USING A BURNING RATE EMULATOR (BRE) TO EMULATE CONDENSED FUELS AND STUDY POOL FIRE BEHAVIOR IN 1G

Abstract

The Burning Rate Emulator (BRE) is a device constructed to emulate condensed fuels using gaseous fuel mixtures by matching heat of combustion, heat of gasification, smoke point, and surface temperature. The burner’s heat flux gauges are calibrated for local heat flux measurements and the copper top-plate calorimeter is calibrated for measuring net heat flux to the surface, which allows for determination of an effective heat of gasification to compare to condensed fuels. Seven condensed fuels with known properties are burned and emulated using methane, ethylene, and propylene gas diluted with nitrogen. Propane gas is used to study the general pool fire characteristics displayed by gaseous flames on the BRE. Flame anchoring, flammability regions, flame height, and convective heat transfer are analyzed. Based on a radial heat flux distribution, the readings from the heat flux sensors agree with the calorimeter when applied to a flame. Example flame images are shown.