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Research Article

Reduced Pressure Effect On The Flame Length Of Elevated N-Heptane Fires In An Aircraft Cargo Compartment

ORCID Icon, , &
Pages 2641-2658 | Received 02 Dec 2020, Accepted 29 Jan 2021, Published online: 28 Feb 2021
 

ABSTRACT

This paper investigates the influence of reduced pressure on flame characteristics of elevated n-heptane fires in an aircraft cargo compartment, including the flame height driven by the weak plume and flame extension length driven by the strong plume, in order to provide theoretical support to the fire detection and surface material design. A series of elevated n-heptane pool fire experiments were carried out in a full-size simulated aircraft cargo compartment at different atmospheric pressures (70 kPa, 80 kPa, 90 kPa, 100 kPa). Results show that the experimental data of flame height and flame extension length at normal pressure agree well with Heskestad and Quintiere & Grove models, however, which cannot predict these flame characteristics of elevated fires. As the fire source elevates gradually, the flame height and flame extension length increase. Then modified flame height and flame extension length models at normal pressure were established by considering the elevated height effect. Furthermore, due to reduced pressure effect on the air entrainment into the fire plume, the flame height and flame extension length increase with the decreasing pressure. New flame height and flame extension length correlations applicable to the reduced pressure conditions were proposed by introducing a reduced pressure coefficient and modified nondimensional heat release rates.

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 51806156, 52076199 and 51706212; Hubei Provincial Key Research and Development Program under Grant No. 2020BCB072; Project of Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province under Grant No. 2018CFB226 and Project of Hubei Provincial Department of Education under Grant No. B2018007.

Disclosure statement

We declare that we do not have any commercial or associative interest that represents a conflict of interest in connection with the work submitted.

Highlights

  • Effect of elevated height on flame height and extension length at low pressures.

  • Modified correlations to predict flame height at reduced pressure.

  • Modified correlations of flame extension length fit for reduced pressure.

Nomenclature

C1constant related to entrainment coefficient in EquationEq. (4a)

Cfcorrelation constants in EquationEq.(4a)

cpspecific heat of air at constant pressure (J/kg K)

CPthe coefficient of flame height under different pressures in EquationEq. (7)

Dburner diameter (m)

ggravitational acceleration (m/s2)

Grthe Grashof number

hthe elevated height (m)

Hthe distance between burner and ceiling (m)

Kthe coefficient of flame height at different elevated heights in EquationEq. (2)

ldimensionless length (m)

lx; lydimensions of the flame cross-section at impingement in x- (y-) direction (m)

Llength of rectangular-source burner (m)

Lfthe free flame height (m)

Pambient air pressure (kPa)

Q˙ heat release rate of fire source (kW)

non-dimensional heat release rate defined in EquationEq. (4bQ˙mod

Q˙Hnon-dimensional heat release rate defined in EquationEq. (11b)

Q˙H non-dimensional heat release rate defined in EquationEq. (13b)

rfflame radial extension length beneath ceiling (m)

ΔTthe temperature difference

Tthe ambient temperature

vthe viscosity of the convection fluid

Vfvolume of a free flame (m3)

Vfuflame volume portion intercepted by the ceiling (m3)

Wwidth of the rectangular-source burner (m)

Greek symbols

ΔDifference

αentrainment coefficient

ρambient air density (kg/m3)

βthe inverse of the film (mean) temperature

ΔHc/sheat of combustion per unit mass of air

χrflame radiation fraction

Ψdimensionless parameter

λa constant related to fraction of stoichiometric air entrained for combustion

γthe coefficient of flame height under different pressure in )

ζthe coefficient of flame height under different pressures in Eq. (17)

Subscript

ccombustion

fflame

Pconstant pressure

ambient

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China [No. 51806156, No. 52076199, No. 51706212]; Hubei Provincial Key Research and Development Program [No. 2020BCB072]; Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province [No. 2018CFB226].

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