Publicação
Thermal behaviour of fibrous structures
| Resumo: | Fibrous materials are often used in the manufacturing of fire protection devices such as fire curtains. Because of their inherent properties, particularly weight, they may find novel uses such as battery support boxes for automotive or aircraft applications. Their optimization and improved performance is still a topic of interest and may require new materials, complex fabrics and coatings. The present work aims to develop and test new combination of fibres, arranged in various 2D and 3D patterns with coatings for high performance applications. The different fabric compositions were developed with the objective of improving high temperature integrity. For this purpose, basalt fibres were added into a glass fibre fabric and nitinol wires were inserted into the fabric to create air pockets induced by temperature. In fire curtains the base structure is a 2D basket pattern and all combinations were tested with and without a WPU coating with inorganic materials. As for battery support boxes, composite structures were used for good thermal and mechanical performance with the addition of aramid fibres. Three different tests were selected to characterise the thermal behaviour. The fire resistance test was carried out in a purpose built furnace that followed the temperature/time curve as close as possible to the standard EN 1363-1. The ignitability test was also performed, and in the case of battery support boxes, it was adapted to flammability testing for automotive materials. For the smoke production test, the EN 13823 standard was followed and a 1/3 scale purpose built test facility was constructed. Fibre glass proved to be the best material to provide thermal resistance in fire curtains with the maximum temperature on the outer surface was below 650 ºC after 360 minutes. As for the battery support boxes, maximum temperature was 200 ºC with the composite structure. The Nitinol wires provided good protection during the initial stages of the test but a combination of excessive deformation and reduced strength of the fabric, resulted in a sudden failure of the structure. Basalt fibres contribute to a reduction of the smoke production. Following direct comparisons amongst the various materials it is possible to observe a gain of 10% in the thermal capacity between 1MIX2 (glass fibres fabric with coating, MIX2), and the best commercial curtain evaluated, KTEX3 (glass and steel fibres fabric with coating). Following this development stage, the results open the possibility for two new innovative products to enter in their market. For fire curtains, certification is still needed; however, an estimated behaviour is already identified with the present work. |
|---|---|
| Autores principais: | Cunha, Diogo Mota da |
| Assunto: | Fibrous structure Fire resistance Smoke production Thermal behaviour Comportamento térmico Estruturas fibrosas Produção de fumo Resistência ao fogo |
| Ano: | 2022 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | dissertação de mestrado |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso embargado |
| Instituição associada: | Universidade do Minho |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | RepositóriUM - Universidade do Minho |
| Resumo: | Fibrous materials are often used in the manufacturing of fire protection devices such as fire curtains. Because of their inherent properties, particularly weight, they may find novel uses such as battery support boxes for automotive or aircraft applications. Their optimization and improved performance is still a topic of interest and may require new materials, complex fabrics and coatings. The present work aims to develop and test new combination of fibres, arranged in various 2D and 3D patterns with coatings for high performance applications. The different fabric compositions were developed with the objective of improving high temperature integrity. For this purpose, basalt fibres were added into a glass fibre fabric and nitinol wires were inserted into the fabric to create air pockets induced by temperature. In fire curtains the base structure is a 2D basket pattern and all combinations were tested with and without a WPU coating with inorganic materials. As for battery support boxes, composite structures were used for good thermal and mechanical performance with the addition of aramid fibres. Three different tests were selected to characterise the thermal behaviour. The fire resistance test was carried out in a purpose built furnace that followed the temperature/time curve as close as possible to the standard EN 1363-1. The ignitability test was also performed, and in the case of battery support boxes, it was adapted to flammability testing for automotive materials. For the smoke production test, the EN 13823 standard was followed and a 1/3 scale purpose built test facility was constructed. Fibre glass proved to be the best material to provide thermal resistance in fire curtains with the maximum temperature on the outer surface was below 650 ºC after 360 minutes. As for the battery support boxes, maximum temperature was 200 ºC with the composite structure. The Nitinol wires provided good protection during the initial stages of the test but a combination of excessive deformation and reduced strength of the fabric, resulted in a sudden failure of the structure. Basalt fibres contribute to a reduction of the smoke production. Following direct comparisons amongst the various materials it is possible to observe a gain of 10% in the thermal capacity between 1MIX2 (glass fibres fabric with coating, MIX2), and the best commercial curtain evaluated, KTEX3 (glass and steel fibres fabric with coating). Following this development stage, the results open the possibility for two new innovative products to enter in their market. For fire curtains, certification is still needed; however, an estimated behaviour is already identified with the present work. |
|---|