ISO/TR 10093:2017

TECHNICAL ISO/TR
REPORT 10093
First edition
2017-11
Plastics — Fire tests — Standard
ignition sources
Plastiques — Essais au feu — Sources d'allumage normalisées
Reference number
©
ISO 2017
© ISO 2017, Published in Switzerland
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ii © ISO 2017 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .v
Introduction .vi
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Ignition processes . 3
5 Characteristics of ignition sources . 4
6 General principles . 4
6.1 Flaming ignition sources . 4
6.1.1 Diffusion flame ignition source . 4
6.1.2 Premixed flame source . 4
6.2 Issues associated with flaming ignition sources . 4
6.3 Non-flaming ignition sources . 5
7 Smouldering (cigarette) ignition sources . 6
7.1 Traditional cigarettes . 6
7.2 Non-reduced ignition propensity cigarettes . 7
8 Non-flaming electrical ignition sources . 7
8.1 Glow-wire ignition . 7
8.2 Hot-wire ignition . 9
9 Radiant ignition sources .10
9.1 Conical radiant ignition sources .10
9.1.1 General.10
9.1.2 Cone calorimeter ignition source .10
9.1.3 Smoke chamber conical heater .13
9.1.4 Periodic flaming ignition test .16
9.2 Other radiant ignition sources .17
9.2.1 Glowbars ignition source .17
9.2.2 Lateral ignition and flame spread test (LIFT) radiant panel heater. .18
9.2.3 Setchkin ignition .18
10 Infrared heating system .21
11 Diffusion flame ignition .21
11.1 Needle flame ignition .21
11.2 Burning match .22
11.3 Burners generating 50 W or 500 W flames .24
12 Premixed burners .27
12.1 Premixed burner for 1 kW flame .27
12.2 Burners for vertical cable tray tests.28
12.2.1 Venturi burners for 20 kW vertical cable tray tests .28
12.2.2 Burner for vertical riser cable tests .30
12.3 Burner for large scale horizontal tests .30
12.4 Burners for room corner tests .31
12.4.1 Burner for ISO 9705-1.31
12.4.2 Alternate burner for room corner test .32
12.5 Burners for individual product heat release tests .33
12.5.1 Burner for single fuel package calorimeter .33
12.5.2 Square tube propane burner .33
12.5.3 T-shaped propane burner .34
12.5.4 Dual T-shaped propane burner .34
13 Other ignition sources .35
13.1 Wood cribs .35
13.2 Paper bags .35
Bibliography .37
iv © ISO 2017 – All rights reserved

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents 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).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of
any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or
on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation on the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the
World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) see the following
URL: www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
The committee responsible for this document is Technical Committee ISO/TC 61, Plastics, Subcommittee
SC 4, Burning behaviour.
This first edition of ISO/TR 10093 cancels and replaces ISO 10093:1998, which has been technically
revised.
The main changes compared to the previous edition are as follows:
— the document has been updated and converted from an International Standard to a Technical Report;
— several additional ignition sources have been added, including some that originate in standards that
have not been issued by ISO or IEC;
— no details of wood crib and paper bag ignition sources are included;
— Annex A and Annex B have been deleted;
— the information that used to be in Annex A on confirmatory procedure for evaluating test flames is
described in IEC 60695-11 and in ASTM D5207;
— the bibliography formerly contained in Annex B has been extended.
Introduction
Fires are caused by a wide range of possible ignition sources. Statistical analysis of fires has identified
the main primary and secondary sources, especially for fires in buildings. The most frequent sources of
fires have been found to be as follows:
a) cooking appliances;
b) space-heating appliances;
c) electric wiring, connectors and terminations;
d) other electrical appliances (such as washing machines, bedwarmers, televisions, water heaters);
e) cigarettes;
f) matches and smokers' gas lighters;
g) blow-lamps, blow-torches and welding torches;
h) rubbish burning; and
i) candles.
The above list covers the major primary ignition sources for accidental fires. Other sources can be
involved in fires raised maliciously. Research into causes of fires has shown that primary ignition
sources (e.g. glowing cigarettes or dropped flaming matches) can set fire to waste paper, which then
acts as a secondary ignition source of greater intensity.
When analysing and evaluating the various ignition sources for applications involving plastics
materials, it is important to answer the following questions on the basis of detailed fire statistics.
1) What is the significance of the individual ignition sources in various fire
...