Measurement and Prediction of Smoke Deposition from a Fire Against a Wall

Abstract

Smoke deposition from different fuels and fire sizes to a vertical gypsum wall was studied using gravimetric measurements and a newly developed optical method. Optical properties of the deposited smoke were deduced from the gravimetric and optical measurements. Based on the new optical method, a photographic method was developed and used to quantify the smoke patterns on a wall adjacent to the fire source. The method is suitable for use in fire research and fire scene documentation. A thermophoretic smoke deposition model was extended and validated, using the experimental results from this work. The model can be used to predict smoke deposition rates and patterns due to thermophoresis.

Smoke oxidation kinetics for application to prediction of clean burn patterns

“…The kinetics developed here can be used to predict clean burn patterns. This is accomplished through the prediction of smoke deposition [2] and the loss of smoke from the surface by smoke oxidation. The clean burn area is defined by the area over which the smoke oxidation consumes all smoke previously deposited on the surface.…”

“…Smoke deposition patterns are a potentially rich source of information concerning the behavior of a fire. It has been shown that thermophoretic smoke deposition is the dominant mode of deposition onto walls, both in hot layer configurations and for fires against a wall [1,2]. The thermal gradients between the fire environment and the surface drives smoke particles onto the surface.…”

“…These patterns give indications about the location, size, spread, and duration of burning [4]. Experiments with a fire against a wall have shown that smoke is first deposited on the wall surface adjacent to the fire [2]. As the fire continues, the wall temperatures rise, and smoke is oxidized off the wall, yielding a clean burn pattern [2].…”