Reproducing the Products of Flaming Combustion in the Microscale Combustion Calorimeter

Details

• Creators:
  Walters, Richard N. ; Speitel, Louise ; Safronava, Natallia ; Lyon, Richard E.
• Corporate Creators:
  United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration. Fire Research and Safety Branch
• Corporate Contributors:
  United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration. Technical Center
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  Aviation Calorimeters Combustion Equivalence Ratio Microscale Combustion Calorimeter (MCC) Oxidation Toxicity
• Publication/ Report Number:
  DOT/FAA/TC-25/11
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.21949/6z76-8930
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States
• Corporate Publisher:
  United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration. William J. Hughes Technical Center
• Abstract:
  The FAA microscale combustion calorimeter (MCC) operates by burning the evolved gases from a thermally degrading sample and measuring the oxygen consumption to calculate a heat release rate. Recent method developments using hyphenated MCC techniques enables measurements of the effect of vitiation on toxic combustion gas yields. Stoichiometric fuel to oxygen ratio tests were performed where a constant fuel to oxygen ratio relative to the stoichiometric ratio, Φ, in the combustor is controlled throughout the sample decomposition. When Φ < 1, combustion is fuel lean (over ventilated). When Φ > 1, combustion is fuel rich (vitiated).
  
  The MCC was coupled with an infrared spectrometer (MCC-IR) and a multi-gas analyzer (MCC-Testo), which were used to monitor gases and evaluate combustion toxicity at different Φ and combustion temperature set points. These hyphenated techniques demonstrate a unique capability to elucidate the effect of constant fuel to oxygen ratios on combustion product yields. Measurements made at different Φ's will help to better understand the flame chemistry and the mix of complete/incomplete combustion products for various aircraft materials throughout the different stages of a full-scale fire. Combustion equivalence ratios of 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 were evaluated in this study. A set of hydrocarbon materials with elemental compositions, including C, H, N, O, and S, were examined to provide a spectrum of gaseous combustion products where a small set of potential toxic combustion products could be evaluated. Yields of the gaseous decomposition/combustion products were compared as a function of equivalence ratio for the set of materials. Trends in combustion products produced at different oxygen ratios correlate with large-scale fire test data from the literature and showed an increase in toxic product yields with increasing Φ.
  
  
• Format:
  PDF
• Collection(s):
  FAA Fire Safety FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center for Advanced Aerospace
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:d9aa0ea1e59e765ebc8a744becb2006141583decd06bf9bc6c75333c6ea5040abdcd234ec1767b9d2733d8bd474dcc6c1b36b893d49ecc24d9d19d390c9aa492
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/93114/dot_93114_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.81 MB ]