An introduction to fire dynamics

"Drysdale's book is by far the most comprehensive - everyone in the office has a copy...now including me. It holds just about everything you need to know about fire science."
(Review of An Introduction to Fire Dynamics, 2nd Edition )

After 25 years as a bestseller, Dougal Drysdale's classic introduction has been brought up-to-date and expanded to incorporate the latest research and experimental data. Essential reading for all involved in the field from undergraduate and postgraduate students to practising fire safety engineers and fire prevention officers, An Introduction to Fire Dynamics is unique in that it addresses the fundamentals of fire science and fire dynamics, thus providing the scientific background necessary for the development of fire safety engineering as a professional discipline.

An Introduction to Fire Dynamics

Includes experimental data relevant to the understanding of fire behaviour of materials; Features numerical problems with answers illustrating the quantitative applications of the concepts presented; Extensively course-tested at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and the University of Edinburgh, and widely adopted throughout the world; Will appeal to all those working in fire safety engineering and related disciplines.

Author Notes

Professor Dougal Drysdale recently retired from the University of Edinburgh, where he maintains the position of Emeritus Professor of Fire Safety Engineering. He is a past president of the International Association for Fire Safety Science. His research interests include spontaneous combustion, fire dynamics and behaviour, and fire investigation.

About the Author	p. xi
Preface to the Second Edition	p. xiii
Preface to the Third Edition	p. xv
List of Symbols and Abbreviations	p. xvii
1 Fire Science and Combustion	p. 1
1.1 Fuels and the Combustion Process	p. 2
1.1.1 The Nature of Fuels	p. 2
1.1.2 Thermal Decomposition and Stability of Polymers	p. 6
1.2 The Physical Chemistry of Combustion in Fires	p. 12
1.2.1 The Ideal Gas Law	p. 14
1.2.2 Vapour Pressure of Liquids	p. 18
1.2.3 Combustion and Energy Release	p. 19
1.2.4 The Mechanism of Gas Phase Combustion	p. 26
1.2.5 Temperatures of Flames	p. 30
Problems	p. 34
2 Heat Transfer	p. 35
2.1 Summary of the Heat Transfer Equations	p. 36
2.2 Conduction	p. 38
2.2.1 Steady State Conduction	p. 38
2.2.2 Non-steady State Conduction	p. 40
2.2.3 Numerical Methods of Solving Time-dependent Conduction Problems	p. 48
2.3 Convection	p. 52
2.4 Radiation	p. 59
2.4.1 Configuration Factors	p. 64
2.4.2 Radiation from Hot Gases and Non-luminous Flames	p. 72
2.4.3 Radiation from Luminous Flames and Hot Smoky Gases	p. 76
Problems	p. 79
3 Limits of Flammability and Premixed Flames	p. 83
3.1 Limits of Flammability	p. 83
3.1.1 Measurement of Flammability Limits	p. 83
3.1.2 Characterization of the Lower Flammability Limit	p. 88
3.1.3 Dependence of Flammability Limits on Temperature and Pressure	p. 91
3.1.4 Flammability Diagrams	p. 94
3.2 The Structure of a Premixed Flame	p. 97
3.3 Heat Losses from Premixed Flames	p. 101
3.4 Measurement of Burning Velocities	p. 106
3.5 Variation of Burning Velocity with Experimental Parameters	p. 109
3.5.1 Variation of Mixture Composition	p. 110
3.5.2 Variation of Temperature	p. 111
3.5.3 Variation of Pressure	p. 112
3.5.4 Addition of Suppressants	p. 113
3.6 The Effect of Turbulence	p. 116
Problems	p. 118
4 Diffusion Flames and Fire Plumes	p. 121
4.1 Laminar Jet Flames	p. 123
4.2 Turbulent Jet Flames	p. 128
4.3 Flames from Natural Fires	p. 130
4.3.1 The Buoyant Plume	p. 132
4.3.2 The Fire Plume	p. 139
4.3.3 Interaction of the Fire Plume with Compartment Boundaries	p. 151
4.3.4 The Effect of Wind on the Fire Plume	p. 163
4.4 Some Practical Applications	p. 165
4.4.1 Radiation from Flames	p. 166
4.4.2 The Response of Ceiling-mounted Fire Detectors	p. 169
4.4.3 Interaction between Sprinkler Sprays and the Fire Plume	p. 171
4.4.4 The Removal of Smoke	p. 172
