Reaction to Fire Tests – Cone Calorimetry
ISO 5660 – Rates of: Heat release, Smoke production, Mass loss

The Test Center of the Laboratory of Applied Thermodynamics offers testing and measurement services for the Reaction of Building Materials to Fire with a Cone Calorimeter in accordance with ISO 5660 standard.

The Cone Calorimeter is a proven laboratory-scale tool in the field of fire testing since it can measure important parameters of combustion materials under controlled conditions. The results can be used directly to evaluate materials and assess their behavior in the event of a fire. Cone Calorimeter is widely used in product development research but also as a tool for collecting data to develop mathematical models for predicting fire evolution.
  • Principle: Oxygen consumption calorimetry
    Assumes 13.1 MJ heat is released per kg of oxygen consumed
  • Configuration
    Specimens 100×100 mm2 are heated and burned under uniform radiative heat flux (horizontal or vertical orientation)
    The flue gases are collected through a hood equipped with gas analysis and smoke optical density probes
    An Integrated balance measures mass loss in real time
  • Results
    • Time to ignition
    • Heat release rate
    • Mass loss rate
    • Smoke production
    • Heat of combustion
    • CO2 and CO production
  • Basic test for the evaluation of materials in specific applications
                (e.g. regulation EN45545 for materials to be used in trains)
  • This test shows how ignitable a substance is and determines its likely contribution to the spread of a fire
  • The results can be used to estimate the temperature and heat flux for ignition and the thermal properties of materials
  • Estimation of large scale test results (e.g. Single Burning Item – EN 13823, Room Corner Test – ISO 9705, etc)
  • Related Standards
    ISO 5660, ASTM E 1354, ASTM E 1474, ASTM E 1740, ASTM F 1550, ASTM D 5485, ASTM D 6113, NFPA 264, NFPA 271, CAN ULC 135, BS 476 Part 15

Download:LAT_ConeCal_Leaflet.pdf [433 KB]

Contact
e-mail: perrakis@mech.upatras.gr
phone: +30-2610-969435

The establishment and accreditation of the Test Center for Reaction to Fire testing was accomplished within the framework of the OP. COMPETITIVENESS, Measure 1.2. “National Quality System”, Action 1.2.2. “Certification”, which is co-financed by 65% by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and by 35% by national resources.