MSc Lecture 8:

Oxygen Consumption
Calorimetry
Professor W.K. Chow
Department of Building Services Engineering
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Hong Kong, China
20 Oct 2015

MScCalorimetry.ppt

Heat release rate measurement

Sensible enthalpy rise method

Substitution method
Compensation method
Oxygen consumption method
Most widely used
Comparison with the CO2 production method

Oxygen consumption principle

Depends on the fact that the heat release of organic

materials per unit of oxygen consumed are
approximately the same, about 13.1 ( 5%) MJ per kg
of oxygen consumed for most fuel in fires.

All these products involve the breaking of C-C and C-H

bonds (which release approximately the same amount of
energy) with the formation of CO2 and H2O.

Determine the amount of oxygen consumed

Air flow rate
Oxygen level before and after the combustion
Temperature
3

Oxygen consumption calorimetry

Bench-scale facility such as cone calorimeter

Medium-scale rigs such as furniture calorimeter

and single-burning item test

Full-scale burning tests such as room calorimeter

and large exhaust hoods

Cone calorimeter:

Furniture calorimeter:

Room calorimeter:

Tests with a cone calorimeter

Maximum size of samples tested is 10cm 10cm 5cm

Heat flux from cone heater is up to 100 kWm-2
Parameters measured
HRR(kWm-2), Smoke, Gas concentrations, LC50, etc.
8

Full-scale burning tests

Samples: sofa, table

Parameters: HRR(kW), Gas concentrations, Temperature, etc.
9

Heat release rate calculation based

on oxygen consumption method

Basic principle
Consideration for complete combustion, a constant E = 13.1 MJ/kg of
O2 consumed will be used as default value if the fuel is unknown

Oo 2 m
O2
q E m

m O oxygen mass flow rates in the intake and exhaust

where m O and
are
parts respectively
2

Correction might be necessary by measuring other

incomplete combustion products (CO, Soot, etc.):
CO : about 17.7 MJ/kg of O2 consumed
Soot: about 12.3 MJ/kg of O2 consumed
10

Equations were derived based on mass balancing

Inert gases (most is N2) conservation

Oxygen depletion factor and expansion factor

might be used to relate intake and exhaust gases
Open system and closed system (controlled
atmosphere)

11

Equations might be derived under the following

conditions:
only O2 is measured;
only O2 and CO2 are measured;
only O2 and CO are measured;
O2, CO2 and CO are measured;
O2, CO2, CO and H2O are measured;
O2, CO2, CO, H2O and soot are all measured.

12

Approximate calculation of HRR

When only oxygen is measured

m a o

m e
X O2
X O2 M O2
Me
Ma

q E

(2)

o
where m a and m e are the total mass flow rates, X O and X O are oxygen
mole fractions, in the intake and exhaust gases respectively;
MO M
, a and M e are the molecular weights of oxygen, intake gas
and exhaust gas respectively.
2

An approximate equation is given by assuming the total

gas volumetric flow rates V in the intake and exhaust parts
are equal
q EV X Oo2 X O2 M O2
(3)

13

Accurate calculation of HRR

for only oxygen is measured

The oxygen depletion factor

is given by

o
o

mO2 mO2 mO2

(4)

Intake nitrogen will not be changed in typical

fire temperature, it can be taken as the same as
in the exhaust gas:

m Nin2 m Nout2

(5)
14

When only oxygen is measured, the oxygen

depletion factor is given by oxygen mole
fractions in the intake and exhaust parts as:

Ao
O2

X OA2

1 X X
A
O2

Ao
O2

where superscript A indicates the mole fraction of species is

measured in the gas analyzer with water removed

15

Mass flow rates of intake gas m a can also be

related with exhaust gas m e by defining an
expansion factor (often taken as 1.105 for
unknown fuel) as:
m e
m a
m a
1

Me
Ma
Ma

(7)

It is simplified by assuming molecular weights M e

is the same as M a :
m e
m a
1 1

(8)
16

When only oxygen is measured, the heat release

rate is given by
q E

or

M O2
Ma

Ao
O2

X m a 1 X Ho 2O

m e M O2
o
Ao
q E

1 X H 2O X O2
1 1 M a

(9)

(10)

17

HRR equations
for more gases measured

When only oxygen and carbon dioxide are

measured
HRR Equation is same to Equation (9) or (10)
Oxygen depletion factor will be different:

Ao
O2

1 X X 1 X 11
1 X X X
A
CO2
A
O2

Ao
CO2

A
O2

A
CO2

Ao
O2

18

When only oxygen, carbon dioxide and

carbon monoxide are measured

A
M O2
1 X CO
m e
o
Ao
q E ECO E
1

X
X
H 2O
O2
A

2
X
1

1
M
O2
a

1 X

A
A
A
A
X OA2 1 X CO

X
1

X
CO
O2
CO2
2
A
O2

(12)

(13)

A
A
A
X CO

X
X
CO
O2
2

19

When oxygen, carbon dioxide, carbon

monoxide and water vapor are measured

A
m a
1 X CO
o
Ao
E ECO E
M O2
1 X H 2O X O2
A
2 X O2
Ma

A
A
A
A
m a
m e 1 X H 2O 1 X O2 X CO2 X CO

o
Ao
Ao
Ma Me
1 X H 2O 1 X O2 X CO2

A
M e 18 4 1 X HA2O X OA2 4 X CO
2 .5
2

(13)
(14)

(15)

20

When oxygen, carbon dioxide, carbon

monoxide, water vapor and soot are all
measured

q E

A
A
X CO
X S 1 X CO
m a
o
Ao
ECO E A 2 ES E o
M O2
1 X H 2O X O2
A
X O2
X O2 2 X O2
Ma

A
A
A
A
A
m a
m e 1 X O2 X CO2 X CO X H 2O X S

o
Ao
Ma Me
1 X Ho O 1 X OA X CO

A
A
A
A
A
A
A
M e M O2 X OA2 M CO2 X CO

M
X

M
X

M
1

X
CO
CO
S
S
N
O
CO
CO
S
2
2
2
2

21

16
17

18

DISCUSSION

The oxygen consumption method is a preferred

one for calculating the heat release rate
Both equations and measurement will affect the
accuracy of HRR, and they should be matched
Corrections might be necessary if some aspects are
different from what they are assumed initially

22

The results might be more accurate when more

chemical species are measured
Corrections might be necessary for accurate
calculation by CO or soot, and the effect of
other agents such as water under some
conditions
Equations and relevant parameters should be
reviewed roundly

23

Purpose to use the HRR results

More accurate might be worse to compare with
others or standard testing results

Calculation for mass flow rate to be improved.

There is difference for full-scale and bench-scale
tests

Equations used and testing conditions should be

matched

24