Annals of the Assembly for International Heat Transfer Conference 13

ISBN 1-56700-225-0 / CD 1-56700-226-9

Year 2006

G. J. Griffin
Fire Science and Technology Laboratory, CSIRO Manufacturing and Infrastructure Technology, Highett, Australia

A mathematical model is derived to describe the developing temperature profile across an intumescent coating when exposed to a radiant heat source. The model includes the effects of: the endothermic and exothermic reactions; convective heat transfer as degradation gases are transported through the coating; radiation heat transfer across the developing porous solid, and; the increase in thermal resistance as gases are formed and the material expands. The model was compared with experimental data performed in previous research. It was found that the relationship between expansion of the coating and the conversion of degrading components was the major influence in restricting the rate of temperature rise within the coating. This relationship could not be described by assuming a simple, universal relationship between rate of expansion and conversion of the gas-forming components in the material (as has been assumed by many researchers). The relationship between expansion and conversion of gas-forming components could be approximated heuristically with the aid of data from cone calorimeter and thermo-gravimetric experiments to provide good agreement between model predictions and experimental data. A sensitivity analysis was performed to show the effect of the thermal characteristics of the coating on the thermal resistance of the material.

COM-10 pages DOI: 10.1615/IHTC13.p26.90 Download article

Article price - $35.00

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