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Engineering Laboratory / Fire Research Division

National Fire Research Laboratory

Vehicle1

Table 1. Test Information
Name
Vehicle1
Date
Description

2015 dark gray ICE compact sedan mass=1346.4 kg. Empty fuel tank. Primary ignition with 1 liter kerosene soaked rags to ignite the 6 cm bed of pine straw mulch (22.48 kg) under car.
Specimen
Compact Vehicle
Ignition
kerosene soaked rags
Project ID (s)
Design Fires - Vehicles on Pine Straw Bed
Test Director
Hamins

Timelapse Video with Heat Release Rate Plot

Table 2. Summary of Test Results
Measurement Value Uc Unit
Peak Heat Release Rate, PHRR
5,039
302
kW
Time to Peak Heat Release Rate
17.97
0.07
min
Total Heat Released, THR
7,139
451
MJ
Gas Burner Total Heat Released, NGTHR
2
 -
MJ
Heat Release Quality Confirmation, HRQC
 Not measured -
MJ/MJ
Net Specimen Mass (gravimetric), NM = Mi-Mf
267
28
kg
Net Effective Heat of Combustion = THR / NM
26.8
3.3
MJ/kg
O2 Yield = O2 Consumed / NM
1.95
0.22
kg/kg
CO2 Yield = CO2 Generated / NM
1.96
0.22
kg/kg
CO Yield = CO Generated / NM
0.0399
0.0045
kg/kg
Soot Yield = Soot Generated / NM
0.0294
0.0049
kg/kg
Baseline Hood Exhaust Flow
75.3
2.3
kg/s
Test Duration = Time(Fire Out) - Time(Ignition)
113.55
0.03
min

Uc = Combined Expanded Uncertainty with 95% confidence level

Table 3. Summary of Test Input Parameters
Parameter Value Uc Unit
Fuel Type
Generic
 - -
Hood Size
15
 -
m
Effective Duct Diameter
2.424
0.009
m
Exhaust Flow Correction Factor
1.042
0.032
 -
Net Heat of Combustion (per unit mass O2), Ef
13.10
0.66
MJ/kg
Net Heat of Combustion(per unit mass fuel), HOCf
25.00
7.50
MJ/kg
Initial Specimen Mass, Mi (gravimetric)
1,368.88
20.00
kg
Final Specimen Mass, Mf (gravimetric)
1,102.20
20.00
kg
Plot of Fire Heat Release Rate with event markers. Uncertainty bar shown at peak value.
Figure 1. Plot of Heat Release Rate data with event markers and error bars shown at peak.
Table 4. Summary of Observed Test Events
Event Time (min) Description Video Snapshot Image
1
0.00
Ignition
Ignition
2
8.28
car moved off blocks
car moved off blocks
3
8.67
heat flux gauges next to drivers side fell to ground
heat flux gauges next to drivers side fell to ground
4
12.23
loud pop from tires
loud pop from tires
peak
17.97
Peak HRR
Peak HRR
5
25.65
loud explosion from airbag cannister
loud explosion from airbag cannister
6
100.85
water suppression
water suppression
7
113.55
Fire Out
Fire Out

Table 5. Supplemental Data Plots

Plot of Oxygen Dry Volume Fraction in hood exhaust stream.
Plot of Oxygen Dry Volume Fraction in hood exhaust stream.
Plot of Carbon Dioxide Dry Volume Fraction in hood exhaust stream.
Plot of Carbon Dioxide Dry Volume Fraction in hood exhaust stream.
Plot of Carbon Monoxide Dry Volume Fraction in hood exhaust stream.
Plot of Carbon Monoxide Dry Volume Fraction in hood exhaust stream.
Plot of Radiant Heat Flux data with event markers. r= radial distance from center of hood, h=height above floor.
Plot of Radiant Heat Flux data with event markers. r= radial distance from center of hood, h=height above floor.
Plot of Smoke Laser Extinction Coefficient in hood exhaust stream.
Plot of Smoke Laser Extinction Coefficient in hood exhaust stream.
Plot of Exhaust Duct Mass Flow Rate.
Plot of Exhaust Duct Mass Flow Rate.

Bryant, R. and Bundy, M. The NIST 20 MW Calorimetry Measurement System for Large-Fire Research, Technical Note (NIST TN) 2077, 2019
https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.TN.2077

NIST Fire Calorimetry Database (FCD)
https://doi.org/10.18434/mds2-2314

Report Process Script Version
NFRL_Report_8.6.0
Last Updated April 3, 2025
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