Liquid fuel fires

Abstract

Liquid fuel spill and pool fires represent potential hazards in many applications ranging from accidents at industrial plants using combustible liquids to arson fires with flammable fuels. A pool is characterized as a confined body of fuel that typically has a depth greater than 5�mm. A pool can result due to a liquid fuel release that collects in a low spot, such as a trench, or can exist as a result of normal storage of fuels in tanks and containers. A fuel spill is generally associated with thin fuel layers resulting from an unconfined release of fuel. The nature of a spill fire is highly variable, depending on the source of the release, surface features of the substrate (e.g., concrete, ground, water) on which the fuel is released, and the point and time of ignition. The ability to characterize fuel spills and the resulting fires in a consistent and conservative manner is required for many engineering analyses. This chapter provides an overview of the most relevant factors and methodology for evaluating a liquid fuel spill or pool fire in terms of fire growth and size.