A Method for Determining Off-Gassing of Protective Fabrics Exposed to Simulated Flash Fire Conditions

摘要

Release of harmful off-gasses from flame resistant garments during a flash fire event has recently become a concern. Previous studies have investigated off-gassing from fabrics exposed to extended times in heated quartz containers that did not simulate flash fire conditions. For this study, a Heat Transfer Performance (HTP) test, commonly known as the Thermal Protective Performance (TPP) test, exposed fabrics to radiant heat and flame from 3-5 s. TPP modifications allowed for collection of hydrogen cyanide (HCN), hydrogen chloride (HC1), and volatile organic off-gasses in an impinger with solvent. The amount of analyte measured in the solvent was dependent on fabric composition. This new method provides a more realistic flash fire exposure for analysis of fabric off-gassing.