Cone Calorimiter Testing - Coursework Example

CONE CALORIMETER TESTING LAB REPORT About Cone Calorimeter A cone calorimeter is a known device that is used to measure and observe how fire reacts to several experimentations undergone in the laboratory and how the elements applied into it is affected by the heat produced by the fire being observed. This practical gadget is used by fire safety engineers to ensure that the buildings that they create are fire-hazard free, meaning the materials that they are to use in building and establishing the area are most effectively fire-proof. Through this process, the fire safety engineers are able to pinpoint which particular establishments are most highly conducive to fire. Basically, the ideal utilization of a cone calorimeter produces useful results that could ensure the safety of the people who are utilizing the built establishments at present. Through a measure of several testing procedures, the cone calorimeter naturally creates a fine source of information for engineers to get proper identification of fire hazard materials that are currently affecting the major building industries in the society. The process undergoes a proper simulation of examination of the different materials that are believed to be fire proof. The process undergoes through the approach noted in the diagram presented below: From the diagram presented herein, it could be seen how the different elemental parts making up the entire calorimeter contributes to the results gained from the experimentation procedures handled. In the discussion that follows, it could be seen how the entire process actually affects several materials that have been undergone through the blue carpet procedure. The results for the said process yielded the following outcome presented herein: Blue Carpet Sample Weight before test (g) Weight After test (g) Dimensions (mm) Thickness (mm) 1 21.96 6.68 100 x 100 8 2 17.63 4.64 100 x 100 8 3 24.90 7.5 100 x 100 8 4 27.6 6.49 100 x 100 8 Underlay Sample Weight before test (g) Weight After test (g) Dimensions (mm) Thickness (mm) 1 16.05 3.84 100 x 100 10 2 10.46 1.62 100 x 100 10 3 12.12 2.93 100 x 100 10 4 11.68 3.23 100 x 100 10 Green Carpet Sample Weight before test (g) Weight After test (g) Dimensions (mm) Thickness (mm) 1 13.68 2.56 100 x 100 5 2 12.95 2.33 100 x 100 5 3 12.65 1.39 100 x 100 5 4 12.17 - 100 x 100 5 As seen from the given presentation, it could be noted how the different samples for each different material yielded a result of reduced weight as the process of burning is repeatedly applied. The less hazardous among the materials though is the one that that has the highest level of tolerance to fire. As seen from the presentation above. The less tolerant material is that of the green carpet which ended up having 5mm thickness after the burning process applied. The burning of the materials experimented upon naturally affected the malleability of each element thus reducing their containment to fire. This process has been seen as a regulating presentation as to how fire reduces the useful characteristics of several materials making them hazardous elements that could easily cause fire. To make the explanation much definitely discussed, the images on how the materials reacted to laboratory experiments undergone could be examined as follows: The diagrammatic graphs presented above shows the differences as to how the materials reacted to heat as they are repeatedly subjected to the experimentation procedure undergone throughout the practice application. It is from this experimentation that the entire explanation of the role of thermodynamics in proving the characteristics of particular elements is practically imposed in actual process of experimentation. The branch of science that deals with the energy and work of a system is called thermodynamics. It is from the Greek term “therme” which means heat and “dynamis” which means power. It is a study to know the effects of energy and work on a system. Thermodynamics has something to do with the large scale observation only. The aspects involve in thermodynamics are observed and measured through experimental studies. Aside from heat, there are also other related properties involve in thermodynamics. These are pressure, density, temperature in a substance. But particularly, thermodynamics concentrate for the most part on how a heat transfer is linked to a variety of changes in energy within the physical system that is going through a thermodynamic process. The processes that are going to happen will result in work taking place in a system and being done by the system. These processes are directed by the laws of thermodynamics. It was during the nineteenth century when thermodynamics was developed. Scientists were trying to discover how to build and operate the steam engines. During that time, there was a need to increase the efficiency of the first developed steam engines. Since thermodynamics is the study that deals with the change of energy into work and heat, all areas related to these terms are based upon statistical forecasts of the collective motion of particles from their microscopic behavior. The conversion of energy into work and heat has also something to do with the macroscopic variables like temperature, pressure and volume. How or where do thermodynamics start? The very initial point in which thermodynamics start has something to do with the laws of thermodynamics. The laws assume that energy can be converted between physical systems as heat or work. Aside from this, the laws also assume that there exists