All Topics  
Flammability

 

   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link






 

Flammability



 
 
Flammability is defined at how easily something will burn or ignite, causing fire
Fire

Fire is the oxidation of a combustion material releasing heat, light, and various Chemical reaction products such as carbon dioxide and water....
 or combustion
Combustion

Combustion or burning is a complex sequence of exothermic chemical reactions between a fuel and an oxidant accompanied by the production of heat or both heat and light in the form of either a glow or flames, appearance of light flickering....
. The degree of difficulty required to cause the combustion of a substance is subject to quantification through fire test
Fire test

A fire test is a means of determining whether or not fire protection products meet minimum performance criteria as set out in a building code or other applicable legislation....
ing. Internationally, a variety of test protocols exist to quantify flammability. The ratings achieved are used in building code
Building code

A building code, or building control, is a set of rules that specify the minimum acceptable level of safety for constructed objects such as buildings and nonbuilding structures....
s, insurance requirements, fire codes and other regulations governing the use of building materials as well as the storage and handling of highly flammable substances inside and outside of structures and in surface and air transportation.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Flammability'
Start a new discussion about 'Flammability'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


Flammability is defined at how easily something will burn or ignite, causing fire
Fire

Fire is the oxidation of a combustion material releasing heat, light, and various Chemical reaction products such as carbon dioxide and water....
 or combustion
Combustion

Combustion or burning is a complex sequence of exothermic chemical reactions between a fuel and an oxidant accompanied by the production of heat or both heat and light in the form of either a glow or flames, appearance of light flickering....
. The degree of difficulty required to cause the combustion of a substance is subject to quantification through fire test
Fire test

A fire test is a means of determining whether or not fire protection products meet minimum performance criteria as set out in a building code or other applicable legislation....
ing. Internationally, a variety of test protocols exist to quantify flammability. The ratings achieved are used in building code
Building code

A building code, or building control, is a set of rules that specify the minimum acceptable level of safety for constructed objects such as buildings and nonbuilding structures....
s, insurance requirements, fire codes and other regulations governing the use of building materials as well as the storage and handling of highly flammable substances inside and outside of structures and in surface and air transportation. For instance, changing an occupancy
Occupancy

Occupancy is a defined legal term in building construction and building codes. It refers to the use or intended use of a building or part thereof for the shelter or support of persons, animals or property....
 by altering the flammability of the contents requires the owner of a building
Building

In architecture, construction, engineering and Real estate developer the word building may refer to one of the following:# Any man-made structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or continuous occupancy, or...
 to apply for a building permit to make sure that the overall fire protection
Fire protection

Fire protection is the study and practice of mitigating the unwanted effects of fires. It involves the study of the behaviour, compartmentalisation, suppression and investigation of fire and its related emergencies, as well as the research and development, production, testing and application of mitigating systems....
 design basis of the facility can take the change into account

Testing


A fire test
Fire test

A fire test is a means of determining whether or not fire protection products meet minimum performance criteria as set out in a building code or other applicable legislation....
 can be conducted to determine the degree of flammability. Test standards used to make this determination but are not limited to the following:

  • Underwriters Laboratories
    Underwriters Laboratories

    Underwriters Laboratories Inc. is a U.S. privately owned and operated, independent, third party product safety testing and certification organization....
     
  • International Electrotechnical Commission
    International Electrotechnical Commission

    The International Electrotechnical Commission is a Non-profit organization, non-governmental international standards organization that prepares and publishes International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies ? collectively known as "electrotechnology"....
     IEC 60707, 60695-11-10 and 60695-11-20
  • International Organization for Standardization
    International Organization for Standardization

    The International Organization for Standardization , widely known as ISO , is an international standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards organizations....
    ISO 9772 and 9773.
  • National Fire Protection Association
    National Fire Protection Association

    The National Fire Protection Association is a United States organization charged with creating and maintaining minimum standards and requirements for fire prevention and suppression activities, training, and equipment, as well as other life-safety codes and standards....
     


Categorization of building materials


Materials can be tested for the degree of flammability and combustibility in accordance with 4102. DIN 4102, as well as its British cousin 476 include for testing of passive fire protection
Passive fire protection

Passive fire protection is an integral component of the three components of structural fire protection and fire safety in a building. PFP attempts to contain fires or slow the spread, through use of fire resistant walls, floors, and doors ....
 system
System

System is a set of interacting or interdependent entities, real or abstract, forming an integrated whole.The concept of an "integrated whole" can also be stated in terms of a system embodying a set of relationships which are differentiated from relationships of the set to other elements, and from relationships between an element of the se...
s, as well as some if its constituent materials. The following are the categories in order of degree of combustibility as well as flammability:
  • A1 (100% noncombustible = nichtbrennbar)
  • A2 (~98% noncombustible = nichtbrennbar)
  • B1 difficult to ignite (schwer entflammbar) Example: intumescent
    Intumescent

    An intumescent is a substance which swells as a result of heat exposure, thus increasing in volume, and decreasing in density. Intumescents are typically used in passive fire protection and, in America, require listing and approval use and compliance in their installed configurations in order to comply with the law....
    s and some high end silicone
    Silicone

    Silicones are largely inert, man-made compounds with a wide variety of forms and uses. Typically heat-resistant, nonstick, and rubberlike, they are commonly used in cookware, medicine, sealants, adhesives, lubricants, and insulation....
    s
  • B2 normal combustibility (like wood
    Wood

    Wood is an organic material; in the strict sense wood is produced as secondary xylem in the stems of woody plants, notably trees but also shrubs, etc....
    )
  • B3 easily ignited (leichtentflammbar)


Important characteristics


Flash point

Flash point
Flash point

The flash point of a flammability liquid is the lowest temperature at which it can form an ignitable mixture in air. At this temperature the vapour may cease to burn when the source of ignition is removed....
s below are regulated in the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 by OSHA
Occupational Safety and Health Administration

The United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Labor. It was created by Congress of the United States under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, signed by President Richard M....
 as potential workplace hazards.

