Effect of Ventilation on the Rates of Heat, Smoke, and Carbon Monoxide Production in a Typical Jail Cell Fire.
Effect of Ventilation on the Rates of Heat, Smoke, and
Carbon Monoxide Production in a Typical Jail Cell Fire.
(2080 K)
Lee, B. T.
NBSIR 82-2469; 80 p. March 1982.
Available from:
National Technical Information Service
Order number: PB82-194168
Keywords:
fire growth; fuel load; heat release rate; prisons;
smoke
Abstract:
The rates of heat release and smoke development from a
fire in a typical prison cell configuration were
examined under four doorway ventilation conditions.
Peak heat release rates varied from about 4500 kW for a
3.34 m(2) doorway opening down to 340 kW for a 0.17 m(2)
opening. However, the total and rate of smoke
generation were greater with the small opening. The
peak carbon monoxide production rate varied from 0.03
kg/s for the large opening to 0.01 kg/s for the smallest
opening. The quantity of carbon monoxide generated,
however, was highest for the smallest opening with 5.3
kg produced over the fire duration of 1800 s. During the
peak fire development in the configuration with the
larger openings, temperatures inside the room reached
about 1000 deg. C with roughly two-thirds of the heat
lost to the cell room boundaries. Peak thermal fluxes
inside the room generally exceeded the ignition
threshold value of about 20 kW/m(2) for clothing,
bedding, and other light combustible fuel for all of the
tests.
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899