Thermal radiation from pool fires

For an axisymmetric, horizontal, pool fire of specified flame shape, effective flame radiation (Schmidt) temperature and a gray flame absorption coefficient, this analysis computes (1) radiative energy fluxes to surfaces located external to the fire in any arbitrary orientation, (2) variations of radiative heat flux along the fuel surface, from fire center to fire edge, (3) the total radiative heat transfer from the flames to the fuel surface, (4) forward radiative heat transfer from the fire to the virgin fuel bed external to the fire, (5) the angular distribution of the radiative flux emitted by the pool fire and (6) the total radiative power output of the fire. The calculations agree with experimentally measured radiative fluxes at different locations on the pool surface and outside the fire. The radiative flux from the flames to the burning fuel surface is maximum at the center of the fuel bed and it decreases markedly toward the edge of the fire. The forward radiative heat transfer from the flames, to the virgin fuel bed external to the fire, is highest at the leading edge of the fire and it decays rapidly with increasing distance from it. Necessary conditions for validity of isotropic flame radiation are established.