Flame morphology and self-acceleration of syngas spherically expanding flames

The self-acceleration of spherically expanding flames were investigated using a constant volume combustion chamber for CO/H₂/O₂/N₂ mixtures over a wide range of initial pressure from 0.2 to 0.6 MPa, CO/H₂ ratio from 50/50 to 10/90 and equivalence ratio from 0.4 to 1.5. The adiabatic flame temperature was kept constant by adjusting O₂/N₂ ratio at different equivalence ratios. Schlieren images were recorded to investigate the flame front evolution of spherically expanding flames. Local acceleration exponents were extracted using a proper equation to study the process of flame self-acceleration. Results show that the flame cells develop on the smooth flame fronts and finally reach fractal-like structures due to the hydrodynamic and diffusional-thermal instabilities, resulting in flame self-accelerative propagation. The critical Peclet number corresponding to the onset of self-acceleration, Pe_cr increases nonlinearly with the Markstein length, Ma. The observation further reveals that the onset of self-acceleration is mainly controlled by the diffusional-thermal effect. There exists two distinct flame propagation regimes in the self-acceleration, namely quick transition accelerative and quasi self-similar accelerative regimes. The quick transition regime is controlled by the destabilization effect of hydrodynamic perturbation and stabilization effect of flame stretch. While the quasi self-similar regime is primarily affected by the cascading process of flame front cells controlled by hydrodynamic instability. The self-similar acceleration exponent, α_s varies with the initial pressure and Lewis number, Le. The values of α_s are measured to be 1.1–1.25 (smaller than 1.5), indicating the flame dose not attain self-turbulization.     

Thermal and flammability properties influenced by Zn/Al,Co/Al,and Ni/Al layered double hydroxide in low-density polyethylene nanocomposites

Layered double hydroxide (LDH) containing different metal constituents (Zn, Co, and Ni) was intercalated with different organic anions and has been used as fillers in low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and its thermal and flammability behavior was evaluated. The best thermal stability (∆T_0.5 = 21 °C) was obtained with the LDPE-Ni/Al-dodecyl sulfate (4 wt %) nanocomposite. Addition of hydrophobic LDHs systematically decreases the enthalpy of melting and crystallization compared to the neat polymer. In LDPE-Co/Al-dodecyl sulfate (2 wt %) nanocomposite, the melting and crystallization enthalpies declined by about 45 J/g, indicating a good interaction of the filler with the polymer matrix. A reduction of 20% of the flammability for the LDPE-Ni/Al-stearate (4 wt %) nanocomposite was obtained. On the other hand, Zn–Co LDH as filler in LDPE nanocomposite did not affect effectively the same property. In an innovative study, results indicate that different metal constituents and interlayer anion of LDH as filler can change thermal and flammability properties of the polymer nanocomposite. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48737.     

Viscoelastic and thermal properties of natural rubber low-density polyethylene composites with boric acid and borax

The influence of boric acid (BA) and borax (BO) neutron-absorbing fillers on thermal stability and viscoelastic behavior of natural rubber (NR) low-density polyethylene composites has been studied. The thermal degradation and dynamic mechanical properties of the composites have been analyzed as a function of temperature. The results revealed the enhancement of thermal stability of the composites by the addition of BA and BO fillers. The flame resistance of the material was improved by the addition of both the fillers. The storage modulus was found to be dependent upon the temperature and nature of the filler. The amount of NR chains immobilized by filler particles has been quantified from dynamic mechanical analysis and secondary filler/filler interactions have been verified by the Payne effect analysis. Finally, the experimental results have been compared with theoretical predictions.     

Investigation of the thermal behavior effect of the surrounding material environment on the swirling flame structure

This paper is focusing on the numerical simulation of a swirling flame, resulting from the interaction of multiple fires, evolving in a free and unlimited environment. A typical system, formed by a central fire source surrounded by four heat sources, is used. Since the thermal characteristic of the surrounding sources is the main engine for the rotation of flame, a detailed study is performed by varying the heating flux of these sources. This study shows that an increase of the heating flux of surrounding sources has as a result an intensification of the penetrating air puffs through the openings between the surrounding four heat sources. These puffs tangentially drive the central flame, thus producing a marked improvement on the angular momentum. Moreover, this study shows that the flame height is strongly affected by the flame rotation. Moreover, two different aspects of the flame height evolution are observed from the flow visualization and the thermal and dynamic fields for the different cases studied.     

Maximum temperature rise of fire plume ejected out of the compartment window with a horizontal eave

This study focuses on the maximum temperature rise of fire plume ejected out of the compartment window with a horizontal eave. Based on the symmetry of ejected plume and pictures recorded by the cameras in the study, the shape of ejected thermal plume out of the window under the eave is suggest as an isosceles trapezoid, and the ejected thermal plume rising at the edge of the eave is assumed to be a rectangular fire source. The dimensions of the rectangular fire source are theoretically deduced for compartment fire process of different window geometry, width of eave, and heat release rate, according to the conservation of plume mass. The previous predictive model for plume temperature proposed by Quintiere is popularized to the ejected flame above an eave by including the dimensions of the rectangular fire source as well as the width of eave. The results would provide theoretical guidance to the application of fireproof eave in high-rise building for fire protection designs.     

