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Experimental Measurements for Pyrolysis Model Validation - Anaerobic Gasification of PMMA Under External Thermal Radiation

Published by National Institute of Standards and Technology | National Institute of Standards and Technology | Catalog Last Checked: September 02, 2026 at 07:18 PM | Dataset Last Updated: February 06, 2023
A set of 10 anaerobic gasification experiments was conducted on the poly(methyl methacrylate), PMMA, made available to participants in the MaCFP-2 Workshop. In each test, samples (i.e., PMMA discs of approximate dimensions: 7 cm diameter, 5.8 mm thickness) were exposed to radiant heating (nominally 50 kW m-2 across their top surface) in an anaerobic environment. Samples were insulated at their back surface and continuously heated until complete decomposition was observed. Test boundary conditions (e.g., time- and spatially-resolved measurements of incident radiant heat flux; chamber wall temperatures) were carefully characterized. Six additional tests were also conducted to measure the temperature rise of inert materials (Copper and Kaowool PM Insulation) exposed to the same conditions (i.e., Nitrogen flow rate + incident radiant heat flux) as used during tests on PMMA samples. These test results may be used to validate material thermophysical properties and boundary conditions (e.g., convection heat transfer) controlling heat transfer in this system.

Resources

18 resources available

  • Anaerobic gasification of poly(methyl methacrylate) under external thermal radiation

    MD
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  • README

    BIN
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  • MaCFP-PMMA_Gasification_q50_Temp_R1

    CSV
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  • MaCFP-PMMA_Gasification_q50_Temp_R2

    CSV
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  • MaCFP-PMMA_Gasification_q50_Temp_R3

    CSV
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  • MaCFP-PMMA_Gasification_q50_Temp_R4

    CSV
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  • MaCFP-PMMA_Gasification_q50_Temp_R5

    CSV
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  • MaCFP-PMMA_Gasification_q50_Mass_R3

    CSV
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  • MaCFP-PMMA_Gasification_q50_Mass_R4

    CSV
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  • MaCFP-PMMA_Gasification_q50_Mass_R5

    CSV
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  • Gasification_Apparatus_Schematic_w-sample

    PDF
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  • Black-Copper_q50_Temp

    CSV
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  • Black-Insulation_q50_Temp

    CSV
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  • PMMA MLR vs time (q50)

    PDF
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  • PMMA Mass vs time (q50)

    PDF
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  • PMMA Temperature vs. time (q 50)

    PDF
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  • Measured steady state heat flux profile across the sample's surface for tests conducted at 50 kW m-2

    PDF
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  • Time-averaged, normalized incident heat flux (i.e., q*=q"/q"{240s-300s}) at r = 0, 2.5, 5.0 and 7.1 cm (21 locations)

