An experimental study of water deluge on compartment fires
- Shell Research Ltd., Chester (United Kingdom). Thornton Research Centre
A standard water deluge of the type in use on offshore platforms for general area coverage, nominal rate 10 liters/m{sup 2}/min, has been applied to 13MW propane jet fires and diesel pool fires in a 135 m{sup 3} steel compartment. In all cases the jet fires were fully extinguished within seconds of the deluge being activated, whereas pool fires continued to burn albeit at a reduced rate. An explanation is sought for the flame extinction that occurred with jet fires. The favored mechanism involves inerting the fuel/air mixture in the diffusion flame by entrainment of water vapor generated by evaporation at the compartment boundaries or within the flame. In less confined geometries there may be insufficient evaporation of water droplets and/or reduced entrainment and the jet fire would continue to burn. The results should be treated with caution as it remains unknown to what extent the observations are generally applicable, and definitive engineering guidance cannot be given at present. However, the results do warn of an additional explosion hazard if a jet flame is extinguished by deluge and the released gas is not isolated quickly. Further research will be aimed at improved understanding of the extinction mechanism and the development of safety guidance.
- OSTI ID:
- 287590
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950927--; ISBN 0-8169-0660-2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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