Concurrent Turbulent Flame Spread.

Published

October 19, 1989

Author(s)

L Zhou, A C. Fernandez-Pello

Abstract

The rate of flame spread over the surface of thick PMMA sheets has been measured as a function of the velocity and turbulence intensity of a forced air flow concurrent with the direction of flame propagation. It is shown that the flow turbulence has a strong influence on the flame spread process. For all turbulence intensities, the flame spread rate increases approximately linearly with the flow velocity, although the slope is smaller for larger turbulence intensities. For a given flow velocity, the spread rate decreases as the turbulence intensity is increased, the effect being more pronounced for larger flow velocities. These effects appear to be due to a strong influence of the turbulence intensity on the flame length, which decreases as the turbulence intensity is increased, thus reducing the net heat flux from the flame to the unburnt combustible. The results are significant since the prediciton of the flame length and spread rate as a function of the problem parameters are important factors in the development of room fire models.

Proceedings Title

U.S./Japan Government Cooperative Program on Natural Resources (UJNR). Fire Research and Safety. 11th Joint Panel Meeting

Conference Dates

October 19-24, 1989

Conference Location

Berkeley, CA

Pub Type

Conferences

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Keywords

flame spread rate, turbulence, polymethyl methacrylate, flame length, fire models, flow velocity

Citation

Zhou, L. and Fernandez-Pello, A. (1989), Concurrent Turbulent Flame Spread., U.S./Japan Government Cooperative Program on Natural Resources (UJNR). Fire Research and Safety. 11th Joint Panel Meeting, Berkeley, CA, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=917031 (Accessed April 26, 2024)