a quantity of entropy. Since thermodynamics focus on large scale observations only, the connections between large collections of substances are studied and sorted out. When talking about this, systems and surroundings are always included. The average movements of particles present in the system usually determine its properties. These are all connected to one another by way of equations of state. All the principles and key terms of thermodynamics are very important to all the branches of science and engineering as well. All of these are interrelated and have something to with each other. In studying this field of science, everything must be learned carefully especially the process wherein experiments are basically needed. The macroscopic system plays a big role in this field of science because it is the central concept of thermodynamics. The macroscopic system coexists with an endless environment. To create a whole explanation of a substance and its relationship to its environment, there are other variables involved too. Density, compressibility, coefficient and heat are being identified and correlated. These variables produce a complete relationship explanation of a substance and its environment. How does macroscopic system be involved in thermodynamics? A thermodynamic process will take place when a macroscopic system will move from one state of balance to another. It can happen in the reverse situation wherein macroscopic system will happen when thermodynamic process will move. There are processes that can be reversible while the other processes are irreversible. When the laws of thermodynamics were discovered during the nineteenth century, it became the guide to all thermodynamic processes. Speaking of the processes, there are many types of thermodynamic processes that all have particular properties. The process that has no heat transfer into or out of the system is the adiabatic process. The process that has no change in the volume is called the isochoric process. This process means that the system does not work, while the isobaric process has no change in the pressure. The process that has no change in the temperature is the isothermal process. The effects of thermodynamics are vey important in the fields of physics as well as chemistry and engineering such as chemical engineering, aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, biomedical engineering as well as economics. These fields of specialization are affected by thermodynamics because they all deal with the conversion of energy in a system. What do physicists study? They study magnetism, heat, light and electricity. They study the laws and principles of energy and every finding is put into an equation to show the evidence of their findings. The core concept of thermodynamics is the energy that is within the system. Therefore, without the power of a system to employ energy within the system to do work, physicists would not have something to study. As mentioned above, thermodynamics are used by the other fields of science. In some point or the other, thermodynamics is a field that has something to do with all the other. As the scientist go through their studies of phenomena, thermodynamics is involve in their experimentations and others. On the other hand, there are also numbers of fields which focus mainly on the thermodynamics condition involved. The associated fields of thermodynamics include Cryophysics, Fluid Dynamics, High pressure physics, weather physics and plasma physics. The study of physical properties in low temperature conditions even in the coldest places on Earth is the Cryophysics, while the study of physical properties, specifically the fluids that turns from liquid to gas is the fluid dynamics or sometimes called as the fluid mechanics. High pressure physics is actually related to fluid Dynamics because it is a study of physics in particularly high pressure systems. The weather physics study the pressure systems present in the atmosphere. This study is also called meteorology. The study of matter in the plasma condition is done in the plasma physics. Since thermodynamics deals largely on how a heat transfer is connected to different changes of energy that is present in the physical system that is going through a thermodynamic process, it is essential to know the basic concepts of heat transfer to better understand the thermodynamics as a branch of science. Conduction and convection are most common terms used when dealing with heat transfer. Conduction happens when heat runs through a heated solid while convection is when heated particles transfer the heat to another substance. One good example for this is the boiling water and the noodles. When cooking the noodles, first is to boil the water and then put the noodles. Convection happens because the boiled water which is the heated particles transfers the heat to the noodles. Other concepts related in thermodynamics are radiation and insulation. Radiation happens when heat is transferred through electromagnetic waves. One example is the heat from the sun. Insulation happen when a low-conducting material is being used to stop the heat to transfer. There are also three concepts related in thermodynamics. They are thermal contact which takes place when two substances affect each other’s temperature; thermal expansion which happen when substance increase in volume while it is gaining heat; and the thermal equilibrium which happen when two substances that are still in thermal connection both are no longer transferring the heat. When studying the thermodynamics, heat and work are the main concepts involved, but going along with the study, there are several of concepts and terms related to understand thermodynamics as a branch of science. The Laws of Thermodynamics In thermodynamics, there are four laws that govern all the process involve in this branch of science. It was said that the four laws of thermodynamics assume that the energy can be converted between physical systems as heat or work. These four laws of thermodynamics do not depend on the aspects of the systems that are under study. