DETERMINATION OF THE VOLUME OF WATER FOR SUPPRESSING THE THERMAL DECOMPOSITION OF FOREST COMBUSTIBLES

From the results of experimental studies of the processes of suppressing the thermal decomposition of the typical forest combustibles (birch leaves, fi r needles, asp twigs, and a mixture of these three materials) by water aerosol, the minimum volumes of the fi re-extinguishing liquid have been determined (by varying the volume of samples of the forest combustibles from 0.00002 m³ to 0.0003 m³ and the area of their open surface from 0.0001 m²  to 0.018 m²). The dependences of the minimum volume of water on the area of the open surface of the forest combustible have been established. Approximation expressions for these dependences have been obtained. Forecast has been made of the minimum volume of water for suppressing the process of thermal decomposition of forest combustibles in areas from 1 cm² to 1 km² , as well as of the characteristic quenching times by varying the water concentration per unit time. It has been shown that the amount of water needed for effective suppression of the process of thermal decomposition of forest combustibles is several times less than is customarily assumed.
   
Author:  R. S. Volkov, A. O. Zhdanova, G. V. Kuznetsov, and P. A. Strizhak
Keywords:  forest combustible, thermal decomposition, quenching, water, minimum volume, water concentration
Page:  789