Measurement of Pyrolysis Properties for Fire Spread Simulations of Spray Polyurethane Foam

Abstract

In this study, measurements and a review of the pyrolysis properties required for fire spread simulations of rigid spray polyurethane foam (SPF) were performed. The change in the mass ratio of the hardener and resin during the foaming of the SPF had little effect on the reference temperature and reaction rate at which the pyrolysis reaction most actively occurred. As the heating rate increased in TGA, a higher pyrolysis reaction rate was predicted. The Kissinger method to calculate the activation energy (<i>E_a</i>) under various heating rates was expected to more accurately predict fire spread phenomena compared to the method that applied <i>T_p</i> and <i>r_p</i> measured with a single heating rate. However, the <i>E_a</i> determined by the Kissinger method was similar to the value at a degree of conversion of approximately 30% using the Flynn-Wall-Ozawa method. Consequently, considering the initial fire spread on the SPF surface, the Kissinger method could potentially overestimate the fire spread rate.