A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
Hydrogen chloride in fires
ISO 13571:2007 describes the calculation of safe escape time using yields of asphyxiant and irritant gases for performance based design. Hydrogen chloride (HC1) gas is an incapacitating irritant, reported to be intolerable at concentrations above 100 ppm, but lethal to rats only at concentrations around 5000ppm for a 30 minute exposure. It is evolved from burning PVC, and other chlorine containing plastics. The experimental evidence of the concentration/dose effects on a range of animal species has been reviewed, and concludes that the HC1 concentration leading to incapacitation of 1000 ppm, used in ISO 13571, is rather too high to ensure safe escape. Experimental data is presented from burning unplasticised PVC, plasticized PVC cable, and LDPE to show that HC1 interferes with the flame chemistry, particularly the conversion of CO to CO2, further increasing the hazard from the fire effluent. The product yields are used to estimate the fire effluent toxicity, comparing the standard based on rat lethality, ISO 13344 with the newer standard, which also takes the effect of incapacitating irritants into account, showing the large contribution of HC1 to the fire hazard. Finally, the relationship between the toxicity and a simple analysis of effluent acidity (EN 50297-2-3) is discussed.
Hydrogen chloride in fires
ISO 13571:2007 describes the calculation of safe escape time using yields of asphyxiant and irritant gases for performance based design. Hydrogen chloride (HC1) gas is an incapacitating irritant, reported to be intolerable at concentrations above 100 ppm, but lethal to rats only at concentrations around 5000ppm for a 30 minute exposure. It is evolved from burning PVC, and other chlorine containing plastics. The experimental evidence of the concentration/dose effects on a range of animal species has been reviewed, and concludes that the HC1 concentration leading to incapacitation of 1000 ppm, used in ISO 13571, is rather too high to ensure safe escape. Experimental data is presented from burning unplasticised PVC, plasticized PVC cable, and LDPE to show that HC1 interferes with the flame chemistry, particularly the conversion of CO to CO2, further increasing the hazard from the fire effluent. The product yields are used to estimate the fire effluent toxicity, comparing the standard based on rat lethality, ISO 13344 with the newer standard, which also takes the effect of incapacitating irritants into account, showing the large contribution of HC1 to the fire hazard. Finally, the relationship between the toxicity and a simple analysis of effluent acidity (EN 50297-2-3) is discussed.
Hydrogen chloride in fires
Hull, T. Richard (author) / Stec, Anna A. (author) / Paul, Keith T. (author)
2008
12 Seiten, 6 Bilder, 1 Tabelle, 41 Quellen
Conference paper
English
| British Library Conference Proceedings | 2008
Bench-scale studies of poly(vinyl chloride) fires with water mist
| Tema Archive | 2006
Modelling of hydrogen cyanide formation in room fires
| British Library Online Contents | 2004