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that all these laws are all valid. They are relevant to systems about the energy equilibrium and the transfer of matter. The following are the four laws of thermodynamics: 1. Zenoth law of thermodynamics. The term zeroth is created by Ralph H. Fowler during the 1920s. It is said that the Zeroth Law is the most fundamental law among the four laws of thermodynamics. It was termed as Zeroth law by Fowler because it was not understood easily during those times until after the First law, followed by the Second and Third law had been given a name. The Zeroth law of thermodynamics is the overview of the thermal equilibrium. The effects of temperature’s definition and properties are the Zeroth law. Its equation can be stated as: A~B^B~=A~C The equation show that if A and C are in the thermal equilibrium with B, therefore A is in thermal equilibrium with B also. A, B and C are all at the same temperature. The two thermodynamic systems are said to be in thermal equilibrium with each other if these two thermodynamic systems are independently in thermal equilibrium with a third thermodynamic system. Allowing that all the systems are in thermal equilibrium with themselves, the thermal equilibrium is an equivalence relation on the set of thermodynamic systems. This is what Zeroth law means. This law is taking up in each temperature’s measurement. As a result, there is no need to bring into contact the two objects when proving if they are at the same temperature. Thermal equilibrium is the focus of Zeroth law of thermodynamics. A closer grasp of how this law of thermodynamics mean is an object that has higher temperature and in contact with an object that has a lower temperature will actually transfer the heat to the object which has lower temperature. Therefore, both of the two objects will move toward similar temperature. The two objects will have the same temperature, thus it is called the thermal equilibrium- there is balance in energy. If the other object losses its temperature, the other object will transfer the heat to it. 2. First Law of thermodynamics. This law is about the energy conservation wherein the total amount of heat energy provided to or taken away from the system and work completed on or by the system is equivalent to the change in the internal energy of a closed thermodynamic system. This law is shown by the equation: ∆U=Q-N wherein ∆U is the change in the internal energy; Q is the heat added to the system and N is the work completed by the system. The standard unit for these concepts or quantities is the joule. In some chemistry books, the equation is also written as ∆U= Q+W wherein the W stands for the work done on the system rather than the work done by the system. 3. Second Law of thermodynamics. This law is about the Entropy which explains the propensity for systems to go from a higher group’s state to the lowest group’s state on a molecular level. Entropy affects the space in which the substance is spread. A good example is when a coffee creamer is poured in the coffee. Entropy means transformation. Another example is when a particular food coloring is dripped in a glass of water. The water will turn into the color similar to the color of the food coloring. The total transformation of a unique thermodynamic system will intensify eventually until it will move toward the utmost level. 4. Third law of thermodynamic. The third law of thermodynamics is the least known among the four laws of thermodynamics. This law is about the absolute zero of temperature and has something to do with entropy. While the system moves toward absolute zero, the entire processes stop and the transformation or the entropy of the system moves toward a minimum value. On the other hand, the minimum value is not essentially zero. The right term is “almost always” in a perfect. The Kelvin temperature scale is absolute. This means that it is O degree. Kelvin is known to be the lowest possible temperature present in the entire universe. The third law of thermodynamics is the bottom point on the Kelvin temperature scale. The third law of thermodynamics is briefly explained as the temperature moves toward the absolute zero, the entropy of a system moves toward a steady minimum level. This law assumes that entropy relies on the temperature and this result in the formulation of the absolute zero. References: Goldstein, Martin, and Inge F. (1993). The Refrigerator and the Universe. Harvard University Press. ISBN 0-674-75325-9. OCLC 32826343. A nontechnical introduction, good on historical and interpretive matters. Cengel, Yunus A., & Boles, Michael A. (2002). Thermodynamics - an Engineering Approach. McGraw Hill. ISBN 0-07-238332-1. OCLC 45791449 52263994 57548906. Dunning-Davies, Jeremy (1997). Concise Thermodynamics: Principles and Applications. Horwood Publishing. ISBN 1-8985-6315-2. OCLC 36025958 60273489. Kroemer, Herbert & Kittel, Charles (1980). Thermal Physics. W. H. Freeman Company. ISBN 0-7167-1088-9. OCLC 32932988 48236639 5171399. Read More

