Large-scale boilover experiments using crude oil

In order to know the mechanisms of boilover in a large tank, large-scale experiments using a 5 m diameter pan filled with crude oil were conducted. The initial fuel layer thickness was 0.45 m. At about 70 min after ignition, boilover occurred. The maximum irradiance was observed at the boilover and was about 22 times greater than that at steady burning. The increasing rate of the isothermal layer (hot zone) thickness was evaluated on the basis of measured temperature profile changes in the fuel. The measured periods from ignition to boilover coincide fairly well with those measured in the previous studies.