Global Model for Predicting the Burning Rates of Liquid Pool Fires.
Global Model for Predicting the Burning Rates of Liquid
Pool Fires.
(1665 K)
Hamins, A.; Yang, J. C.; Kashiwagi, T.
NISTIR 6381; 39 p. September 1999.
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.
Website: http://www.ntis.gov
Order number: PB99-176885
Keywords:
liquid fires; burning rate; heat release rate; liquid
fuels
Abstract:
A global model is presented which predicts the mass
burning flux for pool fires consuming liquid fuels in a
quiescent environment. the model assumes constant bulk
properties such as flame temperature, soot volume
fraction, and species concentration. The computational
procedure requires knowledge of the fuel smoke point
height and fuel properties such as the heat of
vaporization, heat capacity, and boiling poing. A
cylindrical flame shape is assumed with the flame height
given by Heskestad's correlation. A mean beam length
approach for radiative heat transfer is utilized and
emission from both gas species and soot particles is
considered. The convective heat transfer coefficient is
estimated using Raleigh number correlation.
Experiments in small diameter pool fire are used to
quantify the conductive heat transfer. The predicted
mass flux for a number of fuels is within a factor of
two of measured burning rates for pool diameters greater
than 0.2 m.
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899