Cone Calorimeter
Cone calorimeter, developed by V. Babrauskas and colleagues at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the United States in 1982, is a testing instrument for evaluating the combustion performance of materials based on the principle of oxygen consumption.
Over the past 30 years, the cone calorimeter has undergone continuous improvement and refinement, becoming one of the most important testing instruments for studying the combustion performance of materials.
The cone calorimeter is based on the principle of oxygen consumption and measures the heat release rate of materials. According to the principle of oxygen consumption, the heat released per unit of consumed oxygen during material combustion is essentially the same and is measured to be 13.1 MJ/kg ± 5%.
In the experiment, the sample can be loaded on the specimen holder, and the mass loss rate of the sample during combustion can be measured. By heating the sample and igniting it through an electric spark, the flammability and ignition time can be tested.
The combustion gases are collected in the attached ducts and exhaust hood, and parameters such as heat release rate are automatically measured by monitoring changes in smoke pressure difference, gas concentration, and temperature.
Optical devices can be used to measure smoke density performance parameters. Additionally, by obtaining the above data, further derived data such as effective combustion heat and specific extinction area can be calculated. Cone calorimeter testing is a safe, fast, and accurate method of detection. In addition to product development, the cone calorimeter can also be used as a quality control tool.
