ISO 13927:2023

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 13927
Third edition
2023-08
Plastics — Simple heat release test
using a conical radiant heater and a
thermopile detector
Plastiques — Essai simple pour la détermination du débit calorifique
au moyen d'un radiateur conique et d'une sonde à thermopile
Reference number
© ISO 2023
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Contents Page
Foreword .v
Introduction . vi
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Symbols . 2
5 Principle . 2
6 Apparatus . 2
6.1 General . 2
6.2 Cone-shaped radiant electrical heater . 4
6.3 Heat flux controller . 4
6.4 Chimney and thermopiles . . 5
6.5 Specimen holder . 5
6.6 Retainer frame . 5
6.7 Fume extraction system. 7
6.8 Ignition circuit . 8
6.9 Ignition timer . 8
6.10 Heat flux meter . 8
6.11 Calibration burner . 8
6.12 Data collection system . . 8
7 Suitability of a product for testing .10
7.1 Surface characteristics . 10
7.2 Asymmetrical products . 10
7.3 Thin materials . 10
7.4 Composite specimens . 10
7.5 Dimensionally unstable materials . 10
7.6 Materials that require testing under compression . 11
8 Specimen construction and preparation .12
8.1 Specimens .12
8.2 Conditioning of specimens .12
8.3 Preparation . 13
8.3.1 Specimen wrapping .13
8.3.2 Specimen preparation .13
8.3.3 Preparing specimens of materials that require testing under compression.13
9 Calibration .14
9.1 Heater calibration . 14
9.2 Thermopile calibration . 14
9.2.1 General . 14
9.2.2 Initial calibration . 14
9.2.3 Daily calibration . . .15
10 Test procedure .15
10.1 General precautions . 15
10.2 Initial preparation .15
10.3 Procedure . 16
11 Precision .16
12 Test report .16
Annex A (normative) Calibration of the heat flux meter .18
Annex B (informative) Guidance notes for operators .19
iii
Annex C (informative) Guidance on measuring mass loss during testing .20
Annex D (informative) Example of thermopile calibration — Relation of heat release and
thermopile output .21
Annex E (informative) Calculation of effective critical heat flux for ignition .23
Bibliography .24
iv
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
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electrotechnical standardization.
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described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO document should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
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of (a) patent(s). ISO takes no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed
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www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 61, Plastics, Subcommittee SC 4, Burning
behaviour, in collaboration with the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) Technical
Committee CEN/TC 249, Plastics, in accordance with the Agreement on technical cooperation between
ISO and CEN (Vienna Agreement).
This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition (ISO 13927:2015), which has been technically
revised.
The main changes are as follows:
— the normative references have been updated to the latest editions (see Clause 2);
— use of mass flow rate of methane gas corresponding to the net heat of combustion for calibration of
the thermopile has been added in Clause 9;
— a new Annex D giving an example of thermopile calibration has been added and subsequent annex
has been renamed as Annex E.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.
v
Introduction
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