Cone Calorimeter
The Cone Calorimeter is a fundamental fire testing instrument used to measure the Heat Release Rate (HRR) of materials based on the oxygen consumption principle. HRR is recognized as the most critical parameter in fire science, and the cone calorimeter provides the most accurate and reliable method for its determination.
The instrument has been widely accepted worldwide and is extensively used in fire behavior modeling for materials such as furniture, electrical cables, construction materials, and flame-retardant products. It is regarded as one of the most important fire testing devices for both research institutions and industrial manufacturers.
The system is designed to meet the stringent requirements of fire research laboratories while also satisfying the needs of industrial quality control and product development. Most major fire research organizations use cone calorimeters as the primary source of material fire performance data and as input data for predictive fire models.
Applications
The Cone Calorimeter is suitable for evaluating fire behavior and combustion characteristics of a wide range of products across multiple industries, including:
(1) Building materials: wall panels, insulation boards, roofing materials, flooring systems, ceiling materials
(2) Electrical and cable industry: power cables, communication cables, optical fiber cables, cable sheathing and insulation materials
(3) Furniture and interior products: upholstered furniture, mattresses, foam cushions, curtains, decorative panels
(4) Polymer and plastic materials: thermoplastics, thermosetting plastics, flame-retardant polymers, engineering plastics
(5) Transportation materials: automotive interior components, railway interior panels, aircraft cabin materials, ship outfitting materials
(6) Fire-retardant materials: intumescent coatings, fireproof boards, fire-resistant composites
(7) Textile products: protective clothing fabrics, industrial textiles, synthetic and natural fiber materials
(8) Research and certification: fire research laboratories, testing institutes, certification bodies and universities
Standards
The Cone Calorimeter complies with and is designed according to the following national and international standards:
(1) ASTM E1354 – Standard Test Method for Measuring Heat Release Rate and Other Fire Properties of Materials Using an Oxygen Consumption Calorimeter
(2) ISO 5660-1 – Reaction-to-fire tests – Heat release, smoke production and mass loss rate – Part 1
(3) ISO 5660-2 – Reaction-to-fire tests – Heat release, smoke production and mass loss rate – Part 2
(4) BS 476-6 – Fire propagation test for products
(5) BS 476-7 – Method for classification of surface spread of flame
(6) EN 45545-2 – Fire protection on railway vehicles – Material fire behavior evaluation
(7) IMO FTP Code – Fire Test Procedures Code for marine materials
Technical Parameters
| Item | Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heat Release Rate Measurement | kW/m² |
| 2 | Effective Heat of Combustion | MJ/kg |
| 3 | Mass Loss Rate | Continuous measurement |
| 4 | Time to Ignition | Automatic detection |
| 5 | Smoke Density Measurement | Integrated |
| 6 | Smoke Sampling | Continuous |
| 7 | Gas Analysis | O₂, CO₂, CO |
| 8 | Ignition System | Automatic ignition |
| 9 | Power Supply | 400 V, 50 Hz, three-phase, 32 A |
| 10 | Methane Gas | Purity ≥ 99.5% |
| 11 | Nitrogen | Oxygen-free |
| 12 | Carbon Dioxide | 5% – 10% |
| 13 | Carbon Monoxide | 1% – 3% |
| 14 | Water Supply | 2 bar |
| 15 | Air Supply | 2 bar |
| 16 | Overall Dimensions | 1600 × 600 × 1700 mm (W × D × H) |
| 17 | Weight | Approx. 250 kg |
| 18 | Heater Temperature Range | 0 – 1000 °C |
| 19 | Temperature Stability | ±2 °C |
| 20 | Thermocouple Type | K-type stainless steel sheathed |
Product Advantages
(1) Accurate measurement of heat release rate based on internationally recognized oxygen consumption principle
(2) Capable of simultaneously measuring multiple fire parameters including HRR, smoke production, mass loss and gas generation
(3) Wide applicability for research, certification and industrial quality control
(4) Stable and precise radiant heater with closed-loop temperature control
(5) Fully automated data acquisition, calculation, storage and report generation
(6) User-friendly touch screen interface with real-time parameter display
(7) Compliance with major international fire testing standards
FAQ
(1) What is a cone calorimeter?
A cone calorimeter is a fire testing instrument used to evaluate the combustion behavior of materials by measuring heat release rate, smoke production, mass loss and gas emissions using the oxygen consumption method.
(2) What is the cone calorimeter used for?
It is used to assess the fire performance of materials and products, providing critical data for fire risk evaluation, product development, certification and fire modeling.
(3) What types of cone calorimeters are available?
Cone calorimeters are available in research-grade systems for advanced fire science studies and industrial-grade systems designed for routine testing and quality control.
(4) What industry problems can this instrument solve?
It helps industries evaluate fire hazards, optimize flame-retardant formulations, comply with regulatory requirements, and predict fire behavior of materials in real fire scenarios.
(5) How is the cone calorimeter operated?
The specimen is exposed to a controlled radiant heat flux, ignited automatically, and the system continuously measures oxygen consumption, gas concentrations, mass loss and smoke to calculate fire performance parameters.
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