Optical density tells you how much smoke there is; toxicity analysis tells you what is in it. An FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) analyser identifies and quantifies the fire gases - carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen halides, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and others - from their infrared spectra, continuously through a test. Motis supplies FTIR toxicity analysis as a system for smoke testing, including as an advanced function coupled to the cone calorimeter, and the aviation toxicity configuration (TOC713, for the BSS 7239 method family).
How the Smoke Toxicity FTIR Analysis System works
Smoke is drawn continuously from the test chamber or calorimeter duct through a heated sampling line into the FTIR gas cell, so the sample does not condense or react on the way. The spectrometer records spectra throughout the test and the software resolves them into concentrations of the target gases over time, which the governing method then converts into toxicity indices or fractional effective dose calculations.
Key specifications
| Standards | ISO 19702 (FTIR analysis of fire gases), EN 17084 (railway toxicity), with aviation toxicity configuration for the BSS 7239 family |
|---|---|
| Technique | FTIR spectrometry with heated sampling from the fire test chamber or duct |
| Interfaces | Cone calorimeter advanced function; smoke density chamber interface for qualitative and quantitative smoke analysis |
What the test reports
- Time-resolved concentrations of the fire gases named in the method
- Toxicity indices calculated as the governing standard requires
- Gas yield data when coupled to calorimetry
Applications
Railway material approval to EN 45545-2, aviation smoke toxicity work, naval NES 711-family testing and research laboratories use FTIR toxicity systems where a smoke number alone is not enough evidence.
Frequently asked questions
Which standard should I order against?
Order against the standard your reports must cite. The instrument platform is shared across the listed standards, but fixtures, software templates and calibration routines differ, so name the standard (and its year) in your inquiry and the configuration will be matched to it.
Which gases can be measured?
The target gas set is defined by the method you run - ISO 19702 and EN 17084 each name their gases. The FTIR library and calibration are configured for the set in your method; list the method in your inquiry.
Can FTIR be added to an existing chamber?
Retrofit depends on the sampling point and the chamber. Send details or photographs of your existing smoke chamber or calorimeter and we will confirm the interface.
Configuration, installation and support
Every Smoke Toxicity FTIR Analysis System is supplied as a configured system, not a bare instrument: the test chamber or frame, the burner or heater assemblies named in the method, the measurement chain and the control software with the report templates for ISO 19702, EN 17084. Before quotation we confirm the installation conditions with you - floor loading and ceiling height for large rigs, exhaust and extraction routes, gas and fuel services, and power supply - because a fire test instrument only produces defensible data when the room around it is right. Commissioning covers assembly, calibration of the measurement chain against the method's own checks, and training of your operators on running the test and maintaining the apparatus. Spare ignition parts, thermocouples and other consumables for the first period of operation can be included in the supply, and the instrument is supported with calibration and maintenance services after installation.
What to include in your inquiry
To quote the Smoke Toxicity FTIR Analysis System correctly the first time, send: the standard and edition you will test to (ISO 19702, EN 17084); the materials or products you will test and their sizes; the configuration options you already know you need; and the destination laboratory's location and available services. If you are building a new fire laboratory rather than adding one instrument, say so - this apparatus is often planned together with the other instruments in its category, and a combined layout and exhaust plan is cheaper than three separate ones.