Surface parameters from small-scale experiments used for measuring HCl transport and decay in fire atmospheres
✍ Scribed by F. M. Galloway; M. M. Hirschler; G. F. Smith
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 1991
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 794 KB
- Volume
- 15
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0308-0501
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✦ Synopsis
The decay of HCI was investigated in two small-scale scenarios: pure HCI injection into a 3 I chamber and combustion of plasticized PVC in a 2001 chamber. The effects investigated included (1) humidity, (2) temperature, (3) concentration of HCI and (4) wall material. Surface materials studied were PMMA, ceiling tile (front and back), Marinite, painted PMMA, unpainted gypsum board and cement. In view of the very rapid HCI decay in most of those surfaces, the effects were often examined with small 'chips' of materials in a PMMA chamber, with fresh walls for each experiment. Experiments were also carried out to investigate the effect of surface ageing, with painted gypsum board, painted PMMA and unpainted gypsum board walls. HCI decay is very fast in cement or unpainted gypsum board surfaces (almost impossible to saturate with HCI) and almost as fast on ceiling tile and Marinite. Saturation of HCI can be reached on painted gypsum board and painted PMMA surfaces, albeit at different rates. An earlier empirical model from mathematical fitting had been followed by a new HCI generation, transport and decay model, with a sound physical basis. This allowed calculations of parameters for all the surfaces used. Much work has already been done in devising and writing a zone model for use together with fire hazard models (particularly the NIST model, FAST) to calculate correct HCL concentrations in various fire scenarios. This work, which concludes the investigation of these two static fire scenarios for the surfaces analysed, represents one more step in the pursuit of that goal.