Fire Safety Science Digital Archive

The effect of thermoplastic fire suppression by water spray is investigated using Computational Fluid Dynamics modeling. Critical water application rate required to extinguish fire is found as a function of a mean Droplet diameter in the spray. This dependence may be considered as a fundamental characteristic of the spray suppression capability. Two different regimes of fire suppression, the gas phase and the surface suppression, are observed, and the transition between the two regimes is identified. The semi-analytical approach to the surface extinguishment phenomenon is also considered. The results of mathematical modeling are compared with the available experimental data and the implications of findings for the optimum fire fighting strategy are discussed.