Effect of Ventilation on the Rates of Heat, Smoke, and Carbon Monoxide Production in a Typical Jail Cell Fire.

Published

March 1, 1982

Author(s)

B T. Lee

Abstract

The rates of heat release and smoke development from a fire in a typical prison cell configuration were examined under four doorway ventilation conditions. Peak heat release rates varied from about 4500 kW for a 3.34 m(2) doorway opening down to 340 kW for a 0.17 m(2) opening. However, the total and rate of smoke generation were greater with the small opening. The peak carbon monoxide production rate varied from 0.03 kg/s for the large opening to 0.01 kg/s for the smallest opening. The quantity of carbon monoxide generated, however, was highest for the smallest opening with 5.3 kg produced over the fire duration of 1800 s. During the peak fire development in the configuration with the larger openings, temperatures inside the room reached about 1000 deg. C with roughly two-thirds of the heat lost to the cell room boundaries. Peak thermal fluxes inside the room generally exceeded the ignition threshold value of about 20 kW/m(2) for clothing, bedding, and other light combustible fuel for all of the tests.

Citation

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR) -

NIST Pub Series

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR)

Pub Type

NIST Pubs

Download Paper

Local Download

Keywords

fire growth, fuel load, heat release rate, prisons, smoke

Citation

Lee, B. (1982), Effect of Ventilation on the Rates of Heat, Smoke, and Carbon Monoxide Production in a Typical Jail Cell Fire., NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=106927 (Accessed May 2, 2026)

Additional citation formats