- Author
- Raj, P. J. | Moussa, A. N. | Aravamudan, K.
- Title
- Experiments Involving Pool and Vapor Fires From Spills of Liquefied Natural Gas on Water. Final Report.
- Coporate
- Little, (Arthur D.) Inc., Cambridge, MA
- Sponsor
- Naval Weapons Center, China Lake, CA Coast Guard, Washington, DC
- Report
- CG-D-55-79, June 1979, 257 p.
- Distribution
- Available from National Technical Information Service
- Contract
- N60530-78-C-0192
- Keywords
- pool fires | vapors | experiments | liquefied natural gas | water | thermal radiation | flame height | turbulent flames | diffusion flames | flame radiation | regression rate | radiometers
- Identifiers
- vapor fire; fire spectrum; emissive power
- Abstract
- A series of 16 tests have been conducted at the Naval Weapons Center involving the spill and ignition of liquefied natural gas (LNG) on water. Two kinds of fires have been studied; namely, pool fires and vapor cloud fires. The principal objective of the tests was to measure the thermal characteristics. The quantities of spilled LNG varied betwen 3 and 5.5 m³ with spill durations from 30 to 250 s. Thermal radiation from the fires was measured using wide-angle and narrow-angle radiometers and a spectrometer. The data from the tests have been analyzed for pool spread, liquid regression rate, flame heights, thermal radiation output and LNG fire spectra. Models useful for evaluating LNG fire hazards are indicated. Mean flame emissive power measured is about 210 kW/m² and estimated flame temperature is 1500 K. CO₂, H₂O, and soot appear to be the principal radiating species. Vapor cloud burning was close to the ground with a propagating plume fire. The velocity of propagation was a function of the wind speed. A peculiar fire halting behavior noticed is discussed.