A critical review of the methods and applications of microscale combustion calorimetry for material flammability assessment

The microscale combustion calorimeter (MCC) is considered to be the most commonly used small-scale fire experiment in material research. It was developed by Richard E. Lyon and Richard Walters from the Federal Aviation Administration and has existed for over two decades. During this period, the apparatus has been used to obtain combustion properties for a wide range of materials as well as screening flame retardants for the production of fire-resistant materials. MCC separately simulates the pyrolysis and combustion stages of a burning process in a non-flaming test and uniquely measures the heat release capacity. Since its development, several significant modifications have been made in the apparatus to rectify some of the sources of error. This research reviews the literature on microscale combustion calorimetry. It covers the principles of operation applications and limitations, prediction methods and mathematical models for estimation as well as the modifications made in the design. Furthermore, the relationship between MCC parameters and measurement from other fire experiments are outlined. Lastly, the experimental methods designed on the basis of microscale combustion calorimetry have been briefly described.