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Ignition of Liquids

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SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the ignition characteristics of combustible liquids that are in widespread use as fuels and solvents and are encountered as process fluids in the chemical and process industries. Ignition leads to flaming combustion in which the fuel undergoes a change of state and is converted from liquid to vapor.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    There are exceptions to this generalization. High molecular weight liquids with high flashpoints (e.g., cooking oil, flashpoint 321 °C) will be undergoing some chemical decomposition at temperatures associated with vapor formation.

  2. 2.

    The third line in Fig. 18.1, below the intersection at T, represents the equilibrium states between solid and vapor. Solid converts directly to vapor by the process of sublimation. It will not be considered further here.

  3. 3.

    The numerical value of R depends on the units used for P and V (see Chap. 5).

  4. 4.

    Storage: “The Highly Flammable Liquids and Liquefied Petroleum Gases Regulations (HFL/LP-gas)”; Supply: “The Chemical (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations (CHIPS)”; and Transport: “The Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations (CDG).”

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK

    D. D. Drysdale

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  1. D. D. Drysdale
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Aon Fire Protection Engineering, Greenbelt, MD, USA

    Morgan J. Hurley P.E., FSFPE (Editor-in-Chief) (Editor-in-Chief)

  2. Hughes Associates, Baltimore, USA

    Daniel Gottuk Ph.D., P.E.

  3. National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, USA

    John R. Hall Jr. Ph.D.

  4. Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

    Kazunori Harada Dr. Eng.

  5. National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, USA

    Erica Kuligowski Ph.D.

  6. Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, USA

    Milosh Puchovsky P.E., FSFPE

  7. The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia

    José Torero Ph.D.

  8. The Fire Safety Institute, Quincy, USA

    John M. Watts Jr. Ph.D., FSFPE

  9. FM Global, Johnston, USA

    Christopher Wieczorek Ph.D.

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© 2016 Society of Fire Protection Engineers

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Drysdale, D.D. (2016). Ignition of Liquids. In: Hurley, M.J., et al. SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2565-0_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2565-0_18

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