What is a controlled atmosphere cone calorimeter?

The Large Cone Calorimeter with Variable Atmosphere is designed to measure the heat release rate of materials based on the oxygen consumption principle. You can accurately determine material combustibility, ignition time, mass loss rate, and derived data such as effective heat of combustion and specific extinction area. During testing, samples are placed on a loading unit, heated, and ignited with an electric spark. Combustion gases are collected through exhaust and adsorption ducts, and parameters such as gas concentration, pressure, temperature, and smoke density are automatically recorded. This instrument provides a safe, fast, and reliable method for material development, fire research, and quality control.

Application

You can apply this apparatus in the following scenarios:

Material development: Evaluate thermal and combustion properties of building, decorative, or industrial materials.

Fire safety research: Study heat release, smoke generation, and flame propagation under controlled atmospheres.

Quality control: Monitor material performance to ensure compliance with fire safety standards.

Automotive and transportation: Assess heat release and smoke production of interior materials under varying atmospheric conditions.

Compatible test components: Loading unit, electric spark ignition system, exhaust and adsorption ducts, optical smoke measurement system, mass balance, data acquisition and processing software.

Standards

This apparatus conforms to the following international and national standards:

GB/T 16172‑2007 — Determination of heat release rate and total heat release of building materials and products (Cone Calorimeter Method)

ISO 5660‑1 — Heat release, smoke production, and mass loss measurement for building materials (Cone Calorimeter Method, Part 1)

ISO 5660‑2 — Heat release, smoke production, and mass loss measurement (Part 2: Flame spread testing)

ISO 5660‑4 — Heat release and smoke generation test for automotive interior materials

ISO 5660‑5 — Heat release, smoke production, and mass loss measurement: Additional assessment requirements

ASTM E1354 — Cone calorimeter method for heat release rate and visible smoke release

ASTM E2965 — Guidelines for assessing material combustibility using oxygen consumption

Parameters

Features

Integrated computer and acquisition system: Streamlines data collection and analysis.

Durable stainless steel housing: Ensures long-term stability and corrosion resistance.

Triple filtration system: Effectively cleans exhaust gases and protects sensors.

High-resolution mass balance: Measures sample mass loss accurately with 0.01 g resolution.

High-precision gas analysis: Siemens analyzer provides reliable measurement of combustion gases.

Condensation-type smoke treatment: Efficiently collects and condenses combustion gases.

User-friendly operation: No need to manually remove or insert optical filters during testing.

Robust main filter: Stainless steel housing ensures durability and easy maintenance.

Accessories

Loading unit with automated sample placement

Electric spark ignition system

Condensation and exhaust duct system with triple filtration

Optical smoke measurement system

High-precision mass balance

Gas analysis system (Siemens analyzer)

Data acquisition and integrated software system

Calibration gases: Methane, N2. CO2/CO mixture

Test Procedures

Install the sample on the loading unit and ensure proper positioning.

Connect compressed air and calibration gas supplies.

Set the cone heater to the desired heat flux and ignite the sample using the electric spark system.

Measure mass loss, gas concentration, temperature, and smoke density during combustion.

Data is automatically recorded and processed to calculate heat release rate, effective heat of combustion, and derived parameters.

After testing, safely remove the sample and perform routine cleaning of the exhaust and measurement systems.

Maintenance Information

Clean the cone heater, exhaust ducts, and filters regularly to maintain measurement accuracy.

Calibrate the mass balance, gas analyzers, and optical smoke measurement system periodically.

Inspect the sample loading unit and ignition system before each test.

Ensure the exhaust system and filtration components are unobstructed.

Maintain ambient temperature between 10–35°C and verify gas supply pressures before operation.

Core Importance of the Cone Calorimeter with Variable Atmosphere 

The Cone Calorimeter with Variable Atmosphere is widely recognized as one of the most representative small-scale fire testing instruments for evaluating material combustion behavior. It is considered the closest laboratory method to real fire scenarios, making it a global benchmark for material flammability assessment.

Key Importance Highlights

1. High correlation with real fire behavior prediction

Unlike traditional single-parameter tests such as the oxygen index, this system evaluates dynamic combustion characteristics, including heat release rate and total heat release. These parameters show strong correlation with full-scale fire experiments, making it a “gold standard” for assessing material fire hazard in real-world conditions.

2. Multi-dimensional fire hazard quantification

In a single test, the instrument simultaneously measures multiple critical fire parameters, including:

Ignition time

Peak heat release rate (pHRR)

Mass loss rate

Smoke production rate

Toxic gas generation rate

These indicators comprehensively describe how easily a material ignites, how rapidly fire grows, and the level of smoke toxicity and asphyxiation risk during combustion.

3. Support for flame-retardant mechanism research and formulation optimization

By comparing HRR curves and effective heat of combustion before and after treatment, researchers can precisely determine whether flame retardants act through gas-phase inhibition or condensed-phase char formation. This provides quantitative guidance for developing more efficient flame-retardant materials, rather than relying on qualitative observation.

4. Foundation for fire modeling and standard development

The high-precision data generated by the system serves as a key input for computational fire simulation models. It is also widely used as a scientific basis for developing building material fire classification standards in different countries, directly supporting engineering material selection and safety design.

Key Parameter Significance (Brief Explanation)

Heat Release Rate (HRR):

The most critical parameter determining fire intensity. Higher values indicate faster flame spread and greater risk of flashover.

Ignition Time:

Reflects a material’s resistance to ignition under heat radiation. Longer ignition time means a larger evacuation window.

Smoke and toxicity parameters:

Most fire-related deaths are caused by smoke inhalation and toxic gases. This instrument accurately evaluates these hidden hazards.

Conclusion

In summary, the cone calorimeter transforms the concept of “fire resistance” from a qualitative description into quantifiable, comparable, and predictive scientific data. It serves as a critical bridge between material microstructure and real-world fire safety performance.