doi:10.3850/978-981-08-7724-8_12-01

ABSTRACT

This work experimentally addresses the effect of sample size on smouldering combustion. Samples of square cross section with side lengths 50 mm, 100 mm and 140 mm and a height of 150 mm are studied. Samples are exposed to a radiant heat fluxes in the range 0–50 kW.m^-2 on the free surface and insulated on the others. The onset of smouldering ignition is observed in the range 13–14 kW.m^-2 for samples of size 50 mm, 8–9 kW.m^-2 for samples of size 100 mm and 7–8 kW.m^-2 for samples of size 140 mm. The onset of flaming ignition is observed at heat fluxes of 45–48 kW.m ^-2, 32–37 kW.m^-2 and 30–31 kW.m^-2 respectively. Spread rate is found to be a function of the smoulder propagation depth. This is the first time that results on the effect of sample size on smouldering have been reported in the literature.

Keywords: Smouldering, Flaming, Fire safety.

© 2011 CPD Unit, University of Leeds