Flammable and Combustible Liquid Spill/Burn Patterns.
Flammable and Combustible Liquid Spill/Burn Patterns.
(1905 K)
Putorti, A. D., Jr.; McElroy, J. A.; Madrzykowski, D.
NIJ Report 604-00; NCJ 186634; 71 p. March 2001.
Sponsor:
National Institute of Justice, Washington, DC
Available from:
National Technical Information Service
(NTIS), Technology Administration, U.S. Department of
Commerce, Springfield, VA 22161.
Telephone:
1-800-553-6847 or 703-605-6000;
Fax: 703-605-6900; Rush
Service (Telephone Orders Only) 800-553-6847;
Website:
http://www.ntis.gov
Order number: PB2001-105174
Keywords:
accelerants; arson; building fires; burn patterns;
carpets; char; charring; fire investigations; fire
measurements; flammable liquids; floors; floor
coverings; heat release rate; pour patterns; spill fires
Abstract:
Discussions with fire investigators indicate that it
would be beneficial to have the ability to predict the
quantity of liquid fuel necessary to create a burn
pattern of a given size. Full-scale spill and fire
experiments were conducted with gasoline and kerosene on
vinyl, wood parquet, and carpet covered plywood floors
using various quantities of fuel. Spill areas were
measured, and for non-porous floors the results were
compared to analytical predictions. Burn pattern areas
are correlated with the spill areas, resulting in a
method for predicting the quantity of spilled fuel
required to form a burn pattern of a given size. The
heat release rates of the fuel spill fires were
determined through experiment, and compared to an
existing reference for burning liquid pools of the same
surface area. The peak spill fire heat release rates for
non-porous surfaces were found to be approximately 1/8
to 1/4 of those from equivalent area pool fires. The
peak heat release rates for spill fires on carpet were
found to be approximately equal to those from equivalent
area pool fires. The heat release rates can be used as
inputs for fire modeling or for evaluating fire
scenarios.
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899