To make the explanation much definitely discussed, the images on how the materials reacted to laboratory experiments undergone could be examined as follows: The diagrammatic graphs presented above shows the differences as to how the materials reacted to heat as they are repeatedly subjected to the experimentation procedure undergone throughout the practice application. It is from this experimentation that the entire explanation of the role of thermodynamics in proving the characteristics of particular elements is practically imposed in actual process of experimentation.

The branch of science that deals with the energy and work of a system is called thermodynamics. It is from the Greek term “therme” which means heat and “dynamis” which means power. It is a study to know the effects of energy and work on a system. Thermodynamics has something to do with the large scale observation only. The aspects involve in thermodynamics are observed and measured through experimental studies. Aside from heat, there are also other related properties involve in thermodynamics.

These are pressure, density, temperature in a substance. But particularly, thermodynamics concentrate for the most part on how a heat transfer is linked to a variety of changes in energy within the physical system that is going through a thermodynamic process. The processes that are going to happen will result in work taking place in a system and being done by the system. These processes are directed by the laws of thermodynamics. It was during the nineteenth century when thermodynamics was developed.

Scientists were trying to discover how to build and operate the steam engines. During that time, there was a need to increase the efficiency of the first developed steam engines. Since thermodynamics is the study that deals with the change of energy into work and heat, all areas related to these terms are based upon statistical forecasts of the collective motion of particles from their microscopic behavior. The conversion of energy into work and heat has also something to do with the macroscopic variables like temperature, pressure and volume.

How or where do thermodynamics start? The very initial point in which thermodynamics start has something to do with the laws of thermodynamics. The laws assume that energy can be converted between physical systems as heat or work. Aside from this, the laws also assume that there exists a quantity of entropy. Since thermodynamics focus on large scale observations only, the connections between large collections of substances are studied and sorted out. When talking about this, systems and surroundings are always included.

The average movements of particles present in the system usually determine its properties. These are all connected to one another by way of equations of state. All the principles and key terms of thermodynamics are very important to all the branches of science and engineering as well. All of these are interrelated and have something to with each other. In studying this field of science, everything must be learned carefully especially the process wherein experiments are basically needed. The macroscopic system plays a big role in this field of science because it is the central concept of thermodynamics.

The macroscopic system coexists with an endless environment. To create a whole explanation of a substance and its relationship to its environment, there are other variables involved too. Density, compressibility, coefficient and heat are being identified and correlated. These variables produce a complete relationship explanation of a substance and its environment. How does macroscopic system be involved in thermodynamics? A thermodynamic process will take place when a macroscopic system will move from one state of balance to another.

It can happen in the reverse situation wherein macroscopic system will happen when thermodynamic process will move. There are processes that can be reversible while the other processes are irreversible.

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