GB2195136A

GB2195136A - A fire-resistant glazing assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2195136A
Application number: GB8717356A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Siegfried Habicht
Original assignee: Schueco International GmbH and Co
Current assignee: Schueco International GmbH and Co
Priority date: 1986-07-26
Filing date: 1987-07-22
Publication date: 1988-03-30
Anticipated expiration: 2007-07-22
Also published as: FR2601943A1; FR2601943B1; GB2195136B; GB8717356D0; DE3625367C2; DE3625367A1

Abstract

A fire-resistant glazing assembly for a window, door or wall has one or several panes, which, in use, are towards a fire, of single-pane safety glass which fracture at around 100 DEG C. In addition at the side remote from the fire it includes a pane of a prestressed refractory material able to withstand a temperature in the range of from 925 DEG C to 1090 DEG C for at least 60 minutes. The panes have therebetween a foil or a gel which foams up and becomes opaque after the pane bursts.

Description

SPECIFICATION A fire-resistant glazing assembly This invention relates to a fire-resistant glazing assembly suitable for a window, door or a wall. Conventionally such an assembly includes at least one pane, which in use faces the fire and which bursts asunder or crumbles at a temperature of around 100 C, of single-pane safety glass in accordance with fire resistance class F30 (DIN 4102), a pane which, in use, is remote from the fire and at least one intermediate space for accommodating a gel or a fireproofing foil.

Fire resistance class F 30 (DIN 4102) relates to room-closing components such as doors, which must prevent a fire from passing therethrough for a test period of at least thirty minutes. This requirement is deemed not to be -satisfied if, at a predetermined pressure in a test, a cotton wool pad which is held against the side remote from the fire is caused to ignite in the test by a fire on the other side of the component or if flames occur at the side which is remote from the fire.

In the test, room-closing components may heat up on the side remote from the fire by not more than 1400K beyond the initial temperature of the component at the beginning of the test, over a test time of at least 30 minutes, on average, and at no point of measurement may there be an increase of temperature of more than 1800K above the initial temperature. In general a class F30 component must withstand a temperature of 8220C for at least 30 minutes.

If the components, such as doors, are glazed, attempts have been made to meet class F requirements by ensuring that the glazing panes and associated fire-proofing agents react under heat to alter the degree of transparency of the panes thereby to reduce radiant heat transfer through the glazing to the side which is remote from the fire.

Conventionally the glass industry supplies multi-layer glazing structures for fire resistance class F requirements. There are essentially two such known glazing structures.

One known glazing structure has two individual panes which are held at a spacing from each other. A normally transparent clear gel is arranged in the intermediate space which is defined by and between individual panes. The two individual panes are each a single-pane of safety glass.

The second known glazing structure has at least two panes with a fire-proofing foil between each pair of panes. The number of panes depends on the degree of fire resistance to be attained in glass F.

Both known glazing structures operate on the same principle. In the event of a fire, the first pane which is towards the fire is destroyed when a temperature of around 1000C is reached so that the flames or the heat can act directly on the fire-proofing foil or the gel filling which is behind the first pane. The normally transparent gel or fire-proofing foil then begins to foam up and become opaque.

After heating for an increasing period of time, in the first case the layer of gel increasingly breaks up while in the second case the individual layers of the glass-foil combination break up.

These known glazing structures suffer from the disadvantage that they are extensively# destroyed after having been subjected to a fire for example for 30 minutes and then no longer ensure further fire resistance.

A fire resistance class G is also known, in accordance with DIN 4102.

Fire resistance class G covers only glazing structures which must provide resistance to a fire for a time of at least 30 minutes. DIN 4102 specifies that glazing structures in fire resistance glass G are translucent components in walls, which are intended, in accordance with their fire resistance class, to prevent flames and fire gas from passing therethrough, but not to prevent radiant heat from passing therethrough.

There is thus a need for an improved fire resistant glazing assembly able to satisfy the requirements of both fire resistance classes F and G.

According to the present invention there is provided a fire resistant glazing assembly suitable for a window, door or a wall, including at least one pane of safety glass which in use of the assembly is on a side thereof facing a fire, and which bursts asunder or crumbles at a temperature of substantially 100 C, a pane of prestressed refractory material, which overlies the pane of safety glass at a spacing therefrom, which in use of the assembly is on the side thereof remote from the fire and which can withstand a temperature in the range of from 9250 to 10300C for at least 60 minutes, and in the spacing between the panes, a normally transparent gel or fire-proofing foil which when heated becomes opaque to reduce the flow of radiant heat through the assembly.

