Effective Heat Of Combustion Research Articles

Facile synthesis of an efficient phosphonamide flame retardant for simultaneous enhancement of fire safety and crystallization rate of poly (lactic acid)

• An efficient phosphoramide flame retardant (NTPA) was successfully synthesized through nucleophilic substitution reaction. • NTPA endowed PLA with excellent fire retardancy and high crystallization rate. • NTPA exerted flame-retardant effect both in condensed and vapor phase. • PLA/NTPA composites maintained outstanding mechanical properties and transparency. Polylactic acid (PLA) was regarded as the most prospective sustainable bioplastic in the field of engineering applications, but its slow crystallization and strong sensitivity to fire severely restrict its large-scale applications. In this research, a multi-functional additive N,N′,N″-(nitrilotris(ethane-2,1-diyl))tris(P,P-diphenylphosphinic amide) (NTPA) was successfully synthesized through the substitution reaction of N,N-bis(2-aminoethyl)ethylenediamine and diphenylphosphinyl chloride and its chemical structure was determined. NTPA was introduced into PLA to simultaneously enhance the fire safety and crystallization rate of PLA composites and the corresponding crystallization behaviors, fire retardancy, flame retarded mechanism and mechanical performance of PLA composites were systematically investigated. With the introduction of mere 2.5 wt% NTPA, the PLA/NTPA composites gained UL-94 V-0 grade and its LOI reached 28.5%. The remarkable fire safety of PLA/NTPA composites was mainly assigned to the inhibition function of benzene and phosphooxygen radicals generated from the pyrolysis of NTPA and the dilution effect of inert gases in gas phase. Besides, an uniform and compact char layer exerted a certain barrier effect in condensed phase. Thus, the total heat release and average effective heat combustion of PLA/NTPA composites were evidently declined by 12.2 and 9.8% and the flame retardant index was increased by 38% with only 2.5 wt% NTPA loading. Meanwhile, NTPA was a good nucleating agent for PLA matrix and efficiently enhanced the crystallinity and crystallization rate of PLA. Interestingly, PLA/NTPA composites still retained superior transparency and mechanical properties. This flame-retardant PLA composites exhibited the enormous application prospect in the field of advanced optoelectronic devices.

Experimental study on the burning behavior of cardboard box fire under low air pressure

SummaryThe objective of this work is to study the fire behavior characteristics under low pressures. Cardboard box fire experiments of two kinds of fire load, 1‐box and 2‐box fires, were conducted separately at 101 kPa, 75 kPa, 64 kPa, and 59.5 kPa in an altitude chamber. The heat release rate, mass burning rate, residual ash mass and radiative heat flux were measured as the principal characteristic parameters for analysis. The results of these tests demonstrated the significant effects on fire behaviors caused by low‐pressure atmosphere. The mass burning rate shows power function growth with the air pressure as . The proportion of residual ash increases linearly with the pressure drop, and it reaches as high as 44% for 1‐box fire at 59.5 kPa. While the proportion of residual ash for 2‐box fire is lower compared with 1‐box fire, which means the combustion of 2‐box fire is more complete. The effective heat of combustion (EHC) obtained for 101 kPa, 75 kPa, 64 kPa, and 59.5 kPa are respectively 18.44, 17.08, 15.10, and 12.74 kJ/g. Furthermore, the heat radiation fraction was calculated based on the simplified measuring method and it is observed that radiation fraction depends less on the environment pressure.

The synthesis of meltable and highly thermostable triazine‐DOPO flame retardant and its application in PA66

A melting phosphorous‐nitrogen flame retardant was synthesized via the addition reaction of 9,10‐dihydro‐9‐oxa‐10‐phosphaphenanthrene‐10‐oxide (DOPO) and 2,4,6‐triallyloxy‐1,3,5‐triazine (TAC). The synthesized product from DOPO and TAC (DT) flame retardant possesses high thermal stability with T5wt% at 340°C, which can meet the high‐temperature processing for polyamide 6,6 (PA66) and other engineering plastics. The chemical structures of DT were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance and infrared spectrometry. The PA composites were fabricated via blending PA66 with DT and poly‐phenyl ether (PPO) as charring agent. The results show that the PA composites exhibit strong flame retardancy with limited oxygen index reaching to 29.0%. As compared to the neat PA66, the total heat release and the effective heat of combustion were decreased by 27% and 21%, respectively. The mechanism study revealed that the thermal cleavage of DT gave the phosphorus‐containing free radicals and incombustible nitrogen‐containing gas, indicating the ability of DT to flame‐inhibition in the gas phase. Moreover, the char formation of the PA66‐based composites was facilitated by the synergistic effect from DT and PPO. This study may gain a potential technical route to manufacture the flame‐retardant PA66 materials for the melt spinning of fibers.

