What Is Cone Calorimeter — ISO 5660?
Cone calorimetry test, in which a 100 × 100 mm sample is exposed to a defined heat flux under a cone-shaped radiative heater; It is an experiment in which heat release rate, total heat release, mass loss and smoke production are measured with the principle of oxygen consumption.
Purpose of Cone Calorimeter — ISO 5660
The aim is to characterize the fire behavior of the material (ignition time, heat release, smoke) in a reproducible and quantitative manner.
Which Products Is Cone Calorimeter — ISO 5660 Applied To?
- Building and insulation materials
- Railway and ship interior materials
- Composite and plastic products
- Flame retardant formulation development
In Which Sectors Is Cone Calorimeter — ISO 5660 Used?
Standards Related to Cone Calorimeter — ISO 5660
- ISO 5660heat release with cone calorimeter test
Cone Calorimeter — ISO 5660 Conditions
- heat flux
- Defined in the standard; typically 25, 35 or 50 kW/m²
- Specimen
- 100×100mm; true thickness and insulated back surface
- Measurement
- Oxygen consumption calorimetry, load cell and smoke laser system
- Calibration
- Heat release calibration with methane burner
Equipment for Cone Calorimeter — ISO 5660
- Cone calorimeter
- Oxygen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide analyzers
- Load cell and smoke measurement laser
- Heat flux meter and calibration burner
Sample Requirements for Cone Calorimeter — ISO 5660
- Sample thickness should represent the actual product
- The rear surface must be insulated as defined in the standard
- The device must be calibrated before each series of experiments
- The number of specimens is defined in the standard
Duration of Cone Calorimeter — ISO 5660
Typically 2–4 weeks.
Cone Calorimeter — ISO 5660 Procedure
- 1The device is calibrated with a methane burner.
- 2The heat flux is set and measured.
- 3The sample is prepared and its back surface is insulated.
- 4The sample is exposed to radiation.
- 5Heat release, mass loss and smoke are recorded.
- 6MARHE, peak HRR, THR and smoke sizes are calculated.
Cone Calorimeter — ISO 5660 Acceptance Criteria
Acceptance criteria are MARHE, peak HRR or smoke limits given in the relevant product standard.
Evaluation of Results
Cone calorimetry is a small-scale experiment; results cannot be directly translated to medium- and large-scale experiments (SBI, room corner experiment). The result cannot be compared without reporting the heat flux and sample thickness.
Cone Calorimeter — ISO 5660 Report
- Standard applied
- Heat flux and sample thickness
- Calibration records
- Ignition time, HRR, THR, MARHE
- Smoke production quantities
Accreditation
EUROLAB holds internationally recognised accreditation obtained from accreditation bodies party to the IAF and ILAC multilateral recognition arrangements, under ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory testing, ISO/IEC 17020 for inspection and surveillance, and ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/IEC 17065 for system and product certification. This chain ensures the reports and certificates issued are accepted worldwide.
Whether this test can be offered within accredited scope depends on your product and the standard applied; since accreditation is method-based, the scope is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.
Scope and authorisationsRelated Regulations
- EN 45545 (demiryolu)
- Building and marine fire requirements
Fire Testing — What Does This Testing Field Cover?
The section below describes the field that the Cone Calorimeter test belongs to; the conditions and acceptance criteria of this particular test are given in the sections above. The scope specific to your product is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.
Fire testing measures two different concepts, and confusing them is the most common mistake in the field. REACTION to fire describes how much a material contributes to the start and growth of a fire. RESISTANCE to fire is the ability of a building element to hold a fire back for a defined period. One is a material property, the other a property of an element.
On the reaction side, ignitability, flame spread, heat release, smoke production, flaming droplets and toxic gas release are measured. The result is translated into an EN 13501-1 class in Europe, ASTM E84 indices in North America and a UL 94 class for appliance plastics. These three systems cannot be converted into one another; their scales and set-ups differ.
On the resistance side, furnace tests are carried out. The element is exposed to a defined temperature-time curve and it is measured how long it maintains three functions: load bearing (R), integrity (E) and insulation (I). For a fire door, the designation EI 60 says the element maintains its integrity and insulating function for sixty minutes.
