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PUBLICATIONS

The Impact of Material Composition on Ignitability and Fire Growth. Volume 1: Full-Scale Burning Behavior of Combustible Solids Commonly Found in Nuclear Power Plants

Published

Author(s)

Isaac Leventon, Michael Heck, Kevin B. McGrattan, Matthew Bundy, Rick D. Davis

Abstract

This report provides an overview of quantitative measurement data and visual observations obtained from a series of 52 full-scale fire growth experiments conducted on 16 unique combustible solids including: natural and synthetic polymers, copolymers, fiberglass-reinforced composite materials, porous polymer foams, and electrical cables. Key measurement devices were incorporated into this test apparatus in order to measure the primary mechanism controlling fire growth (flame to surface heat transfer during upward flame spread over the surface of the combustible solids) and to measure global quantities characterizing fire behavior and development: heat release rate (HRR), soot and gaseous species (i.e., CO and CO2) yields. This information can be used to improve the analysis and determination of fuel loading in electrical enclosures, which in turn can be used to define peak fire size (HRR) for use in PRAs. Additionally, measurements obtained from these full-scale experiments provide a comprehensive source of reference data needed to validate numerical models that can predict ignitability, fire growth rate, and peak fire size of combustible solids (e.g., materials found in electrical enclosures).
Citation
Technical Note (NIST TN) - 2282
Report Number
2282
NIST Pub Series
Technical Note (NIST TN)
Pub Type
NIST Pubs

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.TN.2282
Local Download
Materials flammability, Fire risk reduction and Fire modeling

Citation

Leventon, I. , Heck, M. , McGrattan, K. , Bundy, M. and Davis, R. (2024), The Impact of Material Composition on Ignitability and Fire Growth. Volume 1: Full-Scale Burning Behavior of Combustible Solids Commonly Found in Nuclear Power Plants, Technical Note (NIST TN), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.TN.2282, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=933472 (Accessed April 27, 2024)

Created February 13, 2024, Updated February 15, 2024