THE FIRE THEORY

AND BASIC
CONCEPT
FANDITA TONYKA MAHARANI, SKM, M.SC, M.KKK
 FIRE TETRAHEDRON

Four components are necessary to sustain combustion:

1. Fuel
2. Heat
3. Oxygen
4. A chemical reaction

Source: Kohn. 2007

 TERMINOLOGY

• The lower flammable limit/lower explosive limit, is the lowest concentration of gas or vapor
(percentage volume in air) that burns or explodes if an ignition source is present.
• The upper flammable limit/upper explosive limit is the highest concentration of a gas or vapor that
burns or explodes if an ignition source is present
• A mixture can have too little of the concentration (and be too lean) or too much of the concentration
(and be too rich) to burn. The closer the mixture gets to the limits, the less complete the
combustion. The optimal mixture for complete combustion is near the midpoint between the limits.
Although it is possible for the mixture to exceed the upper flammable limit where it becomes too
rich to burn, any mixture above 10 percent of its lower flammable limit should be considered a
hazard and treated accordingly.
• Flash point is the temperature at which a substance gives off enough vapors to form an ignitable
mixture, causing the substance to burn or explode.

Source: Kohn. 2007

TERMINOLOGY

• Vapor density becomes a key issue in determining where a vapor might be found in the
atmosphere. If the vapor has a low density (below 1.0), it will float in the air. Therefore,
ignition of such a fire might occur anywhere in a room or at a point above the source of the
vapors. If the vapor has a high density (above 1.0), it will tend to move downward. Vapors
released from a gasoline spill will often float downhill. An ignition source below the gasoline
may ignite it and cause the fire to spread from the point of ignition to the source of the spill.

• Source: Kohn. 2007

TERMINOLOGY

• A liquid having a flash point at or above 100 degrees (Fahrenheit) is combustible.

• If the liquid ignites at a temperature below 100 degrees (Fahrenheit), it is referred to as
flammable.
• Knowing these subcategories can be useful in determining how to protect some
properties.

• Source: Kohn. 2007

SOURCE OF IGNITION

• The source of ignition might be a flame, hot object, spark from a tool, or static electricity

• Source: Kohn. 2007

CATEGORIES OF FIRES AND EXTINGUISHERS

Fires are categorized according to types of materials involved:

• Class A fires involve ordinary combustible materials such as paper, wood, cloth, and some rubber and plastic materials.
• Class B fires involve flammable or combustible liquids, flammable gases, greases and similar materials, and some rubber and
plastic materials.
• Class C fires involve energized electrical equipment where safety requires the use of electrically nonconductive extinguishing
media.
• Class D fires involve combustible metals such as magnesium, titanium, zirconium, sodium, lithium, and potassium.

• Source: Kohn. 2007

FIRE TYPES

• Pool Fire: A fire of turbulent dispersion taking place over a pool of vaporizing flammable liquid under
conditions of negligible initial fuel momentum.
• Fire Ball: A fire ball can occur during a sudden leak and ignition of pressurized flammable gases.
• Jet Fire: A fire of turbulent dispersion occurring from the burning of a flammable fluid continuously
released with considerable momentum towards a specific direction.
• Flash Fire: A flash fire can appear during the sudden ignition of a cloud of flammable gases, when the
flame is not accelerated by the presence of obstacles or the influence of turbulent dispersion.

• Source: Assael. 2010

POOL FIRE

In a pool fire, the following can be observed:

- The fire characteristics depend, to a large degree, upon the meteorological conditions, and specifically the wind velocity.
- The duration of the pool fire is not instantaneous, but depends upon the quantity of the flammable material that evaporates.
- - The burning rate of the flammable material is equal to its vaporization rate from the pool.
- - There is a degree of feedback between the fire and the flammable material. Up to a limit, heat is transferred from the fire
to the pool of the flammable material, and thus influences its vaporization rate, and consequently the size and other
characteristics of the fire.

- Source: Assael. 2010

POOL FIRE

• Pool fires are usually separated into three categories:

- Confined pool fires on land - fires of constant diameter, a pool of flammable material is created,
ignites and starts burning.
- Unconfined pool fires on land - fires of continuously changing diameter, while the pool is
already burning.
- Fires on water.

Source: Assael. 2010

FIRE BALL

• Usually a fire ball results from the rapid ignition that follows an event known as a BLEVE* (Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor
Explosion), but it can also appear during the ignition of a flammable gas mixture. Fire balls can radiate very large amounts of heat
causing material damages, injuries or deaths in an area much larger than the fire radius.

• In a fire ball, the following can be observed:

- The formation of a fire ball, to a large extent, does not depend upon the meteorological conditions because of the high pressure with
which the gas is liberated.
- The duration of a fire ball is very small or instantaneous.
- The burning rate is equal to the total quantity of the flammable substance divided by the duration of the fire.

- Source: Assael. 2010

JET FIRE

• In a jet fire, the following are usually observed:

- The formation of a jet fire does not depend upon meteorological conditions because of the high
pressure with which the gas is liberated.
- The duration of a jet fire is not instantaneous, but depends upon the quantity of fuel that is liberated.
- The burning rate is equal to the outflow rate of the flammable gases.
- In contrast to pool fires, the outflow rate is not influenced by the heat of combustion.

- Source: Assael. 2010

FLASH FIRE

• It is not perfectly understood when a gas outflow will result in a flash fire or a fire ball.
• The shock wave that is created from a flash fire is small and as the duration of the fire is
also short, its impact on facilities and equipment outside the cloud is of limited nature.
• The presence of obstacles in the area where the gases (produced by the combustion)
expand can often result in explosions rather than flash fires.

• Source: Assael. 2010

EFFECTS OF FIRE: HUMAN SKIN BURNS
EFFECTS OF FIRE: HUMAN SKIN BURNS

• 1st degree : First-degree burns affect only the epidermis or outer layer of skin. The burn site is red, painful, dry,
and with no blisters. Mild sunburn is an example. Long-term tissue damage is rare and usually consists of an
alteration of the skin color.
• 2nd degree : Second-degree burns involve the epidermis and part of the dermis layer of skin (0.07 - 0.12 mm
depth). The burn site appears red, blistered, and may be swollen and painful.
• 3rd degree : Third-degree burns destroy the epidermis and dermis. Third-degree burns may also damage the
underlying bones, muscles, and tendons. The burn site appears white or charred. There is no sensation in the area
since the nerve endings are destroyed.

• Source: Assael. 2010

GROUP TASK

• Find a fire case in the internet and categorize what kind of fire it is and what’s the effect
REFERENCES

• Assael. 2010. Fires, Explosions, and Toxic Gas Dispersions. CRC Press
• Kohn. 2007. Fundamentals of Occupational Safety and Health. Government Institutes