Item From the Past: The UL Calorimeter

As an editorial staffer with Fire Chief magazine in the fall of 1996, I was invited to visit Underwriters Laboratories to look at the organization's new calorimeter. The thing impressed me enough that I hung on to the press release photo afterwards. The magazine ran a short article about the new UL large-scale fire testing facility in the November '96 issue of the magazine.

I might be mis-remembering, but I think they told me that it was the world's largest calorimeter, however that might be measured. On the back of the photo is the following: "Interior shot of the new large-scale fire test facility at Underwriters Laboratories Inc. in Northbrook, Ill. The calorimeter test cell is 25' in diameter, with an adjustable height hood."