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On the Development and Characterization of a Reduced Scale Continuous Feed Firebrand Generator

Published

Author(s)

Sayaka S. Suzuki, Samuel Manzello

Abstract

A new experimental apparatus, known as the NIST Reduced Scale Continuous Feed Firebrand Generator (the NIST continuous feed Baby Dragon) is presented for the first time. This version of the Firebrand Generator is based upon the NIST Dragon, the only experimental device capable of generating controlled firebrand showers. The unique features of the continuous feed Baby Dragon, as opposed to the present NIST Dragon, is the capability to produce a constant firebrand shower in order to expose building materials to continual firebrand bombardment. An experimental series was conducted to determine the range of operating conditions for this device. Wood pieces were feed into the device using a conveyer system and ignited using a propane burner to generate firebrands. The number flux and mass flux were measured as function of feeding rate to determine optimum conditions to generate steady firebrand showers. It was observed that a feeding rate of 0.9 g/s provided the most constant and uniform continuous firebrand production. Measurements of heat release rate (HHR) were conducted to monitor the combustion process during firebrand generation.
Citation
Fire Safety Science Proceedings of the Tenth International Symposium
Volume
10

Keywords

Firebrands, Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Fires

Citation

Suzuki, S. and Manzello, S. (2011), On the Development and Characterization of a Reduced Scale Continuous Feed Firebrand Generator, Fire Safety Science Proceedings of the Tenth International Symposium (Accessed October 15, 2024)

Issues

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Created October 31, 2011, Updated October 12, 2021