[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 16, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 16CFR1209.7]

[Page 292-293]
 
                     TITLE 16--COMMERCIAL PRACTICES
 
             CHAPTER II--CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION
 
PART 1209--INTERIM SAFETY STANDARD FOR CELLULOSE INSULATION--Table of Contents
 
                         Subpart A--The Standard
 
Sec. 1209.7  Test procedures for smoldering combustion.

    This section provides the test method for determining smoldering 
combustion characteristics of materials used for thermal insulation. 
This test shall be conducted on materials at the measured settled 
density as provided in Sec. 1209.4.
    (a) Apparatus. (1) The specimen holder shall be an open-top 
200.2 cm (7.87.08 in) square box, 
100.2 cm (3.94.08 in) in height, fabricated from 
a single piece of 0.610.08 mm thick (24 U.S. Standard gauge) 
stainless steel sheet with the vertical edges of the box overlapped, not 
to exeed 7 mm (.28 in) in seam width, and soldered so as to be 
watertight. A removable extension top extending 8.5 cm. 
above the top of the smolder box shall also be provided. The specimen 
holder during test use shall rest upon a pad of unfaced glass fiberboard 
or equivalent having dimensions equal to or greater than those of the 
bottom of the specimen holder. The unfaced glass fiberboard shall be 
approximately 2.5 cm (1 in) thick with a thermal conductivity of 
0.300.05 cal(g)/hr cm\2\  deg.C/cm (0.240.04 
Btu/hr ft\2\  deg.F/in) at 23.9  deg.C (75  deg.F).
    (2) Ignition source. The ignition source shall be a cigarette 
without filter tip made from natural tobacco, 852 mm 
(3.35.08 in) long with a tobacco packing density of 
0.2700.020 g/cm\3\ (16.91.25 lb/ft\3\) and a 
total weight of 1.10.1 gm (0.0390.004 oz).

[[Page 293]]

    (3) Balance. A balance of 1 kg (2.2 lb) capacity, accurate at least 
to 0.1 g (0.004 oz), is required.
    (4) Test area. The test area shall be draft-protected and equipped 
with a suitable system for exhausting smoke and/or noxious gases 
produced by testing. Air velocities as measured by a hot wire anemometer 
in the vicinity of the surface of the specimen shall not exceed 0.5 m/
sec (1.64 ft/sec). The test area shall be at 213  deg.C 
(69.85.4  deg.F) and 505 percent relative 
humidity at the time the test begins.
    (b) Test procedure. (1) Specimens and cigarettes shall be 
conditioned in air at a temperature of 213  deg.C 
(69.85.4  deg.F) and a relative humidity of 505 
percent to equilibrium prior to test. A change of less than 1% in net 
weight of the specimen in two consecutive weighings with two hours 
between each weighing constitutes equilibrium. Cigarettes shall be 
removed from any packaging and exposed in a suitable manner to permit 
free movement of air around them during conditioning. Calculate the 
weight of material necessary to fill the holder (volume 4,000 cm\3\or 
0.14 ft\3\) at the settled density as determined in Sec. 1209.4(e). The 
material shall be blown, combed, or otherwise mixed to remove lumps and 
shall be loaded uniformly into each specimen holder, level and flush to 
the top of the holder. The weight of each specimen shall be measured to 
the nearest 0.2 g (0.007 oz) or less by weighing the holder before and 
after filling. If the weight of the specimen is less than that 
calculated, a removable extension top shall be placed on top of the 
holder, the necessary amount of insulation is placed inside the 
extension and the loaded holder shall be dropped from a height no 
greater than 7.6 cm. (3 in) onto a hard flat surface. This process shall 
be repeated until the calculated weight of material completely fills the 
holder. The extension top is then removed. With the specimen in the 
holder and placed on the insulated pad, a rod of 8 mm (.31 in) diameter 
with a pointed end shall be inserted vertically into the approximate 
center of the material being tested and withdrawn to form an appropriate 
cavity for the ignition source, such that the cigarette fits snugly and 
maintains uniform contact with the specimen. A well lit cigarette, 
burned not more than 8 mm (0.31 in), shall be inserted in the formed 
cavity, with the lit end upward and flush with the specimen surface. 
Burning of the cigarette and specimen shall be allowed to proceed 
undisturbed in the test area for at least 2 hours or until the 
smoldering is no longer progressing, whichever period is longer.
    (2) After completion of burning and after the holder has cooled down 
to approximately room temperature, the specimen holder with its material 
residue shall be weighed, at least to the nearest 0.1 g (0.003 oz), and 
the percent weight loss of the original specimen calculated. The weight 
of the cigarette residue is ignored in this calculation. (That is, the 
weight of the cigarette residue is not subtracted from the net weight of 
the specimen holder's contends at the conclusion of the test.)
    (3) Three specimens per sample shall be tested.