Burning Behaviour

Dust and Powder Flammability Testing

Standards

VDI 2263 and BS EN 17077

BURNING BEHAVIOUR TESTING PROCESS

The test is conducted to assess the behaviour (severity) of combustion propagation through a material deposit on being ignited by an external ignition source. A small powder strip is formed onto a heat resistant, non-porous plate and ignition trials are performed using a hot (1000°C) platinum wire. Its burning behaviour is numerically rated from 1 (material does not ignite) to 6 (supports rapid combustion) in accordance with the test standards characterisation table. The rating is known as “CC” or Combustibility Class and testing is performed at ambient and elevated environmental temperature conditions.

Burning Behaviour

Type of Reaction		CC	Reference Product
No spreading of fire	No Ignition	1	Table Salt
	Brief ignition and rapid extinction	2	Tartaric Acid
	Localised combustion or glowing with practically no spreading	3	Lactose
Fire spreads	Glowing without sparks, (smoldering) or slow decomposition without flame	4	Tobacco
	Burning with flame or spark generation	5	Sulphur
	Very rapid combustion with flame propagation or rapid decomposition without flame	6	Black Powder

Benefits

When the burning behaviour of a solid material is known, fires and explosions caused as a result of the introduction of hot embers or friction heat (on bearing failure) can be predicted and therefore either avoided or mitigated. It also can be used as a screening tool to highlight materials that should be classified as a ‘flammable solid’ for transportation