Brandprovning av gasolflaskor: Med respektive utan tryckavlastning

The purpose of this work was to experimentally examine the importance of safety devices (pressure valve and melting fuse) on propane bottles for consumer use (5 – 6 kg propane). The bottles tested included construction types based on composite (PK5, two different types), aluminum (PA6), and steel (P6). Bottles were tested with and without safety devices. The tests were made as a comparative study. Bottles were exposed to a pool fire with a rate of heat release of approximately 420 kW, resulting in a temperature of approximately 800 - 1000°C and a heat flux of approximately 50 kW/m2 towards bottom and leeward side of each bottle. The results suggest that propane bottles for consumer use (5 – 6 kg) should be equipped with safety devices (pressure valve or melting fuse). Also, recommendations concerning location as well as anchoring bottles should be considered. Proposals for future work include studies on the function of safety devices for bottles laying on its side or upside down, reaction forces during depressurization and the risk of bottle overturn. Furthermore, a model for calculating/estimating the activation of safety devices should be developed. Such work requires more tests, in order to retrieve more data as a basis for calculation and model evaluation.