Thesis (M.S.)--Worcester Polytechnic Institute. / Keywords: material property; thermometer; cone calorimeter; finite difference method; thermoplastic; pyrolysis model; fire dynamics simulators Includes bibliographical references. (p.162-163)

L’évolution structurelle des bâtiments résidentiels du fait des réglementations thermiques, environnementales ainsi que du déploiement du Règlement des Produits de la Construction génère des enjeux majeurs pour les fabricants de conduit de fumée, notamment en ce qui concerne la sécurité des habitants en cas d’incendie. Deux scenarii de résistance au feu sont considérés par la règlementation européenne : celui associé au développement du feu dans la pièce où se situe le conduit et celui-ci relatif au développement du feu dans le conduit lui-même, par l’inflammation de dépôts. Dans les deux cas, le conduit ne doit pas être vecteur de propagation du feu aux pièces et aux matériaux combustibles adjacents. Dans ce contexte, la présente étude vise à caractériser les principaux transferts thermiques mis en jeu au cours des deux scenarii et de mieux comprendre la cinétique de formation, de décomposition, d’inflammation et de combustion des dépôts au sein des conduits. Pour ce faire, une démarche expérimentale et numérique a été adoptée. La partie expérimentale permet de déterminer les caractéristiques chimiques (analyses élémentaire et chimique) et thermo-physiques (densité, conductivité, effusivité et capacité thermique, porosité, pouvoir calorifique) de 24 résidus provenant d’installations réelles ou créés en laboratoire dans des conditions de combustion maîtrisées. Ces résidus sont par la suite étudiés en analyseur thermogravimétrique et au Cône Calorimètre afin de déterminer les étapes de décomposition thermique, ainsi que les propriétés d’inflammabilité et de combustibilité, en inflammation pilotée et en auto-inflammation. Une base de données conséquente de l’ensemble des propriétés est alors générée. Un four de résistance au feu (selon la norme EN 1366-13) a permis l’étude de la participation du conduit à la propagation du feu d’une pièce à une autre, à travers la mesure de champs de température, notamment au-dessus du plafond. Les essais dans ce dispositif permettent l’acquisition de données essentielles à la définition des conditions initiales et aux limites nécessaires au développement et à la validation d’un modèle numérique développé sous Fluent. Ce modèle décrit les transferts thermiques par conduction, convection et rayonnement. Il permet d’estimer le niveau de température sur la paroi extérieure du conduit de fumée au-dessus du four, requis lors des essais de déclaration de performance EI selon la norme EN 1366-13 et ce, quelle que soit la configuration du conduit (diamètre, nature…). Les résultats obtenus répondent au besoin de Poujoulat, dont l’enjeu est de disposer d’un outil expérimental et numérique de développement de conduits résistant au feu et d’une base de données relative aux dépôts afin de préconiser des conseils d’utilisation aux habitants / The structural evolution of residential buildings due to thermal, environmental regulations and roll out of the Construction Products Regulation generate major challenge for chimney manufacturers, in particular with regard to the safety of residents during a fire. Two fire resistance scenarios are eloquent in European Regulations: the one associated with the development of fire in the room where the chimney is located and the last reported on the development of fire in the chimney itself, by ignition of the deposits. In both cases, the chimney must not be a vector for propagating fire to adjacent rooms and combustible materials. In this context, the present study aims to characterize the main thermal transfers involved in the two scenarios and to better understand the kinetics of formation, decomposition, ignition and combustion of the deposits within the chimney. To do this, an experimental and numerical approach was adopted. The experimental part allows to determine the chemical characteristics (elemental and chemical analyzes) and thermo-physical characteristics (density, conductivity, effusivity and thermal capacity, porosity, calorific value) of 24 residues from real installations or created in laboratory under representative conditions of combustion. These residues are then studied in thermogravimetric analyzers (TGA) and Cone Calorimeters in order to determine the thermal decomposition steps as well as the flammability and combustibility properties, in cases of piloted and auto-ignition. A consequent database of the set of properties has then been generated. A fire-resistant furnace (according to EN 1366-13) allowed the study of the chimney participation in the propagation of fire from one room to another, through the measurement of temperature fields, above the ceiling. The tests allow the acquisition of data essential to the definition of the initial conditions and the limits necessary for the development and the validation of a numerical model developed under Fluent. This model describes heat transfer by conduction, convection and radiation. It makes possible to estimate the temperature level on the outer wall of the chimney above the furnace, which is required in the EI performance declaration tests according to EN 1366-13, regardless of the configuration of the chimney (diameter, materials...). The results obtained correspond to the need for Poujoulat, whose challenge is to have an experimental and numerical tool for the development of fire-resistant chimney and a database relating to deposits in order to advise the habitants.