Vapour pressure

  • The vapour pressure is an important parameter in determining the ease of ignition. The higher the vapour pressure, the more flammable vapour is evolved from a free liquid surface at a given temperature.


Examples of flammable liquids

Flammable liquid
Flammable liquid

File:Flammable liquid.gifGenerally, a Flammability liquid means a liquid which may catch fire easily.In the USA, there is a precise definition of flammable liquid as one with a flashpoint below 100 degrees Fahrenheit....
s include, but are not limited to:
  • Gasoline
    Gasoline

    File:GasCan.jpgGasoline or petrol is a petroleum-derived liquid mixture, primarily used as fuel in internal combustion engines.It consists mostly of aliphatic hydrocarbons, enhanced with iso-octane or the aromatic hydrocarbons toluene and benzene to increase its octane rating....
     / C8H18
  • Ethanol
    Ethanol

    Ethanol, also called ethyl alcohol, pure alcohol, grain alcohol, or drinking alcohol, is a volatility , flammable, colorless liquid....
     / C2H6O
  • Acetone
    Acetone

    Acetone is the organic compound with the chemical formula OC2. This colorless, mobile, flammable liquid is the simplest example of the ketones....
     / CH3COCH3
  • Nitromethane
    Nitromethane

    Nitromethane is an organic compound with the chemical formula CH3NO2. It is the simplest organic nitro compound. It is a slightly viscous, highly polar liquid commonly used as a solvent in a variety of industrial applications such as in extractions, as a reaction medium, and as a cleaning solvent....
     / CH3NO2


Examples of nonflammable liquids

  • Water
    Water

    Water is a common chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of life. In typical usage, water refers only to its liquid form or States of matter, but the substance also has a solid state, ice, and a gaseous state, water vapor or steam....
  • Carbon tetrachloride
    Carbon tetrachloride

    Carbon tetrachloride, also known by many other names is the organic compound with the chemical formula CCl4. It is a reagent in organic synthesis chemistry and was formerly widely used in fire extinguishers, as a precursor to refrigerations, and a cleaning agent....


Codes


Flammability

For existing buildings, fire codes focus on maintaining the occupancies
Occupancy

Occupancy is a defined legal term in building construction and building codes. It refers to the use or intended use of a building or part thereof for the shelter or support of persons, animals or property....
 as originally intended. In other words, if a portion of a building were designed as an apartment
Apartment

An apartment is a self-contained House unit that occupies only part of a Apartment building. Apartments may be owned or rented .A common alternative term for apartment is flat....
, one could not suddenly load it with flammable liquids and turn it into a gas storage facility, because the fire load and smoke development in that one apartment would be so immense as to overtax the active fire protection
Active fire protection

Active fire protection is an integral part of fire protection. AFP is characterised by items and/or systems, which require a certain amount of motion and response in order to work, contrary to passive fire protection....
 as well as the passive fire protection
Passive fire protection

Passive fire protection is an integral component of the three components of structural fire protection and fire safety in a building. PFP attempts to contain fires or slow the spread, through use of fire resistant walls, floors, and doors ....
 means for the building. The handling and use of flammable substances inside a building is subject to the local fire code, which is ordinarily enforced by the local fire prevention officer.

Linguistics: Flammable vs. inflammable

The word "inflammable" came from Latin inflammare = "to set fire to", where the prefix in- means "in" as in "inside" (compare English "in flames"). But there have been instances of people thinking that this "in-" prefix means "not" as in "invisible" and "incombustible" etc, and thus wrongly thinking that "inflammable" means "cannot burn". To avoid this safety hazard, the shortened word "flammable" has come into use in recent years.

The Elements of Style
The Elements of Style

The Elements of Style is an American English writing style guide. It is one of the most influential and best-known linguistic prescription treatments of English grammar and usage in the United States....
 (by Strunk and White) says:
Flammable. An oddity, chiefly useful in saving lives. The common word meaning "combustible" is inflammable. But some people are thrown off by the in- and think inflammable means "not combustible." For this reason, trucks carrying gasoline or explosives are now marked FLAMMABLE. Unless you are operating such a truck and hence are concerned with the safety of children and illiterates, use inflammable.


See also

  • Fire test
    Fire test

    A fire test is a means of determining whether or not fire protection products meet minimum performance criteria as set out in a building code or other applicable legislation....
  • Fire protection
    Fire protection

    Fire protection is the study and practice of mitigating the unwanted effects of fires. It involves the study of the behaviour, compartmentalisation, suppression and investigation of fire and its related emergencies, as well as the research and development, production, testing and application of mitigating systems....
  • Active fire protection
    Active fire protection

    Active fire protection is an integral part of fire protection. AFP is characterised by items and/or systems, which require a certain amount of motion and response in order to work, contrary to passive fire protection....
  • Passive fire protection
    Passive fire protection

    Passive fire protection is an integral component of the three components of structural fire protection and fire safety in a building. PFP attempts to contain fires or slow the spread, through use of fire resistant walls, floors, and doors ....
  • Flammable liquid
    Flammable liquid

    File:Flammable liquid.gifGenerally, a Flammability liquid means a liquid which may catch fire easily.In the USA, there is a precise definition of flammable liquid as one with a flashpoint below 100 degrees Fahrenheit....
    s
  • Lower flammable limit
    Lower flammable limit

    Lower flammability limit , usually expressed in volume per cent, is the lower end of the concentration range of a flammable solvent at a given temperature and pressure for which air/vapor mixtures can ignite....
  • Upper flammable limit


External links