Two different approaches for creating a prescribed opposed-flow velocity field for flame spread experiments

Opposed-flow flame spread over solid fuels is a fundamental area of research in fire science. Typically combustion wind tunnels are used to generate the opposing flow of oxidizer against which a laminar flame spread occurs along the fuel samples. The spreading flame is generally embedded in a laminar boundary layer, which interacts with the strong buoyancy-induced flow to affect the mechanism of flame spread. In this work, two different approaches for creating the opposed-flow are compared. In the first approach, a vertical combustion tunnel is used where a thin fuel sample, thin acrylic or ashless filter paper, is held vertically along the axis of the test-section with the airflow controlled by controlling the duty cycles of four fans. As the sample is ignited, a flame spreads downward in a steady manner along a developing boundary layer. In the second approach, the sample is held in a movable cart placed in an eight-meter tall vertical chamber filled with air. As the sample is ignited, the cart is moved downward (through a remote-controlled mechanism) at a prescribed velocity. The results from the two approaches are compared to establish the boundary layer effect on flame spread over thin fuels