Reaction-to-fire tests — Heat release, smoke production and mass loss rate — Part 1: Heat release rate (cone calorimeter method) and smoke production rate (dynamic measurement)

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Standards Development Organisation:
ULC Standards
Contact Information:
ULC Standards Normes ULC
Working Program:
View the ULC work program
Designation Number:
CAN/ULC 5660-1
Standard Type:
National Standard of Canada - Adoption of International Standard
Standard Development Activity:
New Standard
ICS code(s):
13.220.50
Status:
Proceeding to development
SDO Comment Period Start Date:
SDO Comment Period End Date:
Posted On:

Scope:

This part of this standard specifies a method for assessing the heat release rate and dynamic smoke production rate of specimens exposed in the horizontal orientation to controlled levels of irradiance with an external igniter. The heat release rate is determined by measurement of the oxygen consumption derived from the oxygen concentration and the flow rate in the combustion product stream, The time to ignition (sustained flaming) is also measure in this test.

The dynamic smoke production rate is calculated from measurement of the attenuation of a laser light beam by the combustion product stream. Smoke obscuration is recorded for the entire test, regardless of whether the specimen is flaming or not.

Project need:

Recognition of this test standard would allow the stakeholder community to evaluate the reaction-to-fire properties (also called combustibility properties) of building materials in a generic and standardized manner. The cone calorimeter standard test method as described in ISO 5660 is widely used in the world, with some countries recognizing this method to evaluate and classify the degree of combustibility of materials. The test results obtained from cone calorimeter tests are also widely used for input data in advanced fire modeling (fire dynamics, ignition, thermal properties, etc.). The use of such modeling is constantly increasing to support alternative solutions in accordance with the objective-based compliance path of the National Building Code of Canada.

Note: The information provided above was obtained by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) and is provided as part of a centralized, transparent notification system for new standards development. The system allows SCC-accredited Standards Development Organizations (SDOs), and members of the public, to be informed of new work in Canadian standards development, and allows SCC-accredited SDOs to identify and resolve potential duplication of standards and effort.

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