Experimental study on fire hazard of LiCoO2-based lithium-ion batteries with gel electrolyte using a cone calorimeter

• A higher SOC/ incident heat flux leads to a more violent combustion of GPE batteries. • The inverse of the TTI has an exponential relationship with the SOC and a linear relationship with the incident heat flux. • The MLR is proportional to the SOC and incident heat flux. • If completely combusted, battery with a higher SOC/or exposed to a higher heat flux generally has a higher pkHRR. • If completely combusted, batteries with higher SOCs and at higher incident heat fluxes possess greater fire risk. Compared with traditional liquid electrolyte batteries, lithium-ion batteries with gel polymer electrolytes are preferable due to their lower risk of electrolyte leakage or mechanical abuse. However, the safety qualities of gel polymer electrolyte batteries appear to be overestimated, as a catastrophic fire risk is ignored. In the present study, cone calorimeter tests were conducted to comprehensively evaluate the fire hazards of gel batteries. The effects of the states of charge and incident heat flux were studied, enabling the derivation of a critical state of charge and critical heat flux, especially in regard to the time to ignition, mass loss rate, and heat release rate. Several fire hazard evaluation systems were also introduced and the potential burning risk of the gel battery was discussed. The total heat release, fire growth index, and effective heat of combustion were calculated to evaluate the risks of batteries with various states of charge and various incident heat fluxes. The results showed that gel batteries have a higher risk of heat contribution when possessing states of charge higher than 25% and heat flux values above 15 kW/m 2 . By providing these necessary data, this work helps better understand the fire hazards of gel polymer electrolyte batteries and also provides a method for engineers or manufacturers to assess the corresponding fire risks.

Study on Combustibility of Key Components of LiFePO4/C Battery with prelithiation technology

Prelithiation technology has greatly improved the service life of LiFePO4/C battery, but its influence on the combustibility of the battery is still unclear. In this paper, the combustibility of the key components (positive electrode, negative electrode and separator) of LiFePO4/C battery with prelithiation technology and conventional LiFePO4/C battery are compared, and the differences in combustion parameters(effective combustion heat, total heat release, heat release rate) and smoke parameters(total smoke production, CO yield, CO2 yield, and specific extinction area) between the two types of batteries are analyzed. The results show that the combustibility of the two types of batteries is basically similar, and there is no significant difference. With the decrease of the capacity retention rate, the combustibility and smoke generation of the battery show a downward trend.

Simultaneously enhancing the fire retardancy and crystallization rate of biodegradable polylactic acid with piperazine-1,4-diylbis(diphenylphosphine oxide)

The simultaneous improvement of flame retardancy and crystallization rate for polylactic acid (PLA) has always been a challenge in the field of engineering applications. In this paper, a piperazine-phosphamide derivative (PPDO) was successfully synthesized from diphenylphosphinyl chloride and piperazine and its chemical structure was confirmed. The PPDO was served as a multi-functional additive to simultaneously improve the fire safety and crystallization rate of PLA. The fire retardancy, crystallization behaviors, mechanical properties and flame-retardant mechanism of PLA biocomposites were systematically investigated. With the incorporation of mere 3 wt% PPDO, the PLA biocomposites fulfilled UL-94 V-0 rating with the LOI of 27.8%. The outstanding fire retardancy of PPDO in PLA was ascribed to the shielding effect of compact and dense char layer in condensed phase, and the suppression function of benzene- and phosphorus-containing free radicals and the dilution role of inert gases in vapor phase. Thus, the effective heat combustion and total heat release of PLA biocomposites were prominently depressed. Meanwhile, PPDO was a good nucleating agent for PLA, which effectively increased the crystallinity and crystallization rate of PLA. Besides, PLA biocomposites still maintained remarkable transparency and mechanical properties due to the low addition of PPDO and excellent compatibility with the PLA matrix, which endowed flame-retardant PLA biocomposites with the enormous application prospect in the field of advanced optoelectronic devices.

