Microscale Fire Calorimeter for Combustion and Toxicity Testing

Traditional fire testing methods often require large samples, open flames, or complicated setups to study combustion. This technology introduces a compact, precise method using a Microscale Fire Calorimeter (MFC) that mimics realistic fire conditions with unprecedented control. When a solid material is thermally decomposed (pyrolyzed), it emits gaseous byproducts. These gases are then premixed with oxygen and combusted in the MFC’s reaction zone at high temperatures, without a visible flame. The MFC system precisely regulates oxygen availability, simulating different fire stages such as over-ventilated (oxygen-rich) and under-ventilated (oxygen-poor) conditions. This allows researchers to analyze how combustion chemistry changes as fires become more intense or oxygen-deprived. The system captures and quantifies the resulting gases and soot, enabling evaluation of environmental pollutants and toxic species produced during each combustion phase. This approach supports safer, smaller-scale laboratory testing while providing valuable data for applications such as material development, regulatory compliance, and forensic analysis. It bridges the gap between benchtop research and real-world fire scenarios. The Federal Aviation Administration have patented a method that enables precise, flame-free analysis of fire chemistry using milligram-scale material samples in a Microscale Fire Calorimeter (MFC). By premixing pyrolysis gases from a heated sample with oxygen under tightly controlled conditions, the system replicates various fire stages from oxygen-rich to oxygen-starved allowing researchers to evaluate the combustion byproducts and their toxicity. This innovation allows for highly efficient and safe flammability testing of solid materials, offering insights critical to public safety, environmental protection, and material design.