Huang XJ, Wang QS, Zhang Y, Yin Y, Sun JH (2012a) Thickness effect on flame spread characteristics of expanded polystyrene in different environments. Journal Of Thermoplastic Composite Materials 25(4), 427-438. [In English]
Web link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0892705711411341
Keywords: thermal insulation material, EPS, thickness, hypobaric hypoxia, flame, spread speed, microgravity
Abstract: The objective of this study was to reveal flame spread characteristics of the insulation material, expanded polystyrene (EPS) with different thicknesses under different environmental conditions (pressure and oxygen concentration). Experiments were carried out in small-scale flame spread experimental benches in the Tibetan plateau and Hefei, respectively, with EPS sample sheets inclined horizontally. Changes in the flame spread speed, average length of the pool fire, average maximum flame height, and maximum flame temperature in the surface flame zone were used to determine the effect of the plateau and plain environments on flame spread characteristics. The results showed that with the increase in sample thickness, the values of these parameters increased both in Lhasa and Hefei. The values of flame spread speed, average length of the pool fire, and average maximum flame height in Hefei were all larger than those in Lhasa, while the maximum flame temperature in the surface flame zone in Hefei was less than that in Lhasa for the EPS of the same thickness.