Pool Fire Burning Rate and Heat Release Rate Calculator

This tool can be used to calculate the mass burning rate and heat release rate for a large diameter (D>0.2m) pool fire.

Theory

The mass loss rate per unit area is calculated from

m'" = m'"_inf(1 - e^-kBD)

where;

m'"_inf is the mass loss rate per unit area for an infinite diameter pool fire.

kB is the product of the extincition-absorption coefficient of the flame (k) and the mean-beam-length corrector (B).

D is the diameter of the pool fire.

NOTE: because the mass loss rate per unit area is an exponential function of the kB parameter and pool diameter, the value for the mass loss rate per unit area of larger diameter pool fires will approach the mass loss rate per unit area for an infinite diameter pool fire.

The heat release rate is calculated from;

q' = H_c*m'"*A

where;

H_c is the heat of combustion for the fuel.

m'" is the mass loss rate per unit area for the pool fire.

A is the area of the pool fire.

Source: The SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering 2nd Edition, pages 3-2 to 3-4.

Instructions

Select Metric or English units.

Enter pool fire diameter.

Select appropriate material from list.

Click on "GO" button.

Send e-mail to: ierardi@wpi.edu

Last Modified: Wed 27 Aug 23:18:45 EST