[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 16, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2004]
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\
C/cm (0.240.04 Btu/hr ft\2\
F/in) at 23.9 C (75 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
C (69.85.4 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
C (69.85.4 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.