1 Test Equipment Fabrication
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Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Resolutions - Assembly - IMO Resolution A.653(16) – Recommendation on Improved Fire Test Procedures for Surface Flammability of Bulkhead, Ceiling and Deck Finish Materials – (Adopted on 19 October 1989) - Annex - Recommendation on Improved Fire Test Procedures for Surface Flammability of Bulkhead, Ceiling and Deck Finish Materials - Appendix - 1 Test Equipment Fabrication

1 Test Equipment Fabrication

 Figures 1 to 5 show photographs of the equipment as assembled ready for test. Detailed drawings and a parts list are available from the IMO Secretariat. These provide engineering information necessary for the fabrication of the main frame, specimen holders, stack and other necessary parts of the equipment.

Figure 1 General view of the apparatus

Figure 2 View from specimen end

Figure 3 View from radiant panel end

Figure 4 Radiant panel with reverberatory wires viewed through specimen mount frame

Figure 5 Pilot burner and mount

  1.1 Brief parts list for the test equipment assembly includes:

  • .1 The main frame (Figure 1) which comprises two separate sections, the burner frame and the specimen support frame. These two units are bolted together with threaded rods permitting flexibility in mechanical alignment.

  • .2 Specimen holders which provide for support of the specimens during test. At least two of these are required. Three prevent delays resulting from required cooling of holders prior to mounting specimens.

  • .3 A specimen fume stack fabricated of stainless steel sheet of 0.5 ± 0.05 mm thickness complete with gas and stack metal compensating thermocouples.

  • .4 The radiant panel which has radiating surface dimensions of 280 mm x 483 mm. It has been specially fabricated for use with this equipment through use of commercially available porous refractory tiles.

  • .5 The blower for combustion air supply, radiant panel, air flow metering device, gas control valves, pressure reducer and safety controls which are all mounted on the burner frame (Figure 3). Requirements are summarized below:

  • .5.1 Air supply of about 30 m3/h at a pressure sufficient to overcome the friction losses through the line, metering device and radiant panel. The radiant panel drop amounts to only a few millimetres of water.

  • .5.2 The gas used may be either natural gas or methane. The use of gas other than methane or natural gas is not recommendedfootnote, although with changes in panel-specimen spacing, it is possible to use the equipment with propane at flux levels of 50 kW/m2. A pressure regulator should be provided to maintain a constant supply pressure. Gas is controlled by a manually adjusted needle valve. No venturi mixer is necessary. Safety devices include an electrically operated shutoff valve to prevent gas flow in the event of electric power failure, air pressure failure and loss of heat at the burner surface. The gas flow requirements are roughly 1.0 m3/h to 3.7 m3/h for natural gas or methane at a pressure to overcome line pressure losses.

  • .6 The specimen holder, pilot flame holder, fume stack, flame front viewing rakes, radiation pyrometer and mirror are all assembled on the specimen support frame. The arrangement of parts on this frame is shown in Figures 1 and 2.

  • .7 A dummy specimen approximately 20 mm thick. made of non-combustible refractory board of 800 ± 100 kg/m3 density should be continuously mounted on the apparatus in the position of the specimen during operation of the equipment. This dummy specimen should only be removed when a test specimen is to be inserted.

Parent topic: Appendix
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