The Combustion Process

What basic elements are needed for fire to occur?

THE FIRE TRIANGLE

OXYGEN FIRE combustion FUEL

HEAT

COMBUSTION PROCESS A chemical reaction FUEL: PHOTOSYNTHESIS (storage of chemical energy)

Solar Energy + CO2 + H2O

(C6H10O5)n

+ O + Ignition

CO2 + H2O + HEAT Temperature (+ gases + char + ash)

Decay

COMBUSTION (conversion of stored energy to thermal, radiant, kinetic energy)

THE PHASES OF COMBUSTION

1) preignition 2) ignition 3) combustion 4) extinction

Preignition (pre-heating) Pyrolysis

Thermal degradation of the fuel = heat divided ( ~250 355 C ) char (low temperatures = glowing) tar (high temperatures = volatile gases = flaming) mineral ash (inorganics)

THE PHASES OF COMBUSTION

2. IGNITION
Transition between preignition and combustion - Low temps = charring glowing combustion

- High temps = gases flaming combustion

2 types of natural ignition:

1. Lightning 2. Spontaneous ignition
Lightning - High temperature within column of hot gases - 100 cloud-to-ground discharges/sec on Earth - Only 0.1 - .001 of strikes = wildfire

Ignition continued
Spontaneous ignition
Pile heating (heat liberated faster than lost to surroundings) - chip piles: fresh chips + foliage, moisture > 20% - pile > 1m in height Microbial activity = respiration CO2 + H2O + HEAT Requirements for ignition: Oxygen + formation of char - surface oxidation of char = smoldering - smoldering heat continuous pyrolysis (flaming)

PHASES OF COMBUSTION

3. COMBUSTION 2 types:
- Smoldering / glowing - Flaming

Smoldering or glowing combustion

Surface fires - Lower temps, but longer duration Ground fires in organic soil horizons smolder for mo/yrs (potential for re-ignition) High smoke production (particulates, CO)

TYPES OF COMBUSTION continued

Flaming combustion
Volatile gases mix with air = flames High temperatures necessary (425-480 C) In general, fewer emissions than smoldering fires

THE PHASES OF COMBUSTION

4. Extinction: termination of combustion
Two important factors can cause smoldering to cease:

- Inorganic materials (ash) absorb heat but do not oxidize reduces the total amount of heat
- Not enough heat produced to cause vaporization in in moist fuels (no more available fuel)

What basic elements are needed for fire to occur?

THE FIRE TRIANGLE

OXYGEN FIRE combustion FUEL

HEAT

Three methods of heat transfer

Three Heat Transfer Methods

Conduction: Transfer of heat from one molecule to another.

Example: touching your hand to a hot object Conduction is the only means of transferring heat to the interior of fuels (wood, litter, duff). High-density fuels (green wood) vs. low-density fuels (litter, decayed wood) High density fuels have greater conductivity more heat needed to raise temperature of surface layer

Radiation: Transmission of heat by electromagnetic waves.

Examples of radiation:

Heat from sun, fire place, stove

Contact between radiation source and affected body not necessary Example: preheating of fuels ahead of fire front Absorption of radiation by woody fuels

only by thin layer at surface (rest by conduction)

Convection:
Transfer of heat by movement of a gas or liquid (air).
Hot air moves vertically (exceptions: winds, slopes) Examples: heating a pot of water, smoke from a fire. Important for pre-heating of shrub layers and crown canopy

What Factors can Increase Heat Transfer?

Factors that Increase Heat Transfer

Flames are brought

closer to the fuel

due to slope.

The wind pushes the flames over...

Wind

...bringing the flames closer to the fuel.

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