A comprehensive study of externally venting flames—Part I: Experimental plume characteristics for through-draft and no-through-draft ventilation conditions and repeatability

Externally venting flames have been examined during a series of eight full-scale flashover tests. Furniture was used in a burn room larger than a standard one. The purpose of the work has been to investigate the likelihood of external fire spread from a burn room window with standard glass when the external facade is non-combustible. The effects on externally venting flames of internal ventilation conditions and wind have been studied in detail. Secondary fires and glass breakage have been examined. Repeatable experimental data and reliable information on externally venting flames have been generated for numerical model validation and performance-based design code development. In Part I of this two-part paper, the emphasis is on the repeatability of the experimental data on externally venting flames. A new averaging method introduced previously has been used for this purpose. In Part II, extensive comparisons are given with available experimental data and empirical approximations from the literature. Surface fits to the experimental data are also presented for communication purposes.

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