Measurement of flame emissivity of gasoline pool fires

Major engineering parameter of interest in open pool fires is flame emissivity. Mass burning rate is measured for gasoline pool fires of pool diameters 0.3 m, 0.5 m, 0.7 m and 1.0 m. Flame emissivities of the pool fires are inferred from the mass burning rate. It is observed that the emissivity of the flame increases with the diameter. The mean optical thickness of gasoline pool fires is found to be 1.52 m-1. Using thermography, emissivity variation with the height of the flame of gasoline pool fire is investigated for diameters of 0.3 m, 0.5 m, 0.7 m and 1.0 m. In this thermography technique, multiple black bodies are placed at different heights behind the flame. Emissivity of the flame at the flame tip is lower than that at the base of the pool fire. The average value of the flame emissivity measured using thermography is comparable with the flame emissivity inferred from the mass burning rate value.