Experimental study on flame radiant heat flux from two heptane storage pools and its application to estimating safety distance. (1st September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wan, Huaxian; Gao, Zihe; Ji, Jie; Zhang, Yongming
• Is Part Of: Energy. Volume 182(2019)
• Page Start: 11
• Page End: 20
• Publication Date: 2019-09-01
• Subjects: Energy security -- Multiple pool fires -- Flame height -- Multi-point source model -- Radiative heat flux -- Safety distance; Power resources -- Periodicals; Power (Mechanics) -- Periodicals; Energy consumption -- Periodicals; 333.7905
• DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2019.06.006
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0360-5442

Abstract

Abstract: This paper presents an experimental study on flame radiant heat fluxes from two identical pool fires in still air. The pool side length and spacing were changed. The fuel mass loss, flame height and radiative heat fluxes onto vertical targets far away from the fires were measured. A new method based on the weighted multi-point source model (WMP model) was developed to calculate the thermal radiation by determining the weight of each point source using the flame volume fraction. Results showed that both the SPS (single point source) and WMP models can well predict the radiative heat fluxes when the targets are located in the middle of two pools. For targets shifting from the centers of two pools, the SPS model will overestimate the radiative heat fluxes, while the accuracy of WMP model is much better. For the typical storage tank with 20 cm diameter, it is estimated that the heat flux received by the target located 30 m away from the edge of storage tank is 20.8 kW/m 2 using the proposed WMP model. And the acceptable safety distance of people (heat flux at the critical value of 1.4 kW/m 2 ) exposed to the same storage tank fire is 166 m. Highlights: Energy security issues on oil storage tanks are crucial for energy conservation. Heptane storage pools with varying sizes and spacings are used as energy sources. A new model for predicting the flame outward radiation is proposed and validated. People safety distances are estimated based on the proposed flame radiation model. Some useful suggestions for energy storage and conversion are recommended.