Impact of solid fuel particle size upon the propagation of a surface fire through a homogeneous vegetation layer

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to investigate the role played by the size (thickness) of solid fuel particles upon both the heat transfer and the propagation of a surface fire through a homogeneous vegetation layer. Because all the interactions (mass, momentum, and heat transfer) between the solid fuel layer and the gas phase occur at the interface between these two media, the surface area to volume (SA/V) ratio (inversely proportional to the thickness of the solid fuel particles), which appears in the expression of the specific surface separating these two phases, must affect, more or less significantly, the fire dynamics. This problem has been studied numerically, using a multiphase formulation. Various variables, such as the temperature of the solid fuel, the temperature of the gas, the fire residence time and the heat flux by radiation and convection have been analyzed, in order to understand the role played by the SA/V upon the behaviour of the fire.