An Investigation of the Ignition and Combustion of Loosely Compacted Commercial Steel Wool

The ignition and combustion characteristics of loosely compacted commercial steel wool samples when introduced promptly into low velocity heated air streams and the morphology of the quenched residues were investigated. The effects of the important factors of sample compactness, stream temperature and velocity, and exposure time were established. Comparative tests were also made under similar conditions involving similarly prepared samples of cotton, sheep wool, fiber glass wool, and processed cigarette tobacco.