Global Model for Predicting the Burning Rates of Liquid Pool Fires (NISTIR 6381)

Published

September 1, 1999

Author(s)

Anthony P. Hamins, Jiann C. Yang, Takashi Kashiwagi

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.

Citation

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR) - 6381

Report Number

6381

NIST Pub Series

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR)

Pub Type

NIST Pubs

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.6381

Keywords

liquid fires, burning rate, heat release rate, liquid fuels

Citation

Hamins, A. , Yang, J. and Kashiwagi, T. (1999), Global Model for Predicting the Burning Rates of Liquid Pool Fires (NISTIR 6381), NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.6381 (Accessed October 22, 2025)