Effects of sample width on flame spread over horizontal charring solid surfaces on a plateau

• Published in: Chinese science bulletin Vol. 56; no. 9; pp. 919 - 924
• Main Authors: Zhang, Ying, Ji, Jie, Huang, XinJie, Sun, JinHua
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.03.2011; SP Science China Press
• Subjects: Chemistry/Food Science; Earth Sciences; Engineering; fires; heat transfer; Humanities and Social Sciences; Life Sciences; multidisciplinary; Physics; plateaus; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); 固体表面; 对流换热; 火焰传播; 火焰辐射; 试样宽度; 青藏高原; China; plateau; the rate of spread; flame spread; width effect
• ISSN: 1001-6538; 1861-9541
• DOI: 10.1007/s11434-011-4386-2

Experiments were conducted on the Tibetan Plateau to investigate the effects of sample width （W） on flame spread over horizontal charring solid surfaces. The results show that the rate of spread is influenced by the combined effects of convection heat transfer and flame radiation. Moreover, two different regimes depending on sample width were found in flame spread behavior. The rate of spread decreased with width in the convective regime （W≤3 cm） but increased in the radiative regime （W〉3 cm）. Similar results were observed in comparative experiments conducted on a plain in Hefei, with the rate of spread reaching its minimum value at W=4 cm rather than 3 cm.