Fuel load of beeswax

[RDK]

I’m working on some fire protection measures for a candle factory.

The main combustible product stored in the factory is beeswax.

Under the Canadian Building Code a factory can have either an F2 or F3 classification. F2 is medium hazard and F3 is low hazard.

The division between the two is the density of combustible material. The criteria is either 50 kgs/m2 or 1 200 MJ /m2 of floor space.

My question does anyone know the fuel load of beeswax? Or know of a reference that will allow me to look it up?

Thanks






Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com

 

[ishvaaag]

I quote

Ordenanza Municipal de Protección Contra Incendios de Zaragoza 1995
Anejo 2. Uso Industrial y de Almacenamiento

in p. 77
Following the use of the space:
Wax fabrication: qm= 400 Mcal/m2
Wax storage/logistical qm=500 Mcal/m2
Fabrication of Wax Items qm=320 Mcal/m2
these fire loads are to be multiplied by a Ci and a Ra factor but not for the height, that is, is for the whole space, weighted overall, all over the plan.

in p. 80
Following the stored material
Wax qm=800 Mcal/m3
this to be multiplied by Ri, Ca and h, the height of the stored material, and understood then be for net storage plan.

Ci is a flamability factor, maybe Ci=1.2 for this use

RA is a risk of activation factor, 3 for this case


Look for cera (=wax) in the table in this link

http://www.coitiab.es/reglamentos/incendios/reglamentos/apendices_786/apendice_1.htm

that corresponds to a more modern code.

 

[jheidt2543]

This is one of the GREAT things about these forums! Not only do you see interesting and lively discussions on important topics, but also on esoteric topics too. Who would of thought about the fuel load of beeswax, yet when someone does think of it and need to find it out they get an answer posted the SAME DAY!

Good job ishvaaag!

 

[BigH]

Good job for Rick ishvaaag!

I did a search on rediff.com and got a few sites in case you are interested. The one "qualitative" comment was that beeswax "burns ferociously" when overheated.

http://www.northantsbees.fsnet.co.uk/pages/the_association.htm

http://www.honeyshop.co.uk/wax.html

http://www.dadant.com

and

http://www.beeswaxco.com

both make candles and maybe they know the fire regulations.

 

[yogibear1]

RDK: Consider laboratory analysis of your client's process/product/feedstock. Does it have a constant makeup or can it vary? Generalized published findings may be okay for theory, however, you are dealing with fire and life safety issues which merits understanding the specific risks involved. You may find something unique about your client's product that may not appear in the published data. Plus there are other products on hand that may combine with it in any number of ways. At the least you will have performed "due diligence" in regards to what your client identifies as the process variables; you have an obligation to protect yourself and your firm from undue liability.

 

[RDK]

I loaded the link posted by ishaaav into a Google search window and then clicked on translate this page.

This translated most of the information on that page.

Unfortunately, it appears that this information relates to a design load based on the volume and area of the plant and not on the actual heat of combustion of beeswax which is the number I’m looking for.

I spent a couple hours searching Google askjeaves , dogpile and a couple other search engines.

I found a lot of links that discussed beeswax including fire safety but these were directed at the home candle maker and not for fire protection in a manufacturing environment

The only one that was any help was a link to

http://www.chem.lsu.edu/htdocs/people/lgbutler/1202_Fall96/SupMat/LectDemo_HeatOfCombst.html,

which is a chemistry lecture on the heat of combustion for paraffin. It’s given as 41.5 kJ/g or 41.5 MJ/Kg

I am looking for the equivalent number for beeswax. If nothing else I will simply repeat the experiment with a beeswax candle.

Thanks for the help.





Rick Kitson MBA P.Eng

Construction Project Management
From conception to completion

http://www.kitsonengineering.com

 

[BigH]

Rick - why don't you just put in a couple of contacts to the beeswax organization in the UK that I gave you the site for and ask them. Fine, if they don't know, okay but if they do and most organizations have knowledge of their industry this way, it might make things easier.
Best of luck.