Small Scale Experiment Study on the Fireproof Distance of Oil Tank Fires

Groups of small scale experiments were carried out by two stainless steel circular pans with 205 mm diameter to simulate oil tank fire scenarios. The main burning pan was filled with 200 ml No.0 diesel with 100 ml water below acting as the fire source which was ignited by 5 ml oil. Another pan was filled with 100 ml diesel and acted as the pan waiting to be ignited by the main burning pan. Changing the space between the two oil pans and the wind velocity in the experiment room, temperature and heat radiation flux of different fire conditions were recorded. Representing the diameter of the main burning pan as D, the results show that, the fireproof distance between the two diesel pans is 0.6D when wind velocity is 0.2m/s; the fireproof distance increases to 0.8D when the wind velocity is raised to 0.5m/s; When the wind velocity is 1m/s, the fireproof distance changes to D. From the observation and analysis on the critical temperature and heat radiant flux received by the fuel surface of the pan waiting to be ignited, it can be seen that the radiation thermal value accumulated to about 47187.5J/m2 at the moment when the oil pan is ignited.