Effect of Different Fuels on Confined Compartment Fire

Experimental simulations of confined compartment fires are conducted in a reduced-scale compartment. Different areas of fire source and different types of fuel are considered in order to investigate the fire growth process and critical condition for flashover according to the changeable fire source characteristics. For these experimental cases, profiles of mean upper layer temperatures and temperature fluctuations are measured. The mass flow rate out from two vents is extensively discussed. A dimensionless model of this compartment fire growth is developed based on the nonlinear dynamics model. The critical criterion for flashover to occur is revised later, which shows that the energy gain rate and loss rate intersect at the turning point of fuel controlled fire and ventilation controlled fire. Finally, the simulation results of the model are compared with experimental data and the critical boundary between flashover and nonflashover is illustrated to show that the theoretical prediction reasonably agreed with experimental results except for polyethylene, where a higher value of fuel property number, delta, existed.