The Effect of Surrounding Water on the Burning Rates of Pool Fires

The present paper investigates the effect of water surrounding the pan on the characteristics of an open pool fire. Experiments conducted on 2 m square pool fires surrounded by water indicated lower values for mass burning rate, adiabatic surface temperature, and heat flux. It was hypothesized that this decrease is due to the interaction between the pool fire and the water surrounding it. To test this hypothesis, experiments are conducted on a 0.5 m diesel pool fire with and without water surrounding the pan. For the case of water surrounding the pool fire, the mass burning rate decreased by 32% and the temperatures are found to be lower by approximately 100 °C in the core region of the pool fire when compared with experiments with no water surrounding the pool fire. The entrainment of water in the form of vapors, from the water surrounding the pan, into the fire results in a decrease in temperature and also changes the dynamics of the pool. This results in a decrease in the net heat feedback and hence the mass burning rate. The decrease in the mass of the surrounding water and the observation of boiling on its surface, support the claim. It is inferred that there is a decrease in the total heat flux to the cask in a pool fire that is surrounded by water. Thus, it is advisable that the pool fire testing of nuclear casks be carried out by ensuring no interaction between the pool fire and the water surrounding it.