Dual frequency comb spectroscopy of solid fuel pyrolysis and combustion: Quantifying the influence of moisture content in Douglas fir

As the fire research community develops multi-scale models to predict the spread of wildland fires, there is a need for well-controlled, small-scale experiments which provide benchmark data and fundamental understanding of the effects of key parameters on the combustion of wildland fuels. Here, we i...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Fire safety journal 2020-07, Vol.116
Main Authors: Makowiecki, A. S., Steinbrenner, J. E., Wimer, N. T., Glusman, J. F., Lapointe, C. B., Daily, J. W., Hamlington, P. E., Rieker, G. B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
cone calorimeter
dual frequency comb spectroscopy
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
flame temperature
solid fuel ignition
wildland fire
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:As the fire research community develops multi-scale models to predict the spread of wildland fires, there is a need for well-controlled, small-scale experiments which provide benchmark data and fundamental understanding of the effects of key parameters on the combustion of wildland fuels. Here, we implement a unique suite of non-intrusive, quantitative diagnostics that simultaneously measure mass loss, surface temperature, in situ gas temperature and water vapor concentration, including the first implementation of dual frequency comb spectroscopy for the study of solid fuels. As a demonstration, we examine the effect of fuel moisture content on the burning of Douglas fir wood samples that are ignited under constant radiative heat flux from a cone calorimeter to provide benchmark data for multi-scale models. Peak flame temperatures 3 mm above the sample surface measured with the dual frequency comb laser spectrometer are in excess of 1200 K. The flame temperature decreases by over 150 K as fuel moisture content increases from 0.7% to 40%. This work demonstrates a platform for simultaneous, quantitative measurements of well-controlled small-scale experiments which provide benchmark data for the development of advanced modeling and simulations capable of capturing the complex physics present in wildland fire systems.
ISSN:0379-7112