4.4.5 Modelling	p. 174
Problems	p. 178
5 Steady Burning of Liquids and Solids	p. 181
5.1 Burning of Liquids	p. 182
5.1.1 Pool Fires	p. 182
5.1.2 Spill Fires	p. 193
5.1.3 Burning of Liquid Droplets	p. 194
5.1.4 Pressurized and Cryogenic Liquids	p. 197
5.2 Burning of Solids	p. 199
5.2.1 Burning of Synthetic Polymers	p. 199
5.2.2 Burning of Wood	p. 209
5.2.3 Burning of Dusts and Powders	p. 221
Problems	p. 223
6 Ignition: The Initiation of Flaming Combustion	p. 225
6.1 Ignition of Flammable Vapour/Air Mixtures	p. 225
6.2 Ignition of Liquids	p. 235
6.2.1 Ignition of Low Flashpoint Liquids	p. 241
6.2.2 Ignition of High Flashpoint Liquids	p. 242
6.2.3 Auto-ignition of Liquid Fuels	p. 245
6.3 Piloted Ignition of Solids	p. 247
6.3.1 Ignition during a Constant Heat Flux	p. 250
6.3.2 Ignition Involving a 'Discontinuous' Heat Flux	p. 263
6.4 Spontaneous Ignition of Solids	p. 269
6.5 Surface Ignition by Flame Impingement	p. 271
6.6 Extinction of Flame	p. 272
6.6.1 Extinction of Premixed Flames	p. 272
6.6.2 Extinction of Diffusion Flames	p. 273
Problems	p. 275
7 Spread of Flame	p. 277
7.1 Flame Spread Over Liquids	p. 277
7.2 Flame Spread Over Solids	p. 284
7.2.1 Surface Orientation and Direction of Propagation	p. 284
7.2.2 Thickness of the Fuel	p. 292
7.2.3 Density, Thermal Capacity and Thermal Conductivity	p. 294
7.2.4 Geometry of the Sample	p. 296
7.2.5 Environmental Effects	p. 297
7.3 Flame Spread Modelling	p. 307
7.4 Spread of Flame through Open Fuel Beds	p. 312
7.5 Applications	p. 313
7.5.1 Radiation-enhanced Flame Spread	p. 313
7.5.2 Rate of Vertical Spread	p. 315
Problems	p. 315
8 Spontaneous Ignition within Solids and Smouldering Combustion	p. 317
8.1 Spontaneous Ignition in Bulk Solids	p. 317
8.1.1 Application of the Frank-Kamenetskii Model	p. 318
8.1.2 The Thomas Model	p. 324
8.1.3 Ignition of Dust Layers	p. 325
8.1.4 Ignition of Oil - Soaked Porous Substrates	p. 329
8.1.5 Spontaneous Ignition in Haystacks	p. 330
8.2 Smouldering Combustion	p. 331
8.2.1 Factors Affecting the Propagation of Smouldering	p. 333
8.2.2 Transition from Smouldering to Flaming Combustion	p. 342
8.2.3 Initiation of Smouldering Combustion	p. 344
8.2.4 The Chemical Requirements for Smouldering	p. 346
8.3 Glowing Combustion	p. 347
Problems	p. 348
9 The Pre-flashover Compartment Fire	p. 349
9.1 The Growth Period and the Definition of Flashover	p. 351
9.2 Growth to Flashover	p. 354
9.2.1 Conditions Necessary for Flashover	p. 354
9.2.2 Fuel and Ventilation Conditions Necessary for Flashover	p. 364
9.2.3 Factors Affecting Time to Flashover	p. 378
9.2.4 Factors Affecting Fire Growth	p. 382
Problems	p. 385
10 The Post-flashover Compartment Fire	p. 387
10.1 Regimes of Burning	p. 387
10.2 Fully Developed Fire Behaviour	p. 396
10.3 Temperatures Achieved in Fully Developed Fires	p. 404
10.3.1 Experimental Study of Fully Developed Fires in Single Compartments	p. 404
10.3.2 Mathematical Models for Compartment Fire Temperatures	p. 406
10.3.3 Fires in Large Compartments	p. 418
10.4 Fire Resistance and Fire Severity	p. 420
10.5 Methods of Calculating Fire Resistance	p. 427
10.6 Projection of Flames from Burning Compartments	p. 435
10.7 Spread of Fire from a Compartment	p. 437
Problems	p. 439
11 Smoke: Its Formation, Composition and Movement	p. 441
11.1 Formation and Measurement of Smoke	p. 443
11.1.1 Production of Smoke Particles	p. 443
11.1.2 Measurement of Particulate Smoke	p. 447
11.1.3 Methods of Test for Smoke Production Potential	p. 450
11.1.4 The Toxicity of Smoke	p. 455
11.2 Smoke Movement	p. 459
11.2.1 Forces Responsible for Smoke Movement	p. 459
11.2.2 Rate of Smoke Production in Fires	p. 465
11.3 Smoke Control Systems	p. 469
11.3.1 Smoke Control in Large Spaces	p. 470
11.3.2 Smoke Control in Shopping Centres	p. 471
11.3.3 Smoke Control on Protected Escape Routes	p. 473
References	p. 475
Answers to Selected Problems	p. 527
Author Index	p. 531
Subject Index	p. 545

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Author Notes

Table of Contents