ELECTRICALLY-CAUSED FIRE is electrical heating of a material to ignition temperature followed by ignition and combustion. Electrically-caused FIRE is also known as pyrolysis, which is the transformation (usually chemical decomposition) of a compound into one or more other substances by heat alone.
ELECTRICALLY-CAUSED FIRE is electrical heating of a material to ignition temperature followed by ignition and combustion. Electrically-caused FIRE is also known as pyrolysis, which is the transformation (usually chemical decomposition) of a compound into one or more other substances by heat alone.
ELECTRICALLY-CAUSED FIRE is electrical heating of a material to ignition temperature followed by ignition and combustion. Electrically-caused FIRE is also known as pyrolysis, which is the transformation (usually chemical decomposition) of a compound into one or more other substances by heat alone.
ELECTRICALLY-CAUSED FIRE is electrical heating of a material to ignition temperature followed by ignition and combustion. Electrically-caused FIRE is also known as pyrolysis, which is the transformation (usually chemical decomposition) of a compound into one or more other substances by heat alone.
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Introduction to
ELECTRICALLY- CAUSED FIRE
Richard Nute Product Safety Consultant San Diego
0802 OC IEEE PSES 2008 Richard Nute
Rev A.01, 0 23-Feb-08
agenda DEFINITION ELECTRICALLY-CAUSED FIRE
VIDEO DEMONSTRATIONS FIRE SAFETY and TV SETS, FIRE CONCEPTS and BEHAVIOR GE COFFEEMAKER FIRE
PYROLYSIS, IGNITION, FLAMING, FIRE, and COMBUSTION ELECTRICAL ENERGY CONVERSION TO THERMAL ENERGY 0802 OC IEEE PSES 2008 Richard Nute Rev A.01, 1 23-Feb-08
Electrically-caused fire
Electrically-caused fire is electrical heating of a material to ignition temperature followed by ignition and combustion.
0802 OC IEEE PSES 2008 Richard Nute
Rev A.01, 2 23-Feb-08
Fire Video Demonstration
European Flame Retardants Association Fire Safety and TV Sets
17 minutes
0802 OC IEEE PSES 2008 Richard Nute
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Fire Video Demonstration
NFPA Fire Concepts and Behavior
circa 1970
> Note the physical state of the fuel necessary for flame. <
18 minutes
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Fire Video Demonstration
ABC News GE Coffeemaker Fire
Excerpted from Prime Time, October 17,1991
> Note the description of the physical state of the flaming fuel. <
3 minutes
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Pyrolysis Pyrolysis is the transformation (usually chemical decomposition) of a compound into one or more other substances by heat alone. Pyrolysis products include non-combustible gases combustible gases liquids solids, including soot
Fuel
Li qu id s
Gases s lid So
Jurgen Troitzsch, International Plastics Flammability Handbook, Hanser Publishers, 1990. 0802 OC IEEE PSES 2008 Richard Nute Rev A.01, 6 23-Feb-08
Conservation of energy Radiated power output Convected power output Conducted power output Electrical power input 0802 OC IEEE PSES 2008 Richard Nute Rev A.01, 7 23-Feb-08
Fuel
Ignition process Flames
Ig
O xy ge n
ro te at ni e he
Gases
or
Fuel
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Ignition and ignition types
Ignition is the process of initiating self-sustained combustion of gases. Flash/pilot ignition is ignition of the gases evolved from the fuel by a spark or flame.
Flames
g g IIIg
xy ge
m m m
o o ro er er ttte at n h n h ni he
Gases
r re or
Auto-ignition/self-ignition is ignition in the absence of a spark or flame. Spontaneous ignition is ignition by an internal chemical or biological reaction producing sufficient thermal energy to raise the material temperature to auto-ignition temperature. r r r
Fuel
Fire and explosion investigations, NFPA 921, National Fire Protection Association, 1992. 0802 OC IEEE PSES 2008 Richard Nute Rev A.01, 9 23-Feb-08
Flaming combustion processes
Flames H ea n ge xy O t ea H O xy ge n t
Fuel
0802 OC IEEE PSES 2008 Richard Nute
Gases
Rev A.01, 10 23-Feb-08
Flame and flame types
Flame is the luminous portion of burning gases. Pre-mixed flame has the oxygen-gas composition fixed prior to combustion, e.g., a Bunsen burner flame, a gas stove.
Diffusion flame has the oxygen diffused into the gas mixture from the surrounding atmosphere, e.g., a candle flame, a cigarettelighter. Jurgen Troitzsch, International Plastics Flammability Handbook, Hanser Publishers, 1990. 0802 OC IEEE PSES 2008 Richard Nute Rev A.01, 11 23-Feb-08
Flame behavior Flames are burning gases. The path of the burning gas is the same as the path of a hot gas. The flame is always vertically-oriented unless deflected by an object or by air currents. The volume of the flame is nearly constant.
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Fire and fire types
Fire is a rapid oxidation process evolving thermal, chemical, and light energy in the form of flames. Fuel-regulated fire is a fire where the heat release rate and fire growth rate are controlled by the fuel characteristics. The supply of oxygen is relatively unlimited. Oxygen-regulated fire is a fire where the heat release rate and fire growth rate are controlled by the supply of oxygen. The supply of fuel is relatively unlimited.
Jurgen Troitzsch, International Plastics Flammability Handbook, Hanser Publishers, 1990. 0802 OC IEEE PSES 2008 Richard Nute Rev A.01, 13 23-Feb-08
Combustion Combustion is a self-sustained hightemperature oxidation reaction. Flaming is a gas-phase combustion process. Glowing is a solid-phase combustion process. Smoldering is an oxygen-regulated solid-phase combustion process.
Jurgen Troitzsch, International Plastics Flammability Handbook, Hanser Publishers, 1990. Vytenis Babrauskas, Ignition Handbook, Fire Science Publishers, 2003. 0802 OC IEEE PSES 2008 Richard Nute Rev A.01, 14 23-Feb-08
Glowing combustion process
Gases Fuel Li qu id s s lid So
Glowing O xy ge n
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Electrical heating Electrical heating occurs when ELECTRICAL ENERGY is converted to THERMAL ENERGY. Electrical energy is converted to thermal energy in a RESISTANCE.
Electrical heating is expressed in WATTS. 1 watt = 1 joule/second P = I2 * R P = E2 / R P = E*I
Heating All heating (temperature rise of an object) is an exponential rise as a function of time. Start temperature is objects initial temperature. End temperature is heat sources temperature minus coupling and environmental losses.
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Thermal Time Constant
400 350 Temperature, degrees C 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 0 5 10 Time, minutes 0802 OC IEEE PSES 2008 Richard Nute Rev A.01, 20 23-Feb-08
15
20
Thermal Time Constant
Effect of TC on curve shape 100
90 80
70 Thermal t ime const ant 60 TC =10 TC =7.5 50 TC =5 TC =2.5 40 30 Tt = Tf (1- e
-t/ T C
TC =1
20 10
T t is t emperat ure at any t ime T f is f inal t emperat ure t is t ime T C is t he t hermal t ime const ant
