Buoyancy-driven turbulent diffusion flames

Abstract

A fundamental dimensionless number for pool fires, , in proposed. Here [sigma][beta] and Ra[beta] denote a flame Schmidt number and a flame Rayleigh number. The sublayer thickness of a turbulent pool fire, [eta][beta], is shown in terms of [Pi][beta] to be , where l is an integral scale. The fuel consumption in a turbulent pool fire expressed in terms of [eta][beta] ([Pi][beta]) and correlated by the experimental data leads to . where [varrho] is the density, D the mass diffusivity, Ra the usual Rayleigh number, and B the transfer number. The model agrees well with a previous model based on the stagnant film hypothesis.