Analysis of Fire Characteristics based on the Thickness and Incident Heat Flux of Wood

This study tested the wood used in building interiors; each type had various incident heat fluxes based on their thickness. The combustion characteristics measured were effective heat of combustion, heat release rate peak and arrival time, maximum average rate of heat emission, and piloted ignition temperature. The wood specimens used in the experiment were 4.8 to 18 mm thick. 25, 35, 50, and 60 kW/m<sup>2</sup> were applied to the incident heat flux that the wood specimens were exposed to. The wood specimens tested were two types of medium-density fiberboard (each with a different density), treated red pine, particle board, and plywood. A comprehensive comparison of different fire characteristics was conducted to analyze the fire patterns corresponding to each type of wood in this way, the risk of fire was studied. The risk of fire was particularly high for particle board. The results of quantifying the fire characteristics of the types of wood studied could function as important input data with which to calculate the fire load of composite combustibles.

Characterization of polyvinyl chloride–based floor covering thermal decomposition parameters in a cone calorimeter

In an ISO 5660 Cone Calorimeter, heat fluxes were applied to a polyvinyl chloride–based floor covering to characterize their influence on the thermal decomposition parameters as well as on the concentrations of species emitted during the combustion process. Gas concentrations were quantified for identifying the fire behaviour and the decomposition chemistry. Thus, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, water, hydrogen chloride and oxygen with concentrations and emission yields of high consistency were encountered at all heat fluxes considered. Moreover, nitrogen monoxide, sulphur dioxide, hydrogen cyanide and lightweight hydrocarbons were observed with low concentrations and emission yields. Other species can be considered as negligible due to their concentrations close to zero at all heat fluxes studied. Furthermore, using the oxygen consumption method, heat release rate, total heat release and effective heat of combustion were also calculated for each irradiance level and were compared with data found in the literature.

Fire Characteristics of Selected Tropical Woods without and with Fire Retardant

The flammability of tropical woods and the effect of a selected fire protection coating were evaluated using a cone calorimeter at a cone radiancy of 35 kW/m2. Three samples were from the South American continent (Cumaru, Garapa, Ipe), and two were from the Asian continent (Kempas and Merbau). Samples were treated with commercial fire retardant (FR) containing ferrous phosphate as an essential component. The untreated samples were used as reference materials that were of particular interest concerning their flammability. It was shown that there is unambiguous correlation between the effective heat of combustion (EHC) and total oxygen consumed (TOC) related to mass lost during burning for both the untreated and treated samples. In the case of Cumaru and Garapa, there exists an inverse relation between the amount of smoke and carbon residue. The decisive effect on the time of ignition was performed by the initial mass of the sample. This is valid for the spruce and the Cumaru, Ipe, and Kempas, both treated and untreated with retardant, while Garapa and Merbau were found to decline. According to the lower maximum average rate of heat emission (MARHE) parameter, a lower flammability was observed for the treated samples of wood, except for Garapa wood. Fire-retardant treated Garapa and Merbau also have a significantly lower time to ignition than untreated ones.

Multifunctional antimicrobial and flame retardant cotton fabrics modified with a novel N,N-di(ethyl phosphate) biguanide

A multi-functional antimicrobial and flame retardant, N,N-di (ethyl phosphate) biguanide (DPG) was synthesized for cotton fabrics. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that DPG was successfully grafted onto the cotton fabrics by generating covalent bonds (P–O–C). The cotton fabrics treated with 250 g/L DPG obtained the limiting oxygen index value (LOI) of 31.2%, and the antibacterial radios of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) were 96.4% and 99.2%. After 20 times laundering cycles, the antimicrobial radio remained at 96.0%, and the LOI still had a value of 26.1%. These results proved that DPG not only had excellent antibacterial property and flame retardancy, but also had excellent durability. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the surface morphology of residues remained intact. Energy dispersive spectroscopy showed that the DPG had infiltrated into the inner space of the fibers. Thermogravimetry exhibited the thermal degradation properties of samples and the results showed DPG played a great role on lessening the degradation of cotton fabrics. The combustion properties of the cotton fabrics were assessed by cone calorimetry and the curves demonstrated that the cotton fabrics treated with DPG had lower total heat release, heat release rate and effective heat combustion compared with the control fabrics. The time to ignition showed DPG treated cotton fabrics didn’t burn easily. These results confirmed that DPG was a durable and effective antimicrobial and flame retardant for cotton fabrics, and the tensile of treated cotton fabrics reduced slightly.

