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Fire-Induced Radiological Integrated Assessment : Fire properties of selected materials and products in reduce oxygen conditions

Madsen, Dan LU orcid ; Barton, John LU ; van Hees, Patrick LU ; Malmborg, Vilhelm LU orcid ; Gren, Louise LU ; Gudmundsson, Anders LU and Pagels, Joakim LU (2019)
Abstract
Characterization of emissions from fires in a laboratory-controlled environment are presented in this report. The project is initiated by the CERN HSE Unit and is called FIRIA, Fire-Induced Radiological Integrated Assessment. The objective of FIRIA is to enhance the knowledge of aerosols emitted from fires in order to develop dispersion models of radiologically-activated material in case of fire. Standard cone calorimeter test were done on a variety of combustible products and materials and the results are presented in the report FD03 Fire-Induced Radiological Integrated Assessment - Fire properties of selected materials and products.
In this report, a vitiated air chamber was used to test an oil and two cables at reduced oxygen... (More)
Characterization of emissions from fires in a laboratory-controlled environment are presented in this report. The project is initiated by the CERN HSE Unit and is called FIRIA, Fire-Induced Radiological Integrated Assessment. The objective of FIRIA is to enhance the knowledge of aerosols emitted from fires in order to develop dispersion models of radiologically-activated material in case of fire. Standard cone calorimeter test were done on a variety of combustible products and materials and the results are presented in the report FD03 Fire-Induced Radiological Integrated Assessment - Fire properties of selected materials and products.
In this report, a vitiated air chamber was used to test an oil and two cables at reduced oxygen concentrations that were also tested in the FD03 report. The vitiated air chamber was attached to the standard cone calorimeter and a reduction in oxygen concentration was achieved by mixing nitrogen with compressed air. This general setup has been referred to as the open controlled atmosphere cone calorimeter (CACC).
This report contains fire properties of the oil and cables at different irradiances and oxygen concentrations. The properties included are the ignition time, mass loss rate, heat release rate per unit area (HRRPUA), carbon dioxide yield, carbon monoxide yield, heat of combustion, and extinction coefficient.
The results from the reduced oxygen concentration tests were compared with the results from the FD03 report. Some observations from the comparison are:
 An increase in the ignition time when compared to tests done in the standard cone calorimeter occurred for the oil and both cables at the lowest oxygen concentration tested for each irradiance level.
 The average carbon monoxide yields remained relatively constant or increased with decreases in the oxygen concentration.
 A reduction in the oxygen concentration generally resulted in a decrease in the mass loss rate and heat release rate per unit area (HRRPUA). However, one of the cables, referred to as cable 4 (C04), did not have a reduction in the mass loss rate and HRRPUA when exposed to an irradiance of 50 kW/m2. Cable 8 (C08) also had a higher peak mass loss rate and peak HRRPUA when tested at an oxygen concentration of 17% though the mass loss rate and HRRPUA was lower than the standard cone calorimeter result for most of the test.
The limiting oxygen concentration using nitrogen to dilute air was also estimated at an irradiance of 20 kW/m2 for the oil and 30 kW/m2 for the cables. The estimated limiting oxygen concentrations were:
 Oil: between 11% (no ignition) and 13% (ignition) at an irradiance of 20 kW/m2
 Cable 4: between 12% (no ignition) and 14% (ignition) at an irradiance of 30 kW/m2
 Cable 8: between 13% (no ignition) and 15% (ignition) at an irradiance of 30 kW/m2 (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
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organization
publishing date
type
Book/Report
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Cone calorimeter, Soot, Fire emissions, Hypoxic conditions, Fire properties, Fire Aerosols
pages
34 pages
publisher
Lund University
project
Fire-Induced Radiological Integrated Assessment ─ Aerosol Characterization
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The CERN Fire-Induced Radiological Integrated Assessment (FIRIA) fire properties final report. Research funded by CERN FIRIA project under collaboration agreement K3751 (Geneva, Switzerland).
id
d77256ad-4807-4e91-bb22-18ed3a03f3f8
date added to LUP
2024-02-12 10:47:17
date last changed
2024-03-06 14:22:07
@techreport{d77256ad-4807-4e91-bb22-18ed3a03f3f8,
  abstract     = {{Characterization of emissions from fires in a laboratory-controlled environment are presented in this report. The project is initiated by the CERN HSE Unit and is called FIRIA, Fire-Induced Radiological Integrated Assessment. The objective of FIRIA is to enhance the knowledge of aerosols emitted from fires in order to develop dispersion models of radiologically-activated material in case of fire. Standard cone calorimeter test were done on a variety of combustible products and materials and the results are presented in the report FD03 Fire-Induced Radiological Integrated Assessment - Fire properties of selected materials and products.<br/>In this report, a vitiated air chamber was used to test an oil and two cables at reduced oxygen concentrations that were also tested in the FD03 report. The vitiated air chamber was attached to the standard cone calorimeter and a reduction in oxygen concentration was achieved by mixing nitrogen with compressed air. This general setup has been referred to as the open controlled atmosphere cone calorimeter (CACC).<br/>This report contains fire properties of the oil and cables at different irradiances and oxygen concentrations. The properties included are the ignition time, mass loss rate, heat release rate per unit area (HRRPUA), carbon dioxide yield, carbon monoxide yield, heat of combustion, and extinction coefficient.<br/>The results from the reduced oxygen concentration tests were compared with the results from the FD03 report. Some observations from the comparison are:<br/> An increase in the ignition time when compared to tests done in the standard cone calorimeter occurred for the oil and both cables at the lowest oxygen concentration tested for each irradiance level.<br/> The average carbon monoxide yields remained relatively constant or increased with decreases in the oxygen concentration.<br/> A reduction in the oxygen concentration generally resulted in a decrease in the mass loss rate and heat release rate per unit area (HRRPUA). However, one of the cables, referred to as cable 4 (C04), did not have a reduction in the mass loss rate and HRRPUA when exposed to an irradiance of 50 kW/m2. Cable 8 (C08) also had a higher peak mass loss rate and peak HRRPUA when tested at an oxygen concentration of 17% though the mass loss rate and HRRPUA was lower than the standard cone calorimeter result for most of the test.<br/>The limiting oxygen concentration using nitrogen to dilute air was also estimated at an irradiance of 20 kW/m2 for the oil and 30 kW/m2 for the cables. The estimated limiting oxygen concentrations were:<br/> Oil: between 11% (no ignition) and 13% (ignition) at an irradiance of 20 kW/m2<br/> Cable 4: between 12% (no ignition) and 14% (ignition) at an irradiance of 30 kW/m2<br/> Cable 8: between 13% (no ignition) and 15% (ignition) at an irradiance of 30 kW/m2}},
  author       = {{Madsen, Dan and Barton, John and van Hees, Patrick and Malmborg, Vilhelm and Gren, Louise and Gudmundsson, Anders and Pagels, Joakim}},
  institution  = {{Lund University}},
  keywords     = {{Cone calorimeter; Soot; Fire emissions; Hypoxic conditions; Fire properties; Fire Aerosols}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{12}},
  title        = {{Fire-Induced Radiological Integrated Assessment : Fire properties of selected materials and products in reduce oxygen conditions}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/171168561/FIRIA-fire_properties_FD-02-20191209.pdf}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}