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Graduation Thesis - Final Version.pdf (10.25 MB)

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LABORATORY-SCALE EVALUATION OF ARAMID BLEND MATERIAL AS A FIRE BARRIER FOR FLEXIBLE POLYURETHANE FOAM

Shang, Wei
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7814-6948
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1462873811

Abstract Details

2016, Master of Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, EMC - Mechanical Engineering.
Fire blocking technologies have been investigated extensively in the past and defined in numerous fire standards. One of the developing technologies is the use of fire barrier materials. Tests of the effectiveness of barrier materials were mostly carried out at normal atmosphere based on pass/fail criteria. In this study, meta-aramid (Nomex® IIIA) fabric was tested as the fire barrier material for flexible polyurethane foam samples in a range of atmospheres (pressure ranges from 6 to 18 psia and oxygen concentration up to 46%) in a small environmental chamber. The polyurethane foam sample (8 × 5.08 × 2.54 cm or 8 × 5.08 × 1.27 cm) was wrapped around by the Nomex® fabric and installed vertically in the chamber. An electric ignition coil was energized at the top of the sample with a prescribed power level and duration. The distance of the flame spread was recorded. If the flame did not spread beyond the ignition zone, it was regarded as non-flammable. A flammability boundary of the limiting oxygen index (LOI) vs. pressure was determined. The oxygen limit is higher at reduced pressure, as expected; however, the measured LOI’s are higher not only than that of the polyurethane foam without Nomex® but also higher than that of the stand-alone Nomex® fabric itself. The wrapping combination of polyurethane foam with the Nomex® fabric barrier is found to be a surprisingly effective way to reduce material flammability at a range of atmospheres conditions. Because the pressure or oxygen percentage in future spacecraft and in current aircraft baggage component can be different, it is valuable to investigate effectiveness of fire barrier materials in variable pressure and oxygen atmospheres.
James T'ien (Advisor)
116 p.
Aerospace Engineering; Mechanical Engineering
Nomex, Flexible polyurethane foam, Fire barrier, Pressure, Oxygen concentration, Flammability boundary

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Shang, W. (2016). LABORATORY-SCALE EVALUATION OF ARAMID BLEND MATERIAL AS A FIRE BARRIER FOR FLEXIBLE POLYURETHANE FOAM [Master's thesis, Case Western Reserve University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1462873811

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Shang, Wei. LABORATORY-SCALE EVALUATION OF ARAMID BLEND MATERIAL AS A FIRE BARRIER FOR FLEXIBLE POLYURETHANE FOAM. 2016. Case Western Reserve University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1462873811.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Shang, Wei. "LABORATORY-SCALE EVALUATION OF ARAMID BLEND MATERIAL AS A FIRE BARRIER FOR FLEXIBLE POLYURETHANE FOAM." Master's thesis, Case Western Reserve University, 2016. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1462873811

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

case1462873811
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© 2016, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies and OhioLINK.