Abstract
A method for testing the flammability hazards of hydraulic fluids
in the form of spray escapes, is described. The method utilizes sprays,
produced by a twin-fluid atomizer, which are ignited at their roots
by the carefully controlled input of heat from a gas flame. This
heat input is sufficient to provide complete combustion of highly
flammable fluids, such as mineral oils, but increasingly incomplete
combustion for increasingly less flammable fluids. Measurements of
exhaust gas temperature, flame length and particulate emissions are
made to derive three separate hazard rankings of fluids. The same
test may be extended to rank fluids using other parameters, such
as luminosity and exhaust toxicity. The exhaust gas temperature,
when suitably normalized, provides the basic hazard ranking parameter,
the ?ignitability?, which provides a measure of the ease of igniting
and stabilizing a spray flame of the fluid. A wide range of fluids
has been investigated by using the new testing method and the resulting
rankings are consistent with qualitative expectations. The technique
provides a continuous ranking scale which gives a clear and repetitive
means of comparing different fluids. The flammability testing apparatus
incorporates careful control and measurement of all flow rates and
a compact combustion chamber, with a co-flowing airflow around the
spray which removes problems due to a poorly controlled environment
which have occurred in earlier tests.
Users
Please
log in to take part in the discussion (add own reviews or comments).