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As part of its ongoing development programme, Chiltern International Fire (CIF) has commissioned a cone calorimeter, an essential piece of equipment for analysing the behaviour of products and materials when exposed to radiant heat and a source of ignition.
Cone calorimeter testing is a quick and economical way to conduct research into the fire performance of experimental materials at the development stage. Testing can determine several factors, including:
- Time to ignition of the specimen
- Heat release rate (kW/m2)
- Smoke production (m2)
As the name suggests, the cone calorimeter is a conically shaped heating element, which can be used to test most materials and products, including solids and liquids. Philip Howard, Section Leader: Fire Behaviour at Chiltern International Fire, said: ‘The test results gained from a cone calorimeter test provide a valuable contribution to many fire behaviour research applications, and, by using specialised software, can help to predict performance under EN 13823 Reaction to fire tests for building products – building products excluding floorings exposed to the thermal attack by a single burning item. This prediction can be used to help decide on when and if a product is to be submitted for full European testing, potentially saving time and costs in the development process.’
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