Fire Safety Science Digital Archive

A set of parameters for pyrolysis characterization of lineal low density polyethylene (LLDPE) were chosen to measure its combustion behaviour. Two kinds of parameters were selected, material and reaction. The material parameters were: effective values of the mass density (?); specific heat capacity (c); thermal conductivity (k); absorption coefficient (?) and emissivity (e). The reaction parameters were the exponential factor (Z), the energy of activation (E) and the reaction mechanism f(?). In addition simultaneous thermal analysis (STA) tests were carried out at heating rates of 2, 5 and 10 K/min in N2 atmosphere to obtain the kinetic triplet and Cone Calorimeter tests at irradiance levels of 25, 40, 50 and 75 kW/m² to compare the simulated mass loss rate against real mass loss rate. Finally the Cone Calorimeter tests were used as input values to optimize the parameter set to perform real mass loss rate.