Effects of particle size on flame spread over magnesium powder layer

The spreading of a flame over a layer of magnesium powder has been examined to clarify the mechanisms of flame spread over metal powder layers and to establish effective ways to extinguish metal fires. Four grades of magnesium powder were used, with average grain diameters of 60, 170, 360 and 500 μm. The flame spread rate for larger particle sizes (D>170 μm) increased slightly with increasing particle size. However, the flame spread rate for smaller particle sizes (D<63 μm) increased sharply. The detailed surface temperature history of the magnesium powder layer was measured using infrared thermography (IR). Based on the temperature distribution in the pre-heat zone, the characteristic length l, characteristic depth δ, and characteristic time τ were calculated. The characteristic scale ratio, L/δ, for the larger particle sizes (D>170 μm) is almost unity, which suggests that the dominant heat transfer mechanism is heat conduction through the magnesium powder layer (solid phase). However, the L/δ for the smaller particle sizes (D<63 μm) is about 2.7, suggesting that the dominant heat transfer mechanism is convection. The flame spread rate over the magnesium powder layer was calculated by the de Ris model, a one-dimensional flame spread model, and a surface flash model. For larger particle sizes (D>170 μm), there is good agreement between the experimental flame spread rate and the flame spread rate estimated by the one-dimensional model. However, the flame spread rate was underestimated by the de Ris model, apparently because the de Ris model only considers heat feedback from the gas phase. For small-particle sizes (D<63 μm), there is good agreement between the experimental flame spread rate and the flame spread rate estimated by the surface flash model. This suggests that the flame spread over a small-particle layer can be described by a mechanism rather similar to that of gas phase flame propagation.