Conference abstract for Nordic Fire & Safety Days, Trondheim, 7-8 June 2018

Heat flux in jet fires

New method for measuring the heat flux levels of jet fires
I want to write a journal paper based on the following abstract yes no

Reidar Stølen Ragni Fjellgaard Mikalsen

RISE Fire Research RISE Fire Research
Trondheim, Norway Trondheim, Norway
reidar.stolen@risefr.no ragni.mikalsen@risefr.no

Keywords: (jet fire, heat flux, standardisation, testing ) cooled gauges are designed to measure heat flux to a cooled
surface, but these have proved to be very unreliable when
placed inside a large fire.
Jet fires are ignited leakages of pressurized liquid or
A more robust and easily defined method is to measure the
gaseous fuel. In jet fire testing for the offshore industry, heat
equilibrium temperature inside an object placed inside the
flux is the defining factor for the accidental loads. NORSOK
flame. This is the principle used in plate thermocouples used in
S001 [1] defines two different heat flux levels of 250 kW/m2
fire resistance furnace testing [3]. In our experience, these plate
and 350 kW/m2 depending on the leak rate of hydrocarbons.
thermocouples are often damaged during high heat flux jet fire
These heat flux levels are used in risk analysis and define what
tests. This raises questions to how long into the tests such
type of fire load bearing structures and critical equipment need
measurements are reliable. Several other types of objects have
to be able to resist in a given area. Examples of such ratings
been tested and the most convenient and reliable type was
can be “250 kW/m2 jet fire for 60 minutes”, “350 kW/m2 jet
found to be simply a small 8 mm steel tube that is sealed in the
fire for 15 minutes” or any other combination based on
end and has a thermocouple inside. One key difference
calculations in the risk assessment. Combined with critical
between this small tube thermocouple and the plate
temperatures this defines the performance criteria for the
thermocouple is that the plate thermocouple is directional and
passive fire protection. Each configuration of the passive fire
the tube is omnidirectional. Current works and tests will
protection needs to be tested and verified. Manufacturers of
optimize the measuring objects in order to get the most relevant
passive fire protection request fire tests to document their
equilibrium temperature while still maintaining the robustness
performance against jet fires with these various heat flux
of the sensor during the test.
levels. The challenge is that the standard for testing passive fire
protection against jet fires [2] does not define any heat flux The suggested heat flux calculation is to follow the Stefan-
level or any method to define or measure it. Boltzmann relation of temperature and heat flux. For a black
body this gives 350 kW/m2 for 1303 °C and 250 kW/m2 for
We have developed a method for defining and measuring
1176 °C. A lower emissivity may be defined for the surface of
the heat flux levels in jet fires. This method can be used when
the sensing object giving higher temperatures for the same flux
faced with the challenge of testing passive fire protection
levels. This method gives a simple, robust and reproducible
against specific levels of heat flux. The method includes a
correlation between heat flux levels and temperatures that can
custom test rig that allows jet fire testing with different heat
be measured during jet fire tests. The method does not differ
flux levels. A large number of tests have been performed to
between the varying convective and radiative heat transfer in
verify the reproducibility and repeatability of the method.
the flame, but it is a representative measurement for the
Heat flux is defined as the flow of energy through a surface. temperature that an object would reach when placed inside the
The heat flux from a fire to an engulfed surface of an object is flame.
dependent on both the engulfing flame and the properties of the
surface. The properties of the surface may change during the
exposure to the flame as it heats up and changes its surface
REFERENCES
properties. At some point the object inside the flame will reach
a thermal equilibrium with the flame where the net flow of [1] NORSOK S001, Technical safety, Norwegian Technology Standards
Institution, Oslo, 2008
energy into the object is balanced by the energy emitted from
[2] ISO 22899-1 ISO 22899-1, Determination of the resistance to jet fires of
the object. The heat flux for an object can be calculated as passive fire protection materials. Part 1: General requirements, ISO
incident heat flux, emitted heat flux or net heat flux. A Copyright office, Switzerland, 2007
definition of heat flux needs to include parameters of the [3] NS-EN 1363-1: 2012, Fire resistance tests – Part 1: General
receiving object. These variations give a lot of degrees of Requirements. Standards Norway, Oslo
freedom when calculating heat flux in a fire. Special water