Scribd
Upload
103 views11 pages

Understanding Smoldering Fires: Risks & Detection

Smoldering fires are characterized by heterogeneous, flameless combustion with low heat release and temperature. They spread slowly through materials like wood that form insulating char layers. While the rate of burning is low, smoldering fires can generate high levels of toxic gases and pose hazards due to their persistence and potential to transition into flaming fires. They are difficult to detect due to their low temperature but can be extinguished by removing fuel, oxygen, or using water or inert gases to cool the reaction zone. Photoelectric smoke alarms are effective at early detection of smoldering fires through sensing smoke particles.

Uploaded by

Pranav Jayasurya
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
103 views11 pages

Understanding Smoldering Fires: Risks & Detection

Smoldering fires are characterized by heterogeneous, flameless combustion with low heat release and temperature. They spread slowly through materials like wood that form insulating char layers. While the rate of burning is low, smoldering fires can generate high levels of toxic gases and pose hazards due to their persistence and potential to transition into flaming fires. They are difficult to detect due to their low temperature but can be extinguished by removing fuel, oxygen, or using water or inert gases to cool the reaction zone. Photoelectric smoke alarms are effective at early detection of smoldering fires through sensing smoke particles.

Uploaded by

Pranav Jayasurya
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

SMOLDERING FIRES

Introduction
Characteristics of Smoldering Fires
• Heterogenous Combustion
• Glow and Flameless
• Oxygen Deficiency
• Lower Temperature and Fire Spread Rate
• Low Heat Release Rate per Unit Area
• Larger Duration
• Weak Buoyant Plume
Mechanism of Smoldering Fires
• External and Internal Sources of Ignition
• Slow, Flameless Combustion with heat released as O2 directly attacks
the solid fuel.
• Fuel which includes wood/ agricultural products is capable of
producing a non-collapsing charry matrix.
• Extended exposure to heat creates porosity and charry matrix in these
fuels, allowing them to smolder
Rate of Burning of Smoldering Fire and its
Effects
• Low Rate of Mass loss and Heat Release Rate
• CO is a significant gas produced in smoldering
• Ratio of CO to CO2 is higher in smoldering than in flaming fires.
• Due to low mass loss and heat release rate, CO does not pose an
immediate threat.
• Pose a threat under prolonged exposure or transition from
smoldering to flaming fire whereby Mass rate and HRR increase
rapidly.
Hazards of Smoldering

• Slow, Low-Temperature, Non-Flaming Combustion, hence very hard to


detect
• Higher Yield of Toxic Compounds such as CO, CO2
• Ease of transition to flaming fire by weak heat sources
• Persistent type of combustion
• Spread extensively into forested areas and deep into the soil
• Low temperature, tendency to travel belowground, and flamlessnes make
them hard to detect.
• Eg:- Cigarette igniting upholstered furniture, Forest Fires,
Characteristics of Materials Susceptible to
Smoldering
• Have a large surface area per unit mass
• Permeable, allowing O2 to reach the reaction site.
• Thermal Insulation
• Formation of Carbonaceous Char
Examples of Smoldering

• Burning Cigarette
• Charcoal Embers
• Wood after initial flaming
Methods to Extinguish Smoldering Fire

• Remove the fuel


• Quench the O2 supply
• Cool the reaction zone
• Use liquids with higher viscosity
• Use water
• Introduce inert gas
Detection of Smoldering Fire

• Photoelectric Smoke Alarms


• Responsive to fires with long periods of
smoldering.
• Hence, they can detect smoldering fire
easily and early due to the smoke produced
by them.
• Photoelectric-type alarms aim a light source
into a sensing chamber at an angle away
from the sensor. Smoke enters the chamber,
reflecting light onto the light sensor;
triggering the alarm.
Conclusion

You might also like