Heat Emission from Burning Fabrics; Potential Harm Ranking

Abstract

A technique for continuous monitoring of the heat released when a freely-suspended fabrie burns under natural con vection is described. The primary responses obtained from this measurement include (1) the maximum rate of heat emission, (2) the time to reach the maximum rate, and (3) the postmaximum time required for the heat-emission rate to subside to one-half its maximum value. Two different ways of combining these three responses are presented, leading to two single-valued expressions which describe relative potential harm, the functions [H]1 and [H]2. These functions haue been evaluated using data obtained for two large collections of fabries, one comprising a wide variety of fiber and fabrie types, and the other, cotton fabrie samples treated with flame retardants. Both the [H]1 and [H]2 functions show a strong direct correlation with Mushroom Apparel Flammability Test heat-transfer values obtained for the same mate rials. For the flame-retardant cotton fabries the two potential harm functions show a systematic response to flame- retardant add-on level.