Determination of interface height from measured parameter profile in enclosure fire experiment

Two methods are proposed in this paper for determining the smoke layer interface height from parameter profiles measured in enclosure fires. The schemes are based on mathematical considerations of uniformity and optimisation, and involve no subjectivity or empiricism. The application of these two methods to a set of experimental data revealed that the two methods gave close results of the interface height but different to that determined with the N-percentage rule. The dependence of the zone average of the measured quantities on the interface height is discussed. The predictions of a two-zone model is also included for comparison. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.