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Evaluating Models for Predicting Full-Scale Fire Behaviour of Polyurethane Foam Using Cone Calorimeter Data

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Abstract

Two models that can be used to predict full-scale heat release rates of polyurethane foam slabs were evaluated in this study. Predictions were compared with results of furniture calorimeter tests of 10 cm thick polyurethane foam specimens which were ignited in the centre or on the edge. Furniture calorimeter results indicated that peak heat release rates and fire growth rates were higher during centre ignition tests than edge ignition tests. For both situations, the growth phase of the heat release rate curves measured in the full-scale tests was successfully predicted using t 2 design fires; the choice of a specific t 2 fire depended on the surface area of the specimen and ignition location. A model originally developed during the European Combustion Behaviour of Upholstered Furniture (CBUF) project was also evaluated using heat release rate data from cone calorimeter tests and flame area burning rates measured using infrared video records of the furniture calorimeter tests. This model was able to successfully predict the initial growth phase of the fires and predictions of peak heat release rates were within 17% of measured values. The model had less success in predicting heat release rates later in the growth phase and during the decay phase of the fires, and did not appear to capture all of the physics of the full-scale tests, in particular foam melting and subsequent liquid pool burning. As the model did show promise, future work is planned to address these shortcomings and to develop improved flame spread models for polyurethane foam.

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Notes

  1. This was in stark contrast to an earlier project in this research program involving flame resistant foams, in which it was found that a relatively large torch needed to be continually applied to the foams to ensure that the foams continued to burn, which greatly affected the consistency and repeatability of the experiments [20].

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the contributions of Mr. Gord Hitchman, Ms. Janel Rigg, Mr. David Adeosun, Mr. Charles Lin and Mr. Matt DiDomizio from the University of Waterloo Live Fire Research Facility, and Mr. Rick Retzlaff, Mr. Dave Deutscher, Mr. Chris James and Mr. Ebenezer Enninful of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan. Financial support of this research from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the University of Saskatchewan’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and College of Graduate Studies and Research is also gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, 57 Campus Dr., Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5A9, Canada

    John U. Ezinwa, Luke D. Robson & David A. Torvi

  2. Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada

    Matthew R. Obach & Elizabeth J. Weckman

Authors
  1. John U. Ezinwa
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  2. Luke D. Robson
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  3. Matthew R. Obach
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  4. David A. Torvi
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  5. Elizabeth J. Weckman
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Correspondence to David A. Torvi.

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Ezinwa, J.U., Robson, L.D., Obach, M.R. et al. Evaluating Models for Predicting Full-Scale Fire Behaviour of Polyurethane Foam Using Cone Calorimeter Data. Fire Technol 50, 693–719 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10694-011-0239-4

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