Experimental study on the effect of the igniter position on piloted ignition of polymethylmethacrylate

Abstract

In this study, experiments are carried out to assess the influence of igniter location on the ignition characteristics of horizontally oriented and vertically oriented polymethylmethacrylate. Some new and significant conclusions are drawn from the study, including the linear relation between ignition time and the height of igniter and the U-shape curve of mass flux at ignition when the specimen is horizontally oriented. On the other hand, compared with the horizontally oriented condition, the mass flux at ignition of the vertically oriented specimen is larger. As the pilot igniter is moved perpendicularly with respect to the vertically oriented polymethylmethacrylate, its position, together with heat flux and solid boundary, influence the ignition time. The position of shortest ignition time is experimentally observed and as the igniter is moved horizontally, ignition time increases with increasing distance between the igniter and the surface of the vertically oriented specimen. The distance for nonignition also increases with increasing heat flux.