Suppression Characteristics of Flaming Combustion and Thermal Decomposition of Forest Fuels

Abstract

An approach to the mathematical modeling of the suppression of thermal decomposition and flaming combustion of forest fuels (FFs) is proposed which differs from the well-known approaches in that the pyrolyzed FF layer is represented as a heterogeneous structure with high porosity and the thermophysical characteristics of this layer are described using additive mathematical models of thermal conductivity, heat capacity, and density. Experimental studies of the main thermophysical characteristics (thermal conductivity, heat capacity, and thermal diffusivity) of typical FFs were performed. Mathematical modeling of heat- and mass-transfer processes under the above conditions was performed, and the suppression characteristics of the destruction reaction of a typical FF were determined using the values of thermophysical characteristics established in the experiments. The ranges of the integral characteristics of FF flame suppression with varying thermophysical characteristics of FFs within permissible limits were identified.