HEAT-FLUX CALORIMETRIC METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF SPONTANEOUS OXIDATIVE HEAT RATE OF ACTIVE-CARBON CONTAINING OXIDIZABLE VOLATILE ORGANICS/

Carbon beds containing organics, in contact with air, exhibit potentia l for thermal runaway. To accurately define the spontaneous oxidative thermokinetics, appropriate calorimetric techniques are required. A st opped-flow heat-flux calorimetry for oxidative heat-rate measurement i s presented in conjunction with the results generated by accelerating rate calorimetry. The stopped-flow method eliminates many experimental uncertainties encountered with the conventional continuous gas-spargi ng method, and generates accurate and reproducible heat-rate data in a single test run. This technique is particularly useful in solid oxida tion systems containing volatile organics.