Fireproof performance of the intumescent fire retardant coatings with layered double hydroxides additives

MgAlCO3-layered double hydroxides (LDHs) and CaAlCO3-LDHs were respectively added as a synergistic agent to intumescent fire retardant (IFR) coatings. The 2.4 wt% of MgAlCO3-LDHs and the 6.7 wt% of CaAlCO3-LDHs were found to possess the best thermal insulation according to the fire performance tests. Further characterization by a cone calorimeter shows that the MgAlCO3-LDHs are superior to decreasing the specific extinction area of IFR coating, and the CaAlCO3-LDHs are advantageous in some other properties such as heat release rate, effective heat combustion and total heat release. Moreover, the X-ray diffraction (XRD) results infer that the flame retardant of char layer is primarily dependent on the amorphous structure formed after exposure to fire, the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements of O1s, C1s, P2p and N1s reveal that the LDHs fillers suppress the oxidation of the IFR coating, and the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) tests demonstrate that the LDHs protect the bridge frame structures. It is concluded that the LDHs can prevent the degradation and improve the thermal insulation of IFR coatings.

Waterborne Intumescent Coatings Containing Industrial and Bio-Fillers for Fire Protection of Timber Materials.

Flammability and combustion of softwood treated with intumescent coatings were studied in the present work. The formulations applied onto wood surfaces contained different ratios of industrial fillers, titanium dioxide TiO2 and aluminium trihydroxide Al(OH)3, and/or bio-fillers, eggshell and rice husk ash. Combustion behaviours of unprotected and protected wood samples have been examined with the aid of cone calorimetry performed under the varied levels of thermal flux ranging from 30 to 50 kW/m². The char residues obtained after the completion of cone calorimetry test at 40 kW/m² were analysed by the Raman spectroscopy. The fire protective properties of the studied coatings were strongly influenced by the nature of the fillers as well as by the intensity of thermal irradiance. The incorporation of bio-based fillers into the water-based intumescent formulations significantly improved fire resistance of wood substrates. For example, at 30 kW/m², the Effective Heat of Combustion was reduced by more than 40%, whilst the average Peak to Heat Release Rate had dropped from 193.2 to 150.3 kW/m² for the wood sample protected with the formulation incorporating two industrial and two bio-fillers. Moreover, an application of the studied coatings resulted in a notable reduction of the back surface temperature of the wood specimens.

A phytic acid-based chelating coordination embedding structure of phosphorus–boron–nitride synergistic flame retardant to enhance durability and flame retardancy of cotton

A halogen-free, non-formaldehyde and eco-friendly bio-based synergistic flame retardant containing phosphorus–boron–nitrogen elements were synthesized and applied on cotton fabrics. Three curing cycles in cotton finishing process were employed. Samples treated with 30 g/L PBN solutions revealed the best result, while high concentrations did not gain more weight increase nor improved performance on the products. The SEM morphologies suggested penetration of ammonium phytate groups to the inner space and floatation of boron-containing groups on the surfaces of the cotton fibers. FTIR and XPS analyses indicated that after 50 laundering cycles, the boron can still stay on the surface of the treated cotton fibers. The LOI value of 30 g/L PBN finished cotton fabrics reached 45.0% and remained at 37.6% after 50 LCs. The char length of the treated cotton sample was 63 mm, whereas the control sample was 300 mm. The TG analysis in N2 demonstrated that the decomposition temperature of the treated fabric slightly decreased, while the thermal oxidation stability was significantly improved. Cone calorimetry analysis showed that the peak heat release rate, total heat release, and effective heat combustion of the treated samples were substantially reduced compared with the control sample at 50 kW/m2. LOI, TG, vertical burning and cone calorimetry showed that the PBN treated samples had good flame retardancy and thermal stability.

