Flame Spread Rates Over Methanol Fuel Spills

Abstract

Flame spread rates over pooled methanol and pooled gasoline were compared with flame spread rates over a porous surface saturated with these fuels. If the surface temperature was above the fuel flashpoint, the flame spread rate over a fuel-soaked porous surface was the same as for pooled fuel. Just below the flashpoint, flame spread was slower over a porous surface, since liquid flow was restricted. Far below the flashpoint, the flame spread over the porous surface more rapidly than over pooled fuel. For highly volatile fuels, such as methanol-5 percent isopentane mixture, the rate of flame spread depended on lime available for development of a flammable vapor layer over the liquid.