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Complete Metadata
@type dcat:Dataset
accessLevel public
bureauCode 
[
  "006:55"
]
contactPoint 
{
  "fn": "Isaac Leventon",
  "hasEmail": "mailto:isaac.leventon@nist.gov"
}
description A set of 10 anaerobic gasification experiments was conducted on the poly(methyl methacrylate), PMMA, made available to participants in the MaCFP-2 Workshop. In each test, samples (i.e., PMMA discs of approximate dimensions: 7 cm diameter, 5.8 mm thickness) were exposed to radiant heating (nominally 50 kW m-2 across their top surface) in an anaerobic environment. Samples were insulated at their back surface and continuously heated until complete decomposition was observed. Test boundary conditions (e.g., time- and spatially-resolved measurements of incident radiant heat flux; chamber wall temperatures) were carefully characterized. Six additional tests were also conducted to measure the temperature rise of inert materials (Copper and Kaowool PM Insulation) exposed to the same conditions (i.e., Nitrogen flow rate + incident radiant heat flux) as used during tests on PMMA samples. These test results may be used to validate material thermophysical properties and boundary conditions (e.g., convection heat transfer) controlling heat transfer in this system.
distribution 
[
  {
    "title": "Anaerobic gasification of poly(methyl methacrylate) under external thermal radiation",
    "format": "A github repository containing .csv files with experimental data and a .md text file describing these measurements",
    "accessURL": "https://github.com/MaCFP/macfp-db/",
    "description": "Anaerobic gasification of poly(methyl methacrylate) under external thermal radiation in the NIST Gasification Apparatus. Measurement data includes back surface temperature and sample mass loss rate of ~5.8mm thick, 7cm diameter PMMA discs"
  },
  {
    "title": "README",
    "mediaType": "application/octet-stream",
    "description": "Description of test goals, apparatus setup and calibration, and measurement results.",
    "downloadURL": "https://data.nist.gov/od/ds/mds2-2940/MACFP-3-Gasification_README.md"
  },
  {
    "title": "MaCFP-PMMA_Gasification_q50_Temp_R1",
    "mediaType": "text/csv",
    "description": "Measured back surface temperature of MaCFP-PMMA during anaerobic pyrolysis when exposed to 50 kW/m2 of external radiant heating (test repetition R1)",
    "downloadURL": "https://data.nist.gov/od/ds/mds2-2940/MaCFP-PMMA_Gasification_q50_Temp_R1.csv"
  },
  {
    "title": "MaCFP-PMMA_Gasification_q50_Temp_R2",
    "mediaType": "text/csv",
    "description": "Measured back surface temperature of MaCFP-PMMA during anaerobic pyrolysis when exposed to 50 kW/m2 of external radiant heating (test repetition R2)",
    "downloadURL": "https://data.nist.gov/od/ds/mds2-2940/MaCFP-PMMA_Gasification_q50_Temp_R2.csv"
  },
  {
    "title": "MaCFP-PMMA_Gasification_q50_Temp_R3",
    "mediaType": "text/csv",
    "description": "Measured back surface temperature of MaCFP-PMMA during anaerobic pyrolysis when exposed to 50 kW/m2 of external radiant heating (test repetition R3)",
    "downloadURL": "https://data.nist.gov/od/ds/mds2-2940/MaCFP-PMMA_Gasification_q50_Temp_R3.csv"
  },
  {
    "title": "MaCFP-PMMA_Gasification_q50_Temp_R4",
    "mediaType": "text/csv",
    "description": "Measured back surface temperature of MaCFP-PMMA during anaerobic pyrolysis when exposed to 50 kW/m2 of external radiant heating (test repetition R4)",
    "downloadURL": "https://data.nist.gov/od/ds/mds2-2940/MaCFP-PMMA_Gasification_q50_Temp_R4.csv"
  },
  {
    "title": "MaCFP-PMMA_Gasification_q50_Temp_R5",
    "mediaType": "text/csv",
    "description": "Measured back surface temperature of MaCFP-PMMA during anaerobic pyrolysis when exposed to 50 kW/m2 of external radiant heating (test repetition R5)",
    "downloadURL": "https://data.nist.gov/od/ds/mds2-2940/MaCFP-PMMA_Gasification_q50_Temp_R5.csv"
  },
  {
    "title": "MaCFP-PMMA_Gasification_q50_Mass_R3",
    "mediaType": "text/csv",
    "description": "Measured sample mass of MaCFP-PMMA during anaerobic pyrolysis when exposed to 50 kW/m2 of external radiant heating (test repetition R3)",
    "downloadURL": "https://data.nist.gov/od/ds/mds2-2940/MaCFP-PMMA_Gasification_q50_Mass_R3.csv"
  },
  {
    "title": "MaCFP-PMMA_Gasification_q50_Mass_R4",
    "mediaType": "text/csv",
    "description": "Measured sample mass of MaCFP-PMMA during anaerobic pyrolysis when exposed to 50 kW/m2 of external radiant heating (test repetition R4)",
    "downloadURL": "https://data.nist.gov/od/ds/mds2-2940/MaCFP-PMMA_Gasification_q50_Mass_R4.csv"
  },
  {
    "title": "MaCFP-PMMA_Gasification_q50_Mass_R5",
    "mediaType": "text/csv",
    "description": "Measured sample mass of MaCFP-PMMA during anaerobic pyrolysis when exposed to 50 kW/m2 of external radiant heating (test repetition R5)",
    "downloadURL": "https://data.nist.gov/od/ds/mds2-2940/MaCFP-PMMA_Gasification_q50_Mass_R5.csv"
  },
  {
    "title": "Gasification_Apparatus_Schematic_w-sample",
    "mediaType": "application/pdf",
    "description": "Schematic of gasification apparatus with highlight of sample/insulation assembly",
    "downloadURL": "https://data.nist.gov/od/ds/mds2-2940/Gasification_Apparatus_Schematic_w-sample.pdf"
  },
  {
    "title": "Black-Copper_q50_Temp",
    "mediaType": "text/csv",
    "description": "Temperature rise of 1/8 in. black copper disc when exposed at top surface to 50 kW/m2 incident radiation and insulated at back with 1.125 in. Kaowool PM insulation board. Temperature values represent an average of 3 tests conducted in triplicate; uncertainties (Uc) represent 2 stdev_mean of Temp values recorded in triplicate tests in a +/- 1 s time window (i.e., 3 time steps averaged across 3 tests)",
    "downloadURL": "https://data.nist.gov/od/ds/mds2-2940/Black-Copper_q50_Temp.csv"
  },
  {
    "title": "Black-Insulation_q50_Temp",
    "mediaType": "text/csv",
    "description": "Temperature rise of 5x 1/4 in. thick Kaowool PM board insulation discs when exposed at top surface (painted with medtherm optical black coating, emissivity = 0.95) to 50 kW/m2 incident radiation. 

