Page 134 - 6848

15 FIRE SAFETY

15.1 Processes of Burning and Explosion

Burning is the exothermic reaction of substance oxidization, which is
accompanied by flame, luminescence, and smoke.
Four things must be present at the same time in order to produce fire:
 enough oxygen to sustain combustion;
 enough heat to raise the material to its ignition temperature;
 some sort of fuel or combustible material;
 the chemical, exothermic reaction that is fire.

Oxygen, heat, and fuel are frequently referred to as the “fire triangle” (Figure
15.1).

Figure 15.1 – Basic of burning process – fire triangle

Add in the fourth element, the chemical reaction, and you actually have a fire
“tetrahedron”. The important thing to remember is: take any of these four things
away, and you will not have a fire or the fire will be extinguished.
Burning can be divided into the following processes:
 flash;
 ignition;
 inflammation;
 spontaneous combustion;
 spontaneous ignition.

Flash is a rapid combustion of combustible substance, which is not
accompanied by the formation of constrained gas.
Combustion is the initial stage of burning under the influence of the
inflammation source.
Inflammation is the ignition that is accompanied by flame.

4