Thermal and species characterization of naturally under-ventilated room fires

Abstract

Fires in vitiated atmospheres, characterized by a reduction in available oxygen for combustion and an increase in surrounding oxygen, remain a relevant issue in fire science and engineering. This study presents a comprehensive experimental campaign to analyse combustion in vitiated atmospheres of a heptane pool fire located within a naturally ventilated enclosure compartment. The experimental tests were conducted using a reduced-scale room configuration, containing devices to measure gas concentration and temperature. The experimental setup involved a series of tests with various opening configurations to systematically investigate the effects of the natural ventilation on combustion behaviour. The results demonstrate the influence of different opening configurations on combustion, with one specific setup leading to extinction due to oxygen depletion.