Fire Safety Science Digital Archive

This study reports on two kinds of fire tests: one kind intended for the purpose of understanding the burning characteristics of turbine oil in a free space and a second kind intended for elucidating the fire characteristics in a compartment. The latter were carried out using methanol and investigated how the ventilation pattern and the position of the fire source affect fire behavior. In the former, five different sized oil pans (0.1 - 4.0rn2) were utilized and the burning rate, radiation heat flux, etc. were measured. Test results showed no difference in characteristics for the two turbine oils VG32 and VG56. Empirical equations for the burning rate and radiant emittance of turbine oil were obtained from the data. In the compartment tests, the burning rate, room temperature and radiation heat flux were measured in a 6x7x5m compartment constructed of fire resistant board. They were determined for a total of nine different combinations of three ventilation patterns and three positions of the fire source, using methanol in a 0.5m²oil pan. The test results showed that the room temperature in a fire is- related to the ventilation pattern caused by the presence of openings such as doors, while the burning rate and radiation heat flux are not significantly related to the ventilation pattern or the location of the fire source.