The structure of medium-scale propane pool fires

Published

September 23, 2021

Author(s)

Ryan Falkenstein-Smith, Kunhyuk Sung, Anthony Hamins

Abstract

A series of time-averaged temperature, velocity, and gas species measurements are made along the centerline of propane fires established on a 37 cm diameter gas burner situated in a quiescent environment. Fires with heat release rates of 20 kW and 34 kW are selected for study to complement previous measurements of total heat flux emitted to the surroundings in these fires. Gas samples are extracted at various heights above the burner centerline and analyzed using a Gas Chromatograph with mass selectivity and thermal conductivity detectors. Soot mass fractions are gravimetrically measured. Major gas species, including propane, oxygen, carbon dioxide, water, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, nitrogen, argon, and soot, are detected and quantified. Intermediate gas species are observed to achieve peak concentrations a few cm above the fuel surface, whereas carbon dioxide and water peak further downstream. The chemical and physical structures of the fires are compared by considering the profiles of measured gas species volume fractions, soot mass fractions, temperature and velocity profiles. Plotting the temperature and velocity profiles as a function of z* collapse the experimental data and provide insight into the structure of these medium-scale propane pool fires.

Proceedings Title

12th U.S. National Combustion Meeting

Conference Dates

May 23-26, 2021

Conference Location

College Station, TX, US

Pub Type

Conferences

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Keywords

Gas pool fires, Gas species measurements, Propane flame structure

Citation

Falkenstein-Smith, R. , Sung, K. and Hamins, A. (2021), The structure of medium-scale propane pool fires, 12th U.S. National Combustion Meeting, College Station, TX, US, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=932171 (Accessed April 25, 2024)