Initial measurements with an actively cooled calorimeter in a large pool fire
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Gram, Inc., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
The initial measurements with a 1 m {times} 1 m water cooled vertical flat plate calorimeter located 0.8 m above and inside a 6 m {times} 6 m JP-4 pool fire are described. Heat fluxes in ten vertical 0. 1 m high {times} 1 m wide zones were measured by means of water calorimetry in quasi-steady-state. The calorimeter face also included an array of intrinsic thermocouples to measure surface temperatures, and an array of Schmidt-Boelter radiometers for a second, more responsive, method of heat flux measurement. Other experimental measurement devices within the pool fire included velocity probes, directional flame thermometers (DFTs), and thermocouples. Water calorimetry indicated heat fluxes of about 65 to 70 kW/m{sup 2} with a gradual decrease with increasing height above the pool. Intrinsic thermocouple measurements recorded typical calorimeter surface temperatures of about 500{degrees}C, with spatial variations of {plus_minus}150{degrees}C. Gas velocities across the calorimeter face averaged 3.4 m/s with a predominant upward component, but with an off-vertical skew. Temperatures of 800 to 1100{degrees}C were measured with the DFTS. The observed decrease in heat flux with increasing vertical height is consistent with analytical fire models derived for constant temperature surfaces. Results from several diagnostics also indicated trends and provided additional insight into events that occurred during the fire. Some events are correlated, and possible explanations are discussed.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- OSTI ID:
- 10104843
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-93-2232C; CONF-940668-2; ON: DE94002925; BR: GB0103012
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 4. international symposium on fire safety science,Ottawa (Canada),13-17 Jun 1994; Other Information: PBD: [1993]
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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