Temperature measurements are recorded at 3 locations (x, distance from top surface); each column / value represents an average of 3 tests conducted in triplicate.
Uncertainties (Uc) at each location represent 2 stdev_mean of Temp values recorded at that specific location in triplicate tests in a +/- 1 s time window (i.e., 3 time steps averaged across 3 tests; 9 total values)",
    "downloadURL": "https://data.nist.gov/od/ds/mds2-2940/Black-Insulation_q50_Temp.csv"
  },
  {
    "title": "PMMA MLR vs time (q50)",
    "mediaType": "application/pdf",
    "description": "Time-resolved measurements of PMMA Mass Loss Rate when exposed to an incident radiant heat flux of 50 kW m-2.",
    "downloadURL": "https://data.nist.gov/od/ds/mds2-2940/MaCFP-PMMA_MLR.pdf"
  },
  {
    "title": "PMMA Mass vs time (q50)",
    "mediaType": "application/pdf",
    "description": "Time-resolved measurements of PMMA Mass when exposed to an incident radiant heat flux of 50 kW m-2.",
    "downloadURL": "https://data.nist.gov/od/ds/mds2-2940/MaCFP-PMMA_Mass.pdf"
  },
  {
    "title": "PMMA Temperature vs. time (q 50)",
    "mediaType": "application/pdf",
    "description": "Time-resolved measurements of PMMA back surface temperature when exposed to an incident radiant heat flux of 50 kW m-2.",
    "downloadURL": "https://data.nist.gov/od/ds/mds2-2940/MaCFP-PMMA_Temperature.pdf"
  },
  {
    "title": "Measured steady state heat flux profile across the sample's surface for tests conducted at 50 kW m-2",
    "mediaType": "application/pdf",
    "description": "contourf plot of heat flux distribution across sample's surface at steady state (target flux = 50 kW m-2)",
    "downloadURL": "https://data.nist.gov/od/ds/mds2-2940/q50_hfmap.pdf"
  },
  {
    "title": "Time-averaged, normalized incident heat flux (i.e., q*=q"/q"{240s-300s}) at r = 0, 2.5, 5.0 and 7.1 cm (21 locations)",
    "mediaType": "application/pdf",
    "description": "normalized (q*=q"/q"steady) time-response of gasification apparatus heat flux across the sample's surface",
    "downloadURL": "https://data.nist.gov/od/ds/mds2-2940/q50_normalized.pdf"
  }
]
identifier ark:/88434/mds2-2940
issued 2023-02-17
keyword 
[
  "fire modeling",
  "material properties",
  "model validation",
  "pyrolysis"
]
landingPage https://data.nist.gov/od/id/mds2-2940
language 
[
  "en"
]
license https://www.nist.gov/open/license
modified 2023-02-06 00:00:00
programCode 
[
  "006:045"
]
publisher 
{
  "name": "National Institute of Standards and Technology",
  "@type": "org:Organization"
}
theme 
[
  "Fire:Fire modeling",
  "Fire:Materials flammability"
]
title Experimental Measurements for Pyrolysis Model Validation - Anaerobic Gasification of PMMA Under External Thermal Radiation

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