The National Fire Protection Association has announced that the development and deployment of the Cone Calorimeter will be recognized with the 2024 Philip J. DiNenno Prize.
This honor is in acknowledgement of the significant advancements in fire safety technology facilitated by this device.
Dr. Vytenis Babrauskas and Dr. Marc Janssens are set to be honored as DiNenno Prize Laureates for their pivotal contributions to the creation and application of the Cone Calorimeter.
The Cone Calorimeter is noted for being the first small-scale test method that closely simulates the radiative environment of real-scale fires, showing how materials react to external radiant heat.
This includes metrics like ignition and burning behaviour under thermal radiation, enabling the measurement of heat release and smoke production characteristics of materials.
The use of oxygen consumption calorimetry and a unique cone heater design marked a major improvement over previous methods, making the Cone Calorimeter a standard tool in fire research and safety regulations.
The formal presentation of the DiNenno Prize and recognition of the laureates will take place at the NFPA Stars at Night awards ceremony during the annual NFPA Conference & Expo in Orlando on June 16, 2024.
A special panel presentation will also be held to discuss the role of the Cone Calorimeter in advancing fire protection standards, featuring Dr. Babrauskas and Dr. Janssens, and moderated by Birgitte Messerschmidt, Director of NFPA Research.
The award of the 2024 Philip J. DiNenno Prize to the developers of the Cone Calorimeter underscores the importance of innovation in fire safety technology.
By standardizing a method that replicates the radiative conditions of actual fires, this tool has enabled more accurate assessments of materials and their behaviours under fire conditions, contributing to improved safety standards and regulations.
