%-Flammable Liquid for Container, or Liquid only?

7/28/2021

NFPA 30 Figure 16.2.5 is used to determine if a material is viscous liquid or not.

I am having an issue with a interpretation of the "Weight (percent flammable or combustible liquid)".

Is this weight for the liquid only or the liquid plus the container?

Example: Total package / container weight = 2.48 grams. The liquid inside is a Class III-A mixture that is 0.78 grams (31.5%).

If I go with the entire package Figure 16.2.5 is applicable (less than 50%), but if I am just looking at percent of combustible liquids, all the liquid is combustible.

Thanks in advance.

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3 Comments

Franck

7/28/2021 08:18:22 am

Liquid only.
Flammability or visciosity of a liquid is not dependent on the container.
If you have a whisky with 40% alcohol content, the 40% alcohol content is the same in a plastic bottle, glass bottle or wooden cask. In case of fire, the liquid will have the same behaviour

Franck

7/28/2021 08:23:12 am

Note that this would be different for solid storage commodity, where we are looking for the % in weight or in volume for plastic to determine an overall class III, class IV or Group A plastic commodity. But solid fires do not behave the same way as liquid fires (pool fires, quick evaporation for rapid spread...).
In a mix of solids, the water demand will be depending on the requirement for "each item", and you can make an average between the content and the container.
With liquidsn the water demand will depend on the liquid that will spread (not the container).
The type of container is anyway considered in NFPA 30 as the density is not the same, for the same liquid, if you have small plastic bottles, larger plastic containers or metallic container/drums.

Jesse

7/28/2021 09:14:43 am

I was about to type an explanation, then hit refresh. Franck covered it all

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%-Flammable Liquid for Container, or Liquid only?

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