- Author
-
Grumer, J.
|
Strasser, A.
|
Kubala, T. A.
- Title
- Preliminary Report on Studies of Air Flows Into Uncontrolled Fires. Interim Report 1. May 1, 1960-July 31, 1961.
- Coporate
- Bureau of Mines, Pittsburgh, PA
- Sponsor
- Office of Naval Research, Washington, DC
Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization, Washington, DC
National Bureau of Standards, Washington, DC
- Report
-
Interim Report 1; Task No. NR 051-421; NBS Purchase Order S-35287-60,
1961,
38 p.
- Contract
- ONR-CONTRACT-NAONR-24-60
OCDM-CONTRACT-CDM-SR-60-22
- Keywords
-
air flow
|
fire storms
|
wind effects
|
burning rate
|
fuel beds
|
air velocity
|
solid fuels
|
helium
|
wood
|
aerial explosions
- Identifiers
- fuel pile; helium stream
- Abstract
- This investigation seeks to determine whether an uncontrolled fire of the character of a fire storm can generate winds by induction of air into it--and thereby accelerate the burning rate. Measurements have been made of burning rates of laboratory-scale fires of solid fuel beds and the resultant air velocities. Measurements have also been made of such burning rates in the presence of imposed winds. These experiments have shown that only air flow into the burning fuel bed affects the burning rate. Air flow into the luminous fire column above the fuel bed and into the thermal column above it do not significantly affect the burning rate. Furthermore, air flow into the fuel bed has been roughly approximted in one instance on the basis that the fuel bed is equivalent to a porous packed column and that the radial velocity head of the inflowing air is equal to the vertical head due to the buoyancy and momentum of the burned gases. This report presents exploratory experiments; only tentative conclusions are drawn.