Review article
https://doi.org/10.31298/sl.142.1-2.7
On the fire-spread rate influence of some fuel bed parameters derived from Rothermel’s model thermal energy balance
Carlos G. Rossa
orcid.org/0000-0002-6308-4235
; University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, Vila Real, Portugal
Paulo M. Fernandes
; University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), Quinta de Prados, Vila Real, Portugal
Abstract
We analysed the role of some fuel bed properties on forest fire-spread rate based on the thermal energy balance upon which the well-known fire-spread rate model of Rothermel (1972) was developed, showing that neither fuel bed height, load or density directly influence the thermal energy balance. The influence of such parameters, often inferred from empirical descriptions of spread rate, must result from indirect effects on heat transfer mechanisms. The fraction of heat transferred from the flame to the unburned fuel depends mostly on fuel moisture content and is independent of spread rate and flame geometry. Because empirical models usually implicitly assume the underlying mechanisms of fire spread for describing fire behaviour, this study results can assist at idealizing and delineating future experiments and approaches.
Keywords
fire behaviour; forest fires; combustion; heat transfer
Hrčak ID:
194637
URI
Publication date:
28.2.2018.
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