Upward flame spread over thin solids in partial gravity

Loan I. Feier, Hsin Yi Shih, Kurt R. Sacksteder, James S. Tien

Research output: Contribution to conferenceConference Paperpeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

The effects of partial-gravity, reduced pressure and sample width on upward flame spread over a thin cellulose fuel were studied experimentally and the results were compared to a numerical flame spread simulation. Fuel samples 1-cm, 2-cm, and 4-cm wide were burned in air at reduced pressures of 0.2 to 0.4 atmospheres in simulated gravity environments of 0.1- G, 0.16-G (Lunar), and 0.38-G (Martian) onboard the NASA KC-135 aircraft and in normal-gravity tests. Observed steady flame propagation speeds and pyrolysis lengths were approximately proportional to the gravity level. Flames spread more quickly and were longer with the wider samples and the variations with gravity and pressure increased with sample width. A numerical simulation of upward flame spread was developed including three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations, one-step Arrhenius kinetics for the gas phase flame and for the solid surface decomposition, and a fuel-surface radiative loss. The model provides detailed structure of flame temperatures, the flow field interactions with the flame, and the solid fuel mass disappearance. The simulation agrees with experimental flame spread rates and their dependence on gravity level but predicts a wider flammable region than found by experiment. Some unique threedimensional flame features are demonstrated in the model results.

Original languageEnglish
StatePublished - 2001
Externally publishedYes
Event39th Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit 2001 - Reno, NV, United States
Duration: 08 01 200111 01 2001

Conference

Conference39th Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit 2001
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityReno, NV
Period08/01/0111/01/01

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