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

• NCJ Number: 310566
• Journal: Fire Safety Science Volume: 10 Dated: 2011 Pages: 641-654
• Date Published: 2011
• Length: 14 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2007-DN-BX-K236
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Award: Development of Forensic Tools for Smoke Residue and Deposition Analysis

Abstract

Smoke deposition from different fuels and fire sizes to a vertical gypsum wall were studied using gravimetric 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. (Publisher abstract provided.)