has longer ignition delay times than 2‐MF at higher temperatures for the case of 12 atm and under the same conditions of ? and D. The higher reactivity of 2‐MF, as indicated by shorter ignition delay times, is attributed to differences in chemical structure, whereby weaker C–H bond sites are more readily susceptible to radical attack than in 2‐MTHF. It is observed that ignition delay times of 2‐MTHF decrease with increasing equivalence ratio at 12 atm for fixed argon/oxygen ratio. Ignition delay times are compared with model predictions using recent chemical kinetic models of both fuels, showing that both models generally predict shorter ignition delay times than measured. The relatively higher absorption cross section of 2‐MTHF at 3.39 µm allows for its concentration time histories to be determined and compared to model predictions. In line with the observed discrepancy in ignition predictions, predicted 2‐MTHF concentration profiles are such that the fuel is shown to be more rapidly consumed than observed in the experiments. The study advances understanding of the combustion chemistry of these cyclic ethers that are potential alternative fuels.     

Optimization of plasmonic heating by gold nanospheres and nanoshells

Gold nanoparticles have strong and tunable absorption peaks in their optical extinction spectra, a phenomenon that has recently been exploited to generate localized heating in the vicinity of these particles. However the optimum particle geometry and illumination regime to maximize these effects appears not to have been previously examined in any detail. Here we show that the interplay between the particles' absorption cross-sections, volume, and surface area lead to there being specific conditions that can maximize particle temperature and surface heat flux. Optical absorption efficiencies were calculated from the formulation of Mie, and radiative, convective, and conductive heat transfer models were used to model the thermal performance of particles in different situations. Two technologically relevant scenarios for illumination, namely, irradiation by sunlight at 800 W/m2 and by a monochromatic laser source of 50 kW/m2 tuned to the peak absorption wavelength, were considered. For irradiation by sunlight, the resultant heat flux is optimized for an 80 nm diameter nanoshell with an aspect ratio of 0.8, while for irradiation by laser the maximum heat flux is found for 50 nm nanoshells, with an aspect ratio of 0.9.     

Treated and untreated foam core particleboards with intumescent veneer

The effectiveness of treatments for the surface layer of novel foam core particleboards was evaluated by means of Cone calorimeter tests. Foam core particleboards with variations of surface layer treatment, adhesives, and surface layer thicknesses under similar processing conditions were used to produce the test specimen for the Cone calorimeter tests. Ignitability, heat release rate profile, peak of heat release rate, total heat released, effective heat of combustion, mass loss rate, gaseous emissions, and specific extinction area were measured using the cone irradiance of 50 kW m^?2. Additional analysis of this data provided fuel composition information that could reveal the pyrolysis events of the composite boards. Thermocouples at various depths were used to provide further verification of pyrolysis events. The unprotected foam core panels generally had much higher heat release rates, somewhat higher heat of combustion and much higher smoke production due to the polymeric foam component of tested panels, whereas time to ignition and total heat release were not pronounced from the veneer treated boards. Adding the commercial fire retardant veneer to the face particleboard provided a dramatic improvement to the measured flammability properties. It worked sufficiently well with a 3 mm thick surface layer to improve the predicted flame spread rating of the foam core particleboards.     

Shock tube investigation of methyl tert butyl ether and methyl tetrahydrofuran high-temperature kinetics

The autoignition and pyrolysis of two C5 ethers, methyl tert butyl ether (MTBE) and 2-methyltetrahydrofuran (2-MTHF), are investigated using the shock tube reactor. The experiments are carried out at pressures of 3.5 and 12 atm at temperatures above 1000 K with argon as a diluent gas. By means of direct laser absorption, carbon monoxide time histories and associated chemical kinetic timescales are also determined. It is observed that the competition between ignition and pyrolysis times depends on the temperature and equivalence ratio of the ignition mixture, such that there is a temperature above which pyrolysis predominates oxidative kinetics. This crossover temperature shifts toward higher temperatures for reactive systems with a fixed fuel concentration but higher oxygen content. The resulting experimental observations are also compared with predictions of existing chemical kinetic models from the literature. The results point to differences in chemical reactivity, such that in pyrolysis conditions, the reactivity of the cyclic ether, 2-MTHF, is generally higher than that of the aliphatic ether, MTBE. While agreement between experimental observations and model predictions is observed under certain conditions, significant variance between observations and predictions is observed under other conditions. With respect to prediction of the pyrolysis time used to capture the global kinetics of pyrolysis, it is observed that the relation of this time to the time needed to attain 90% of the equilibrium CO concentration varies greatly with the result that the models used in this work generally predict a faster initial formation of CO but a much slower approach to the equilibrium concentration. This is thought to arise from the slow transformation of intermediate CH₂O and CH₂CO to CO. The chemical kinetic models considered in this work are therefore not capable of predicting the CO time histories during pyrolysis.     

Experimental study of woods under external heat flux by autoignition

Piloted ignition of woods has been commonly investigated, which is accelerated by a spark plug. Autoignition is a complex phenomenon that combustible materials are ignited by internal heating, without the spark plug. Compared with piloted ignition, process of autoignition is closer to the development of real fire. Very few studies have focused on the prediction of ignition time and average mass loss rate by autoignition. Therefore, ignition time and mass loss rate on six species of commonly used wood samples, namely pine, beech, cherry, oak, maple, and ash, were studied under external heat flux by autoignition in a cone calorimeter. Three mass loss stages of woods under external heat flux was observed. Empirical models of ignition time and average mass loss rate for woods under external heat flux were developed. These empirical models can be used not only for fire risk evaluation, but also for modeling input and validation.     

Sur une solution exacte de la convection naturelle en cavité partiellement remplie d'un milieu poreux

This study deals with the steady flow structure and temperature field in a rectangular cavity including a layer of porous medium adjacent to the heated side, with uniform heat flux from the sides. The Navier-Stokes and energy equations in the Boussinesq approximation are written with an extra term accounting for the Darcy effect within the porous medium. After correct scaling and numerical integration, we derive a closed-form analytical solution in the case of an infinite vertical slot, which is then compared to the numerical results.