Theoretical understanding of self-sustanining smoldering of wood-fiber panels and its experimental testing

Abstract

Wood-fiber insulation panels are susceptible to smolder and this special type of slow and flamelessthermal degradation is dangerous because it can go unnoticed until severe damages are produced. For this reason, theutilization of wood-based insulation materials, which is much more environmentally-sustainable than classicalpolymeric-based insulations, is not permitted beyond mid-rise buildings in many countries worldwide. The objective ofthis investigation was to characterize such a smoldering combustion and create a theoretical model that can predict thisphenomenon. The experimental characterization involved a suite of experimental methods such as thermogravimetricanalysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and cone calorimeter tests. The core of the numerical modelentailed 6 governing equations describing the heat, the mass, the linear momentum and the species conservation of thewood panel that were solved via Finite Volume Method (FVM). The model could successfully simulate a 25-minutecone calorimeter experiment without any external radiation. To the best knowledge of the authors, this is the first modelthat can simulate the self-sustaining smoldering of wood industrial products, so it is expected to contribute on thedevelopment of future fire retardant compounds of timber structures.