Publications

Polyurethane foam response to fire in practical geometries

Hobbs, Michael L.; Lemmon, Gordon H.

An efficient polymer mass loss and foam response model has been developed to predict the behavior of unconfined polyurethane foam exposed to fire-like heat fluxes. The mass loss model is based on a simple two-step mechanism using distributed reaction rates. The mass loss model was implemented into a multidimensional finite element heat conduction code that supports chemical kinetics and dynamic enclosure radiation. A discretization bias correction model was parameterized using elements with characteristic lengths ranging from 0.1cm to 1cm. Bias corrected solutions with these large elements gave essentially the same results as grid-independent solutions using 0.01-cm elements. Predictions were compared to measured decomposition front locations determined from real-time X-rays of 9-cm diameter, 15-cm tall cylinders of foam that were heated with lamps. The calculated and measured locations of the decomposition fronts were well within 1cm of each other and in some cases the fronts coincided. © 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.