Analysis of Heat Transfer Characteristits of Fabrics in an Open Flame Exposure

Experiments measured the transfer of heat through protective fabrics when the exposure is to a convective source (open flame). An instrumented calorimeter located on the opposite side of the fabric measured the heat transferred. Heat flux data were used to compute a burn protective index based on data on the tolerance of human tissue, developed by Stoll. Among the materials analyzed were fabrics made with flame-resistant cotton, rayon, and wool; fabrics from glass and ceramic fibers; and fabrics from polyaramids, novoloids, modacrylic, polybenzimidazole and stabilized acrylic fibers.