Abstract
Flame merging is deemed to enhance the burning intensity and make the fire more destructive. This paper presents an experimental study on merging behaviors of two same rectangular heptane pool fires with long sides parallel. The pan aspect ratio was set 2–4 and the spacing was changed. The burning rate and flame height were measured. As the spacing decreases, the flame shape was divided into five regions, i.e., (I) no interaction, (II) tilt but non-merging, (III) intermittent merging, (IV) upper flames fully merging but lower flames separated and (V) flames merging from the pan base. The results showed that both the burning rate and flame height increase within the stages I–IV and then decrease in stage V. A normalized parameter ψ is introduced to characterize the air entrainment restriction. A unified correlation between burning rate and ψ is then developed. Connecting with the theoretical force analysis, the criteria of merging from the base and beginning merging are determined as ψ = 0.33 and ψ = 0.61. Then a piecewise correlation of the merging flame height is established. The proposed correlations for burning rate and flame height are verified using present and literature data and their scope of application is further expanded into square pool fires.
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