Nordic Round Robin and Investigation on IMO Resolution A 653 (16) (NT TR 529)

Abstract

  This Nordtest Project critically examines the deviations from the IMO resolution A.653 (16) method, which the participating laboratories either uses or has been using, that being deviations from: the equipment, the procedures or the interpretation of data. These deviations are in many cases a result on the imprecise and equivocal description of the method described in the IMO resolution A.653 (16) in FTP Code. This report summarises the investigations and the results of the investigations, which took place in 2002.

Actions

One act toward a more precise description on the heat stack calibration procedure was defined as follows: The definition of the “hot end” as the position of the end hole of the line burner positioned at the 300-mm position of the dummy specimen. And likewise the “cold end” is defined as the first hole of the line burner positioned at the 300-mm position of the dummy specimen, provided the line burner is not positioned from the cold side.

Conclusions

The Round Robin showed that the work toward a harmonisation of the method and the implementation of a common heat flux meter resulted in improved reproducibility of the Qsb parameter compared to last round robin (1999). An improvement on the reproducibility of the Qt and Qp parameters was not accomplished. It has been established in the project that the source to low reproducibility on these parameters lies partly in the compensation of the heat stack thermocouples. This problem was discovered too late in the project for re-calibrations to take place.