Thus the pane which is remote from the fire is a prestressed refractory pane according to one of fire resistance classes G 60 to G 180 (DIN 4102).

Conveniently the pane of prestressed refractory material can withstand a temperature of substantially 9860C for 90 minutes. This meets fire resistance class G 90 requirements.

For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a double-pane glazing assembly, according to the invention, the interior of which is filled by a gel, and Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a multipane glazing assembly according to a further embodiment of the invention, having a plurality of fire-proofing foils housed in internal chambers between the panes.

A fire resistant glazing assembly suitable for a window, door or wall, according to a first embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig.

1. It includes at least one pane 1 of singlepane safety glass which when directly facing a fire, bursts asunder or crumbles at a temperature of substantially 100 C.

On the side of the assembly remote from a fire is a pane 2 of prestressed refractory material which overlies the pane 1 at a spacing therefrom. The pane 2 is constructed and chosen to withstand a temperature in the range of from 9250C to 1090 C for at least 60 minutes. This meets the requirements of fire resistance classes G60 to G180. Class G60 requires the ability to withstand 9250C for 60 minutes and class G180 requires the ability to withstand substantially 10800C for at least 180 minutes. Preferably the pane 2 used meets class G90 requirements in that it is able to w#ithstand substantially 9860C for 90 minutes.

The spacing between the panes 1 and 2 is filled with a gel 3 which is normally transparent but which on heating becomes opaque to reduce the flow of radiant heat through the assembly. Such a gel may contain about 80% water bound by metal salts to ensure a relatively solid consistency and about 20% silicate which transforms from transparent to opaque under heat.

The assembly according to a second embodiment of the invention, as shown in Fig. 2, also has a pane 2 of prestressed refractory material with the same properties as in the first embodiment, to form the surface to face a fire. This pane 2 thus also meets class G60 to class G180 requirements. However in this embodiment as well as pane 1 there are further panes 4, 5 and 6 of the same properties as pane 1, i.e. bursting or crumbling at substantially 100 C. Each pane 1, 4, 5, 6 and 2 overlie one another and are spaced apart to form chambers 7 therebetween.

Fire-proofing foils 8, 9, 10 and 11 are housed in the chambers 7. These fire-proofing foils have the same properties as the gel 3 of the first embodiment.

In both embodiments the assembly of the invention functions such that on breakdown of the pane 1 water, in the form of steam, is released from the gel 3 or foil thereby reducing the pressure in the assembly and possibly reducing the heat acting on the pane 1 from the fire. The assembly resists the fire long enough for inflammable material on the side thereof remote from the fire to be removed to safety and maintains an escape route which is free from radiant heat, for about 30 minutes.

After this time pane 2 comes into operation on the side remote from the fire and prevents escape of fire gases, fumes and flames so that the escape route outside the assembly remains available for a longer period of time.

Claims

1. A fire resistant glazing assembly suitable for a window, door or a wall, including at least one pane of safety glass which in use of the assembly is on a side thereof facing a fire, and which bursts asunder or crumbles at a temperature of substantially 100 C, a pane of prestressed refractory material, which overlies the pane of safety glass at a spacing therefrom, which in use of the assembly is on the side thereof remote from the fire and which can withstand a temperature in the range of from 925 to 10300C for at least 60 minutes, and in the spacing between the panes, a normally transparent gel or fire-proofing foil which when heated becomes opaque to reduce the flow of radiant heat through the assembly.

2. A fire resistant glazing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the pane of prestressed refractory material can withstand a temperature of substantially 9860C for 90 minutes.

3. A fire resistant glazing assembly according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the pane of prestressed refractory material can withstand a temperature of substantially 10800C for at least 180 minutes.

4. A fire resistant glazing assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, having a single said pane of safety glass with the spacing between the single said pane and the pane of prestressed refractory material containing said gel.

5. A fire resistant glazing assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, having, in addition to said at least one pane of safety glass which in use of the assembly is on the side thereof facing the fire, a plurality of further panes of safety glass which burst asunder or crumble at a temperature of substantially 100 C, which further panes are housed, in spaced apart location, in said spacing, there being a plurality of said fire proofing foils located one between each adjacent further pane or adjacent pane and further pane.

6. A fire resistant glazing assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.