AbstractEquipment has been developed for measuring the rate of heat release from building materials in an open test arrangement. The method is based on an oxygen consumption technique. A vertical sample is placed under an open hood in which the combustion gases and a certain amount of air are collected. The decrease in oxygen concentration and the mass flow of the gases are measured in the exhaust duct. The rate of heat release is then calculated. The equipment has been calibrated with good agreement between input and measured effects. The total response time for the system is 10s. The method has been used for testing building materials at radiation intensities up to 5W Cm−2. It is able to distinguish between different board materials, and the repeatability is good, The paper describes the equipment, including the weighing of a burning sample and the selection of test condition. Smoke and gas analysis can be added when desirable. Some test results with building materials are also presente
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