TABLE OF CONTENTS Gunnar Heskestad
Dr. Gunnar Heskestad is principal research scientist at Factory Mutual Research, specializing in fluid mechanics and heat transfer of fire, with applications to fire protection.
Practically all fires go through an important, initial stage in which a coherent, buoyant gas stream rises above a localized volume undergoing combustion into surrounding space of essentially uncontaminated air. This stage begins at ignition, continues through a possible smoldering interval, into a flaming interval, and may be said to end prior to flashover. The buoyant gas stream is generally turbulent, except when the fire source is very small. The buoyant flow, including any flames, is referred to as a fire plume.
Combustion may be the result of pyrolysis of solid materials or evaporation of liquids because of heat feedback from the combustion volume, or of pressurized release of flammable gas. Other combustion situations may involve discharge of liquid sprays and...
