Journal Published Online: 24 August 2005
Volume 2, Issue 10

Modified Heat of Combustion Measurement for Electrical Communications and Optical Cables

CODEN: JAIOAD

Abstract

A modified method to measure heat of combustion of electrical communications and optical cables has been evaluated using an oxygen bomb calorimeter. The test procedures described by the NFPA 259 and the ISO 1716 have been widely used to measure the heat of combustion of building materials. Both methods require samples to be pulverized prior to testing. The modified measurement discussed in this paper provides a convenient and reliable test method to measure the heat of combustion of cables without pulverization. The cables used in this study cover a wide range of fire performance categories, including vertical tray, riser, plenum, and limited combustible ratings. The results from traditional pulverized samples are also reported for comparison. The acid correction and copper effect on the measurement of the final heat of combustion of cables are addressed in this study. The results show that the modified measurement of heat of combustion is comparable with the traditional NFPA 259 and ISO 1716 methods, with reduced time and good repeatability.

Author Information

Fang, X
Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., Northbrook, IL
Gandhi, PD
Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., Northbrook, IL
Chapin, TJ
Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., Northbrook, IL
Pages: 6
Price: $25.00
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Details
Stock #: JAI12859
ISSN: 1546-962X
DOI: 10.1520/JAI12859