Smoldering Combustion Propagation on Solid Wood.
Smoldering Combustion Propagation on Solid Wood.
(564 K)
Ohlemiller, T. J.
International Association for Fire Safety Science. Fire
Safety Science. Proceedings. 3rd International
Symposium. July 8-12, 1991, Edinburgh, Scotland,
Elsevier Applied Science, New York, Cox, G.; Langford,
B., Editor(s)(s), 565-574 pp, 1991.
Keywords:
fire research; fire safety; fire science; smoldering
combustion; wood; smoldering
Abstract:
Factors controlling the spread of smoldering combustion
on solid wood (red oak, white pine) were examined in a
configruation designed to enable self-sustained smolder.
The sample was in the form of a U-shaped channel 74 cm
long with 6.4 cm thick walls. A controlled flow of air
was confined to the interior of the channel. Smoldering
was initiated on the interior surface either of the
upstream end of this channel (yielding forward smolder
propagation), the downstream end (reverse smolder) or
mid-length (coupled forward/reverse smolder). In
separate tests the air flow velocity (referred to the
initial cross section of the channel) was varied from
about 9 to 22 cm/sec. At the low end of this range, the
smoldering process was prone to extinction; at the high
end it was increasingly likely to transition into
flaming combustion. A simple energy balance model
indicates a central role of radiative transfer in
sustaining the smolder process.
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899