Dissertation (Ph.D.)-- Worcester Polytechnic Institute. / Keywords: temperature measurement; heat flux maps; Cone Calorimeter; three-dimensional heat conduction; fire growth models; retainer frame; ceramic fiberboard; edge effect; one-dimensional heat conduction; heat flux mapping procedure; infrared camera; specimen preparation; edge frame; one-dimensional heat conduction model; thermal properties. Includes bibliographical references (p.202-204).

Thesis (M.S.) -- Worcester Polytechnic Institute. / Keywords: measurement uncertainty; composite properties. Includes bibliographical references.

A fire growth calculation method has been developed that couples a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model with bench scale cone calorimeter test data for predicting the rate of flame spread on compartment contents such as furniture. The commercial CFD code TASCflow has been applied to solve time averaged conservation equations using an algebraic multigrid solver with mass weighted skewed upstream differencing for advection. Closure models include k-epsilon for turbulence, eddy breakup for combustion following a single step irreversible reaction with Arrhenius rate constant, finite difference radiation transfer, and conjugate heat transfer. Radiation properties are determined from concentrations of soot, CO2 and H2O using the narrow band model of Grosshandler and exponential wide band curve fit model of Modak. The growth in pyrolyzing area is predicted by treating flame spread as a series of piloted ignitions based on coupled gas-fluid boundary conditions. The mass loss rate from a given surface element follows the bench scale test data for input to the combustion prediction. The fire growth model has been tested against foam-fabric mattresses and chairs burned in the furniture calorimeter. In general, agreement between model and experiment for peak heat release rate (HRR), time to peak HRR, and total energy lost is within pm 20%. Used as a proxy for the flame spread velocity, the slope of the HRR curve predicted by model agreed with experiment within pm 20% for all but one case.

Traditional probability and statistics methodologies recommended by ISO and NIST were applied to standardize measurement uncertainty analysis on calorimetry bench scale apparatuses. The analysis was conducted for each component instrument (direct measurement) and each related physics quantity measured indirectly. There were many sources contributing to the ultimate uncertainty, however, initially, we dealt with the intrinsic uncertainty of each measuring instrument and the uncertainty from calibration. All other sources of uncertainty, i.e., drift, data acquisition, data reduction (round off, truncation, and curve smoothing) and personal operation were assumed to be negligible. Results were expressed as an interval having 95% confidence that the ¡°true¡± value would fall within. A Monte Carlo Simulation technique with sampling size of 10000 was conducted to model the experiments. It showed that at least 95% of the modeled experiment results were inside the estimate interval. The consistency validated our analysis method. An important characteristic of composite material systems is the ability to ¡°custom design¡± the system to meet performance criteria such as cost, durability, strength and / or reaction to fire. To determine whether a new system is an improvement over previous ones and can meet required performance criteria, sufficiently accurate and precise instruments are needed to measure the system¡¯s material properties in bench scale testing. Commonly used bench scale apparatuses are the cone calorimeter (Cone) and the FMGR fire propagation apparatus (FPA). For this thesis, thermally ¡°thin¡± and ¡°thick¡± specimens of a natural composite, red oak, were tested in the Cone in an air environment and in the FPA in a nitrogen environment. Cone test data of two FRP composite systems from the previous work of Alston are also considered. The material reaction to fire properties were estimated considering both ignition and pyrolysis measurements made via the Cone and FPA. Investigation of the ultimate uncertainty of these material fire properties based on the intrinsic uncertainty of the component instruments (e.g. load cell) as well as the uncertainty introduced via use of a current ignition and pyrolysis model are considered.

