Effects of Ignition Location on Heat Release Characteristics of Cubic Combustibles with Various Length Scales

The effect of ignition location on the heat release characteristics of solid combustibles was experimentally investigated in this study. Fire experiments were conducted by using cubic polyurethane foam blocks and varying the ignition location and combustible size. Heat release rate (HRR) measurements were performed to determine the fire growth rate and average maximum HRR. The evolution of burning and heat release characteristics varied depending on the ignition location. Fire growth was rapid at ignition locations dominated by an upward flame spread. Differences in the maximum HRR and fire growth rate increased significantly as the combustible size increased. These findings indicate that ignition location is a critical parameter influencing fire growth and heat release characteristics in fire experiments involving solid combustibles.