Cone calorimeter

A cone calorimeter is a modern device used to study the fire behavior of small samples of various materials in condensed phase. It is widely used in the field of Fire Safety Engineering. A cone calorimeter is a modern device used to study the fire behavior of small samples of various materials in condensed phase. It is widely used in the field of Fire Safety Engineering. It gathers data regarding the ignition time, mass loss, combustion products, heat release rate and other parameters associated with the sample's burning properties. The principle for the measurement of the heat release rate is based on the Huggett's principle that the gross heat of combustion of any organic material is directly related to the amount of oxygen required for combustion. Oxygen consumption calorimetry has made the measurement of heat release rate of a fire a routine part of fire testing for both research and for regulatory compliance. Heat release rate is a primary metric of fire size which is foundational in modern fire protection engineering. The device allows a sample to be exposed to different heat fluxes over its surface.Its name comes from the conical shape of the radiant heater that produces a nearly uniform heat flux over the surface of the sample under study. The Cone Calorimeter has long been considered the most significant bench scale instrument in the field of fire testing. This was substantiated in 2016 by the $50,000 DiNenno Prize, which recognized oxygen consumption calorimetry as a significant technical achievement that has had a major impact on public safety. The 2016 Philip J. DiNenno Prize was awarded to Dr. William Parker, who conducted his research on the cone calorimeter at the U.S. National Bureau of Standards (now called the National Institute of Standards and Technology). The DiNenno Prize directed ample commendation to his deceased NIST collaborator, Dr. Clayton Huggett. Others who made contributions to the early development and application of oxygen consumption calorimetry include Peter Hinkley, William Christian, Thomas Waterman, Darryl Sensenig, Ralph Krause, Richard Gann, Vyto Babrauskas, Gunnar Heskestad, Norm Alvares, Donald Beason, and Brady Williamson. Fire Testing Technology Limited (FTT) in the UK is currently the largest manufacturer of Cone Calorimeters.