Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
Acknowledgments
I am grateful to Carlos Fernandez-Pello (University of California, Berkeley) and Jose Torero (University of
Edinburgh) for our important discussions about smoldering combustion. Thanks also to Rory Hadden (University
of Edinburgh) for providing so much insight about smoldering coal. In addition, I thank Albert Simeoni (University
of Corsica) and Ali Rangwala (Worcester Polytechnic Institute) for their review of this chapter.
Important Terms
Char
Carbon-rich porous solid material that remains after volatile gases, pyrolysis gas, and
tar are released from an organic material.
Coke
Carbon-rich solid residue that forms from the heating of coal.
Conduction
Transfer of thermal energy in a mass or between masses at different temperatures.
Convection
Transport of heat and mass by motion of currents in a fluid (gas or liquid).
Diffusion
Transport of heat and mass from a region of higher concentration to one of lower
concentration by random molecular motion.
Fire safety engineering
The application of science and engineering principles to protect people and artificial as
well as natural environments from the destructive effects of fire and smoke.
Flaming combustion
An exothermic oxidation reaction that takes place in the gas phase, resulting in high-
temperature gases. These gases could be hot enough to radiate their own light and thus
the flame would be visible to the naked eye.
Heat loss
Energy transferred away from a system via conduction, convection, and radiation.
Heterogeneous chemical
reactions
Reactions taking place at the interface between two or more phases, that is, between a
solid and a gas, a liquid and a gas, or a solid and a liquid.
Oxidation reaction
A reaction in which an element loses electrons; an example is the combustion reaction
of carbon with oxygen to form carbon dioxide and the subsequent release of energy.
Peat
The accumulation in the soil of partially decayed vegetation, especially in wetlands.
Under proper conditions, peat will turn into lignite coal over geologic of time.
Pyrolysis
Chemical decomposition of a solid- or liquid-organic substance by heating that occurs
spontaneously at high temperatures. The process produces gases and liquids and
leaves a carbonaceous solid residue.
Radiation
Transport of heat by electromagnetic waves emitted by one body; that travel through
space until absorbed by another body.
Smoldering
The slow, low-temperature, flameless combustion of a solid fuel.
Thermal time
Characteristic time that it takes for a thermal effect to travel from the surface to the
core of a fuel particle.
References
Frandsen, W.H., 1997. Ignition probability of organic soils. Can. J. Forest. Res. 27, 1471
1477.
Hadden, R., Rein, G., 2010, Burning and suppression of smoldering coal fires, coal and peat fires, a global
perspective, Vol 1, Chapter 18, pp. 319
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327.
Hall, J.R., 2007, The smoking-material fire problem. Fire Analysis and Research Division, National Fire
Protection Association, Quincy, MA, http://www. nfpa.org/assets/files// PDF/OS.SmokingMaterials.pdf
(accessed October, 2009).
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