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Similarity solutions and applications to turbulent upward flame spread on noncharring materials

Journal Article · · Combustion and Flame
; ;  [1];  [2]
  1. Factory Mutual Research Corporation, Norwood, MA (United States)
  2. Ministry of Construction, Tsukuba (Japan). Building Research Inst.
The primary achievement in this work has been the discovery that turbulent upward flame spread on noncharring materials (for pyrolysis lengths less than 1.8m) can be directly predicted by using measurable flammability parameters. These parameters are: a characteristic length scale which is proportional to a turbulent combustion and mixing related length scale parameter ({dot q}{double_prime}{sub net}({Delta}H{sub c}/{Delta}H{sub v})){sup 2}, a pyrolysis or ignition time {tau}{sub p}, and a parameter which determines the transient pyrolysis history of a non-charring material: {lambda} = L/c{Delta}T{sub p} = ratio of the latent heat to the sensible heat of the pyrolysis temperature of the material. In the length scale parameter, {dot q}{double_prime}{sub net} is the total net heat flux from the flames to the wall (i.e., total heat flux minus reradiation losses), {Delta}H{sub c} is the heat of combustion and {Delta}H{sub v} is an effective heat of gasification for the material. The pyrolysis or ignition time depends (for thermally thick conditions) on the material thermal inertia, the pyrolysis temperature, and the total heat flux from the flames to the wall, {dot q}{double_prime}{sub fw}. The present discovery was made possible by using both a numerical simulation, developed earlier, and exact similarity solutions, which are developed in this work. The predictions of the analysis have been validated by comparison with upward flame spread experiments on PMMA.
OSTI ID:
116439
Journal Information:
Combustion and Flame, Journal Name: Combustion and Flame Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 102; ISSN CBFMAO; ISSN 0010-2180
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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