Measurement and Prediction of Smoke Deposition from a Fire Against a Wall

Abstract

Smoke deposition from different fuels and fire sizes to a vertical gypsum wall was studied using gravimetric measurements and a newly developed optical method. Optical properties of the deposited smoke were deduced from the gravimetric and optical measurements. Based on the new optical method, a photographic method was developed and used to quantify the smoke patterns on a wall adjacent to the fire source. The method is suitable for use in fire research and fire scene documentation. A thermophoretic smoke deposition model was extended and validated, using the experimental results from this work. The model can be used to predict smoke deposition rates and patterns due to thermophoresis.