Experimental study on combustion and yield characteristics of dimethyl carbonate/n-heptane blends in the cone calorimeter

A detail investigation of the combustion behavior of a representative ester-alkane blended fuel was conducted with the aim to get better knowledge of the fire hazard of the blended fuels. Experiments have been carried out in a cone calorimeter with ISO 5660 standard procedures. The blended fuel is burned in a fuel pan with 80 mm in diameter and 20 mm in lip, and the initial fuel volume is 20 mL. The hazard parameters such as heat release rate, effective combustion heat, combustion yield, and combustion efficiency were studied using a cone calorimeter. The actual combustion reaction equation of dimethyl carbonate (DMC)/n-heptane blends was calculated, and the thermal chemistry method based on the stoichiometry of reaction equation is adopted to evaluate the oxygen consumption method for the DMC/n-heptane blends. A formula is put forward to describe the burning rate of respective component in the blends during burning process, and the burning rate of DMC in the blends is steady during the test. The CO yield, carbon conversion ratio, and energy conversion efficiency data of the blends are calculated and compared, the result shows that the carbon conversion is close to the energy conversion, and this means that soot yield is the major contributor to incomplete combustion of blends.

Co-combustion behaviours of a low calorific Uruguayan Oil Shale with biomass wastes

In the present work thermal transport properties, thermochemical characteristics and gaseous pollutants released during co-combustion of different biomasses with oil shales (OS) were assessed using three different mass ratios (25%, 50% and 75% OS-biomass). The biomasses selected for carrying out the analysis were grape pomace (GP), rice husk (RH) and eucalyptus grandis (EG). In this sense, we demonstrated that the addition of biomass to the OS turns out having a positive effect, it improves the combustion index and diminishes the amount of pollutant emissions per energy unit released. Cone calorimeter tests were carried out in order to determine the effective heat of combustion (EHC) and subsequently the energetic combustion efficiency (EHC/HHV) taking as reference the higher heating value (HHV). The higher thermal diffusivity value was obtained for EG (0.161 mm2/s) and the lowest value was obtained for GP (0.105 mm2/s). The EHC/HHV ratio was obtained for a blending proportion of 50% for OS-EG (0.88–0.98). According to combustion index results, blends containing c.a 50% OS-EG reached a good burning performance of the combustion process, providing a potential OS-biomass ratio for being used as fuel. Moreover, the co-combustion emissions per energy unit released were analysed by means of TG-FTIR. CO2, CO and SO2 patterns showed that the emissions diminished with the addition of biomass to the OS. This paper aims to perform an assessment of the potential utilization of OS-biomass blends based on the biomass and OS composition, their thermal properties, gas emissions per energy unit released and EHC/HHV ratio.

Effect of Thickness on Flammability and Fire Performance of Natural Wood Under Incident Heat Flux by Pilot Ignition

In order to study the influence of natural wood thickness on the flammability and fire performance, an experimental studies of fire parameters under external constant heat flux by piloted ignition of wood timber with different thicknesses (8, 10, 13, 15 mm) were conducted using cone calorimeter approach, by testing procedure prescribed in accordance with international organization for standardization. These parameters include: ignitibility, heat release rate, effective heat of combustion, total heat release, mass loss rate, smoke specific extinction area, and the yield of carbon monoxide. Four species of wood timber, namely pine, maple, oak, and walnut, were exposed horizontally under external heat flux 50 kW/m2. Thermal degradation effects of various species were observed. The obtainable data will be reported to develop a distinct national building code in Jordan and to select the suitable materials for designing of fire safety in buildings of different uses. A good compatible agreement between calculated and experimented results has been obtained. The results indicated that total heat release rate increase with increase thickness of specimen. It is observed that, the time to ignition is very small (around 12 seconds) for all species whatever the thickness is. Heat release rate for the different types of specimens with different thicknesses have been presented. Results show as the thickness of oak specimen increased: 8 mm, 10 mm, 13 mm and 15 mm, the corresponding mass loss depletions are 43%, 34%, 25%, and 21%, respectively.

Synergistic Flame Retardant Effect of Organic Phosphorus–Nitrogen and Inorganic Boron Flame Retardant on Polyethylene

In this study, to develop an organic/inorganic synergistic flame retardant, organic phosphorus–nitrogen flame retardant 6,6‐(((sulfonylbis(4,1‐phenylene)) bis(azanediyl))bis(thiophen‐2‐ylmethylene))bis(6H‐dibenzo[c,e][1,2]oxaphosphinine 6‐oxide (DOPO‐N) and inorganic boron flame retardant zinc borate (ZB) were selected. The flame retardant properties of polyethylene (PE) containing ZB/DOPO‐N were investigated. PE/20%ZB/10%DOPO‐N had better thermal stability and flame retardant properties. The limiting oxygen index of PE/20%ZB/10%DOPO‐N reached 24.6%, and UL 94 V‐0 rating was attained. The peak heat release rate, total heat release, average effective heat combustion, and fire growth index of PE/20%ZB/10%DOPO‐N were lower than when ZB and DOPO‐N were added separately. In addition, the flame retardant mechanism was investigated using scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, energy dispersive X‐ray, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. ZB/DOPO‐N simultaneously exerted condensed phase and gas phase flame retardant effect. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 60: 414–422, 2019. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers

