Experimental Investigation on Thermal Degradation …
557
The multilayer composite used here consists of 4 layers, in which the honeycomb core is sandwiched between glass fiber phenolic sheets and paint is applied on
the sheet at the top. The cone calorimeter experiments help in determining various
thermal parameters of each material and the assembly as well. In the first phase of the
experimental study, all the materials are tested separately. After that, layer by layer,
material is added and tested at the same heat flux. The results obtained in the first
phase of the experimental study are used to identify different stages of decomposition
in the second phase of this experimental study.
2 Materials and Methods
The fire characterization is carried out with the three parameters (Heat Release Rate
(HRR), Mass Loss (ML), and gaseous emissions) using a cone calorimeter. The
cone calorimeter (as per ISO 5660 [14]) is equipped with data acquisition boxes,
flowmeters, and quartz tubes according to the fire regulation (see Fig. 1). There are
two types of gas analyzers (i.e. Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectrometer
Nicolet 6700 and SIEMENS Ultramat/Oxymat 6) used to determine the evolution
of gaseous emissions and to understand the thermal behavior of the materials while
under thermal attack. More details regarding the experimental setup and methods of
HRR determination by oxygen depletion can be found in previous works [15].
In the above setup, an insulated sample holder is used with a specimen of dimensions 10 cm × 10 cm and an exposed surface of 100 cm
2 (Fig. 2). The constituting
material of the sample holder is calcium silicate (supplied by Distrisol, France).
Except for the sample holder, the cone calorimeter tests are performed as per ISO
Fig. 1 Schematic layout of the Cone calorimeter bench [10]
557
The multilayer composite used here consists of 4 layers, in which the honeycomb core is sandwiched between glass fiber phenolic sheets and paint is applied on
the sheet at the top. The cone calorimeter experiments help in determining various
thermal parameters of each material and the assembly as well. In the first phase of the
experimental study, all the materials are tested separately. After that, layer by layer,
material is added and tested at the same heat flux. The results obtained in the first
phase of the experimental study are used to identify different stages of decomposition
in the second phase of this experimental study.
2 Materials and Methods
The fire characterization is carried out with the three parameters (Heat Release Rate
(HRR), Mass Loss (ML), and gaseous emissions) using a cone calorimeter. The
cone calorimeter (as per ISO 5660 [14]) is equipped with data acquisition boxes,
flowmeters, and quartz tubes according to the fire regulation (see Fig. 1). There are
two types of gas analyzers (i.e. Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) spectrometer
Nicolet 6700 and SIEMENS Ultramat/Oxymat 6) used to determine the evolution
of gaseous emissions and to understand the thermal behavior of the materials while
under thermal attack. More details regarding the experimental setup and methods of
HRR determination by oxygen depletion can be found in previous works [15].
In the above setup, an insulated sample holder is used with a specimen of dimensions 10 cm × 10 cm and an exposed surface of 100 cm
2 (Fig. 2). The constituting
material of the sample holder is calcium silicate (supplied by Distrisol, France).
Except for the sample holder, the cone calorimeter tests are performed as per ISO
Fig. 1 Schematic layout of the Cone calorimeter bench [10]