Experimental Study on Vertical Fire Spread of Thin Hanging Combustibles

In order to study vertical fire spread law of thin combustibles hang in atrium, the vertical combustion characteristics of thin combustibles was tested using vertical combustion experimental equipment, limited oxygen index tester and calorific value analyzer. Combustion parameters such as oxygen index, calorific value, vertical fire spread rate, surface temperature, mass loss rate and heat release rate were obtained. Fitting line showed that vertical fire spread rate, mass loss rate and heat release rate can be expressed as a power function of burning time. Vertical fire spread was accelerated growth, which the fire spread rate is over ten times of horizontal fire spread rate. The maximum surface temperature of the combustion cotton was about 500 °C, the maximum surface temperature of the combustion cardboard was about 700 °C. Experimental results showed that the thin combustibles hang in atrium and other large spaces have a greater fire risk, its vertical fire spread is very fast, so fire prevention measures should be taken in practical applications.