An efficient synergistic system for simultaneously enhancing the fire retardancy, moisture resistance and electrical insulation performance of unsaturated polyester resins

Unsaturated polyester resins (UPR) are usually used in the field of electronic appliances, but their inherent flammability and hygroscopicity severely limit their wide application. In this research, dimelamine pyrophosphate (DMPY) was synthesized and constituted a synergistic flame retardant system (FRs) with aluminum diethylphosphinate (ADP). The FRs was applied to flame retarded UPR thermosets and the fire retardancy, moisture resistance, mechanical properties and flame retarded mechanisms of UPR/FRs were comprehensively investigated. When as low as 15 wt% FRs was incorporated, UPR/FRs achieved UL-94 V-0 rating during vertical burning tests and the limiting oxygen index value reached 27.9%. FRs stimulated UPR matrix to form uniform, stiff and dense char layer on materials surface during combustion process. Besides, the phosphine and phosphine oxygen radicals and inert gases generated from FRs exerted the inhibition and dilution effect in gas phase. Thus, the heat release and effective heat combustion of UPR/FRs were conspicuously suppressed. Moreover, UPR/FRs retained satisfactory flame retardancy and mechanical performance after water resistance tests. The moisture resistance of UPR/FRs was evidently enhanced compared with UPR and it led to the maintenance of electrical insulation properties of water treated UPR/FRs. Overall, the superior fire safety, moisture resistance and electrical insulation performance promised the flame retardant UPR thermosets crucial application values in the key areas.

Ternary flame retardant system based on the in-situ polymerization of ammonium polyphosphate-diatomite-aluminium trihydroxide

A three-component flame-retardant system was prepared based on in situ polymerization of ammonium polyphosphate (APP), diatomite (DE), and aluminium trihydroxide (ATH) to improve the flame retardance and smoke suppression properties of fibrous materials. Compared to the two-component system of APP-DE, the addition of APP-10% DE-4% ATH dosed at a filler load of 20% of the fibrous material reached a limited oxygen index of 27.5%, which was approximately 9.1% higher than the two-component system. The lower mass loss rate and higher residual mass at high temperatures resulted in excellent flame retardance. The synergistic effect on alleviating combustion and reducing heat release was shown by the 16.6%, 22.1%, and 12.5% decreases in the peak heat release rate, total heat release, and average effective heat combustion, respectively. Superior fire resistance was demonstrated by a higher fire performance index and a lower mass loss. A smoke suppression effect was shown by the peak smoke release rate and the total smoke release results that were 28.7% and 15.8% lower than the two-component system, respectively. Based on the porous structure of DE and generated aluminum oxide (Al2O3), the outstanding adsorption effect and flame-retardant effect was also demonstrated by the production rate of carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2).

Impact of Water Content on Energy Potential and Combustion Characteristics of Methanol and Ethanol Fuels

Methanol and ethanol are among the most important biofuels and raw materials used to produce biorenewable fuels. These fuels are used with varying water contents. Nevertheless, the exact impact of the water content of these fuels on the energy potential and combustion characteristics is still unknown. Besides that, there are two noticeable risks (environmental impact of combustion and fire risk) associated with their production, processing, and utilization. Likewise, impact of the water content of these fuels on fire risk and the impact of their combustion on the environment is also unknown. The best indicator of energy potential is the effective heat of combustion, and the best combustion characteristic and indicator of the impact of the combustion of alcohols on the environment is the carbon monoxide (CO) yield, whereas the fire risk of liquid fuels is quantified by the flash point and maximum heat release rate (mHRR). The dependency of flash point on the water content was determined via the Pensky-Martens apparatus and the dependencies of the effective heat of combustion, CO yield, and mHRR on the water content were determined via the cone calorimeter. With increased water content, the flash points of both methanol and ethanol exponentially increased and the both effective heat of combustion and mHRR almost linearly decreased. In the range of water content from 0 to 60%, the CO yield of both methanol and ethanol was practically independent of the water content.