Effect of shielding rates on upward flame spread over extruded polystyrene foam in vertical channel and heat transfer mechanism

Fire hazard of extruded polystyrene (XPS) thermal insulation materials has aroused public concern. In order to develop flame spread theory and the guideline for fire risk assessment of XPS, an experimental study on upward flame spread behavior and heat transfer mechanism of XPS in a vertical channel with different frontal shielding rates was conducted. Maximum temperature at the place 2 cm from XPS surface and at the center of channel first increase and then decrease as the shielding rate rises. The former is higher than the latter. Experimental value of average flame height rises as the shielding rate increases. A model for predicting the flame height is built, and the predicted results are consistent with the experimental results. Moreover, the relation between flame height and pyrolysis height under different shielding rates is obtained. The flame spread rate rises as the shielding rate increases. A prediction model of flame spread rate is established, and its prediction results are more accurate compared with those from previous models. The model also predicts that radiative heat transfer is the dominant heat transfer mode, accounting for 93% of the total heat transfer. This work is beneficial for fire risk assessment and fire safety design of building façade.     

聚磷酸铵与次磷酸铝的共微胶囊制备及其在阻燃聚丙烯中的应用

以三聚氰胺-甲醛树脂（MF）为囊材、聚磷酸铵（APP）和次磷酸铝（AHP）为芯材，制备出共微胶囊化阻燃剂M（A-A）。通过傅里叶变换红外光谱、扫描电子显微镜及溶解度测试等方法来表征MF的包覆效果；采用垂直燃烧测定仪、极限氧指数仪和锥形量热仪等设备考察M（A-A）对聚丙烯（PP）的阻燃效果；通过冲击和拉伸实验对复合材料的力学性能进行表征。结果表明，MF树脂成功包覆并有效提高了A-A的耐水性能；添加相同质量的M（A-A）和A-A，前者明显降低热释放速率（R_HRR）和总热释放量（H_THR），对PP的阻燃效果更好。添加阻燃剂后，复合材料的冲击强度先提高后降低，经过微胶囊化处理的阻燃剂对材料的拉伸性能损伤更小。     

AHP/碱木质素聚氨酯泡沫的阻燃性能

对精制后的碱木质素进行羟甲基化改性,再利用改性后的羟甲基化碱木质素部分替代聚醚多元醇,采用一步发泡法与聚合MDI制备了羟甲基化木质素基聚氨酯泡沫材料。将次磷酸铝(AHP)作为阻燃剂添加到泡沫中制备了阻燃碱木质素聚氨酯泡沫,通过极限氧指数(LOI)测试分析了羟甲基化木质素基阻燃聚氨酯泡沫的阻燃性能。利用热重分析(TG)和扫描电子显微镜(SEM)分别研究制得泡沫的热降解行为、成炭性能和残炭形貌。实验结果表明,当羟甲基化碱木质素替代聚醚多元醇的量为60%,次磷酸铝的添加量为30%时,碱木质素聚氨酯泡沫材料的极限氧指数(LOI)值达到了27.5%。因此,羟甲基化碱木质素和次磷酸铝使泡沫在燃烧时能更好的形成炭层,从而有效地隔绝空气,降低热传递,提高了材料的阻燃性能。     

Improving the flame retardancy of polypropylene foam with piperazine pyrophosphate via multilayering coextrusion of film/foam composites

A series of 16-layer polypropylene/flame retardant (PP/FR) film/foam composite structures were produced by microlayer coextrusion. A highly branched PP was used in the foam layers to increase strain hardening and cell stability, while the PP used in the film layers was a high shear viscosity grade to confine bubble growth. In addition to improved tensile properties, the PP/FR composite film/foams exhibited five times the compression modulus of PP/FR composite foams at each FR loading level. The thermal stabilities of the composites were investigated, exhibiting three step decompositions. The FR particles were effective in decreasing flammability by forming intumescent char. The PP/FR-film/foam-20 showed self-extinguishing behavior in a modified vertical burn test, while the PP/FR-foam-20 sample continued to burn. Cone calorimetry demonstrated that PP/FR film/foams had lower heat release than PP/FR foams due to the unique alternating film/foam structure of PP/FR film/foams. Scanning electron microscopy imaging of the residual chars from fire testing that the PP/FR composite film/foams showed a more continuous protective char surface when compared with PP/FR composite foams at each FR concentration. The combined data indicate that the formation of a surface film on top of a foam ensures a robust intumescent fire protective barrier for partly foamed materials and shows a new way toward lightweight materials with improved fire safety performance. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48552.