SCALE is decisive in this family and directly affects cost. Small flame tests are suitable for screening materials and are fast and inexpensive. But real fire behaviour changes with scale: a material that self-extinguishes on a small specimen may sustain a flame over a large surface. Large-scale set-ups such as the room corner test and full-scale facade tests are therefore indispensable in critical applications.
Facade systems have become the most sensitive subject in the field in recent years. The rapid spread of facade fires in tall buildings has led national regulations to require large-scale facade testing. What is assessed here is not a single material but the SYSTEM: insulation, cladding, air cavity, fixings and fire barriers are tested together.
Smoke and toxicity form a separate body of work, because most deaths in a fire are caused by smoke rather than flame. In rail systems and on ships, smoke density and gas toxicity measurements are mandatory items; in an enclosed space the time available for evacuation depends on these values.
Cables have a sub-body of their own. A cable bundle inside a building can form a serious path for fire to spread between floors; flame spread, smoke production, halogen content and circuit integrity are therefore assessed for cables under separate standards, and in Europe the EN 13501-6 classification is used.
Method groups in this field
Non-combustibility and calorific value
The EN ISO 1182 non-combustibility furnace and EN ISO 1716 gross calorific value; the determinants of classes A1 and A2.
Single burning item (SBI)
EN 13823; heat release, flame spread and smoke production are measured together in a medium-scale corner set-up.
Small flame
Ignitability with a single flame source to EN ISO 11925-2; UL 94 horizontal and vertical burning; needle flame and glow wire.
Cone calorimeter
ISO 5660 / ASTM E1354; heat release rate, total heat release and smoke production are measured. The most informative test in material development.
Fire resistance
Furnace tests with the standard temperature-time curve; separate set-ups for doors, walls, floors, glazing and service penetrations.
Large scale
Room corner test (ISO 9705, NFPA 286), facade fire tests and vertical flame spread tests on cable bundles.
Smoke and toxicity
Optical smoke density, smoke gas analysis and toxicity indices; mandatory in rail systems and marine.
Commonly confused in this field
- Reaction to fire and resistance to fire are different concepts; the specification must be explicit about which is required.
- UL 94, ASTM E84 and EN 13501-1 results cannot be converted into one another.
- A small-scale result is not evidence of large-scale behaviour; large-scale testing is required in critical applications.
- A class is valid together with the end-use installation of the product; a different substrate or air cavity changes the result.
- For facade systems a result for a single material is not sufficient; the system must be tested as a whole.
- The fire class of a product does not show the fire resistance of an assembly made from it.
Which decisions these results support
- The fire class in the declaration of performance for construction products
- Regulatory compliance in the selection of cables, flooring and interior linings
- Approval of interior materials for rail vehicles, ships and aircraft
- Approval of the facade system design
- Meeting insurance and project specification requirements
Related Tests
Frequently Asked Questions About Cone Calorimeter — ISO 5660
According to which standard is Cone Calorimeter made?
Cone Calorimeter is executed in scope ISO 5660-1, ISO 5660-2, ASTM E1354, EN 45545-2 (requirement source) and ISO 5660. The limit values and acceptance criteria to be applied are defined in the product standard; The version valid for your product is confirmed in writing at the offer stage.
Which products does Cone Calorimeter apply to?
Mainly applied to Building and insulation materials, Railway and ship interior materials, Composite and plastic products and Flame retardant formulation development. Whether your product is included in the scope is determined by examining its technical specifications and intended use.
Under what conditions is Cone Calorimeter done?
The determining parameters are: heat flux — Defined in the standard; typically 25, 35 or 50 kW/m², Specimen — 100×100mm; true thickness and insulated back surface and Measurement — Oxygen consumption calorimetry, load cell and smoke laser system. The full terms are in the "Test Conditions" section on the page and vary depending on the product standard.
What kind of sample is needed for Cone Calorimeter?
Sample thickness should represent the actual product, The rear surface must be insulated as defined in the standard and The device must be calibrated before each series of experiments. The number of samples is determined according to the product standard and the scope to be reported.
How long does Cone Calorimeter take?
Typically 2–4 weeks. This duration belongs to the experiment itself; sample preparation, queuing and reporting are also evaluated. A realistic schedule for your product is given in the offer.
What is the Cone Calorimeter result called "appropriate"?
Acceptance criteria are MARHE, peak HRR or smoke limits given in the relevant product standard.