"Material property estimation method is developed with 1-D heat conduction model and bounding exercise for Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) analysis. The purpose of this study is to develop an unsophisticated tool to convert small scale cone calorimeter data into input data that can be used in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models to predict flame spread. Specific interests of input data for FDS in this study include thermal conductivity, specific heat, pre exponential factor, activation energy, heat of vaporization. The tool consists of two objects; 1-D model and bounding exercise. Main structure of the model is based on one of the thermal boundary conditions in the FDS, named as “Pyrolysis Model, Thermally-Thick Solid”, in which pyrolysis flux occurs on the surface of the object under radiant heat flux. This boundary condition is adopted because it has the best characteristics in the dynamics of modeling which are subject to our interests. The structure of the model is simple and concise. For engineering point of view, a practical model ought to have such simplicity that saves time and effort. Pyrolysis model in FDS meets this requirement. It is also a part of reason that this study is to develop a computational model which converts a set of data from the cone calorimeter test to a set of input data for FDS. A pyrolysis term on a surface of an object in this boundary condition will be playing an important role regarding a surface temperature and a mass loss rate of the object. Bounding exercise is introduced to guide proper outcome out of the modeling. Prediction of the material properties from the simulation is confirmed by the experimental data in terms of surface temperature history and mass loss rate under the bounding exercise procedure. For the cone calorimeter, thirteen different materials are tested. Test materials vary with their material composition such as thermoplastics, fiber reinforced plastics (FRP), and a wood. Throughout the modeling fed by a set of the cone calorimeter test data, estimated material properties are provided. So called “Bounding Exercise” is introduced here to draw the estimated material properties. Bounding exercise is a tool in order to guide the material property estimation procedure. Three sets of properties (Upper, Standard and Lower) are derived from the boundary exercise as recommended material properties. From the modeling results, PMMA shows the best agreement regarding the estimated material properties compared with already known results from the references. Wood indicates, however, somewhat different results, in which the mass loss rate takes a peak around the ignition and decreases sharply. This burning behavior can not be predicted using the “Pyrolysis Model”. The model in this study does not account so called “Charring Behavior” that a charring layer toward a surface or difference between a charred density in a charring layer and a normal density in a virgin layer of a wood. These factors result in a discrepancy of the estimated material properties with the reference data. Unlike PMMA and wood, FRP materials show a unique ignition characteristic. Mass loss rate history from some FRP materials indicate more a thermoplastic burning behavior and other materials tend to char. In addition there are few known material property data for theses materials and it is difficult to verify the results from this study with pre-existing data. Some plastic samples also indicate difficulties of the modeling. Because some samples melt and disfigure during the test, one dimensional heat transfer boundary condition is no longer applicable. Each bounding exercise results are fully examined and analyze in Chapter 6. Some of limitations contain model’s structural limitation, in which the model is too simple for certain cases, as well as limitations of bounding exercise. Finally, recommendations are made for future work including upgraded model accountable for the pyrolysis of charring material and FRP materials, data comparison with FDS results, and improved bounding exercise method."

The Cone Calorimeter has been used widely for various purposes as a bench - scale apparatus. Originally the retainer frame (edge frame) was designed to reduce unrepresentative edge burning of specimens. In general, the frame has been used in most Cone tests without enough understanding of its effect. It is very important to have one - dimensional (1D) conditions in order to estimate thermal properties of materials. It has been implicitly assumed that the heat conduction in the Cone Calorimeter is 1D using the current specimen preparation. However, the assumption has not been corroborated explicitly to date. The first objective of this study was to evaluate the heat transfer behavior of a Cone specimen by examining its three - dimensional (3D) heat conduction. It is essential to understand the role of wall lining materials when they are exposed to a fire from an ignition source. Full - scale test methods permit an assessment of the performance of a wall lining material. Fire growth models have been developed due to the costly expense associated with full - scale testing. The models require heat flux maps from the ignition burner flame as input data. Work to date was impeded by a lack of detailed spatial characterization of the heat flux maps due to the use of limited instrumentation. To increase the power of fire modeling, accurate and detailed heat flux maps from the ignition burner are essential. High level spatial resolution for surface temperature can be provided from an infrared camera. The second objective of this study was to develop a heat flux mapping procedure for a room test burner flame to a wall configuration with surface temperature information taken from an infrared camera. A prototype experiment is performed using the ISO 9705 test burner to demonstrate the developed heat flux mapping procedure. The results of the experiment allow the heat flux and spatial resolutions of the method to be determined and compared to the methods currently available.