Experimental study on the interaction of fine water mist with solid pool fires

This paper describes experimental study of the interaction of fine water mists with solid pool fires. Fine water mist was generated by a single pressure nozzle and solid pool fires were produced from solid red pine or polymethyl methacrylate(PMMA). The LDV/APV system was employed to determine the water mist characteristics. The water mist droplet sizes and velocities from the nozzle were measured under varying conditions and at different locations. The effects of solid type, water flow rate, and nozzle distance from the sample surface on extinguishments time were examined. At a given water flow rate, the extinguishment time is much longer for PMMA fires than for solid pine fires. The extinguishment time was found to decrease with increasing water flow rate. At very low water flow, the extinguishment time decreases when the nozzle is positioned further from the sample surface. On the contrary, at high water flow, the extinguishment time appears to be independent of the distance between the nozzle and the sample surface. The experimental results show that flame extinguishments is due primarily to fuel surface cooling and wetting.