Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Division of Systems Safety and Analysis

Plant Systems Branch
Fire Protection Engineering and Special Projects Section

CHAPTER 4. ESTIMATING WALL FIRE FLAME HEIGHT

Version 1805.0
The following calculations estimate the wall fire flame height.
Parameters in YELLOW CELLS are Entered by the User.
Parameters in GREEN CELLS are Automatically Selected from the DROP DOWN MENU for the Fuel Selected.
All subsequent output values are calculated by the spreadsheet and based on values specified in the input
parameters. This spreadsheet is protected and secure to avoid errors due to a wrong entry in a cell(s).
The chapter in the NUREG should be read before an analysis is made.

INPUT PARAMETERS
Fuel Spill Volume (V) 2.00 gallons
Fuel Spill Area or Dike Area (Adike) 9.00 ft2
Mass Burning Rate of Fuel (m") 0.039 kg/m2-sec
Effective Heat of Combustion of Fuel (DHc,eff) 46000 kJ/kg
Empirical Constant (kb) 0.7 m-1

Calculate

THERMAL PROPERTIES FOR

BURNING RATE DATA FOR LIQUID HYDROCARBON FUELS
Mass Burning Rate Heat of Combustion
Fuel
m" (kg/m -sec)
2
DHc,eff (kJ/kg)
Methanol 0.017 20,000
Ethanol 0.015 26,800
Butane 0.078 45,700
Benzene 0.085 40,100
Hexane 0.074 44,700
Heptane 0.101 44,600
Xylene 0.09 40,800
Acetone 0.041 25,800
Dioxane 0.018 26,200
Diethy Ether 0.085 34,200
Benzene 0.048 44,700
Gasoline 0.055 43,700
Kerosene 0.039 43,200
Diesel 0.045 44,400
JP-4 0.051 43,500
JP-5 0.054 43,000
Transformer Oil, Hydrocarbon 0.039 46,000
561 Silicon Transformer Fluid 0.005 28,100
Fuel Oil, Heavy 0.035 39,700
Crude Oil 0.034 42,600
Lube Oil 0.039 46,000
User Specified Value Enter Value Enter Value
Reference: SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering, 3rd Edition, Page 3-26.
Heat Release Rate Calculation

1
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Division of Systems Safety and Analysis
Plant Systems Branch
Fire Protection Engineering and Special Projects Section

Reference: SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering, 3rd Edition, 2002, Page 3-25.

Q = m"DHc,eff (1 - e-kb D) Adike

Where Q = pool fire heat release rate (kW)
m" = mass burning rate of fuel per unit surface area (kg/m2-sec)
DHc,eff = effective heat of combustion of fuel (kJ/kg)
Af = Adike = surface area of pool fire (area involved in vaporization) (m2)
kb = empirical constant (m-1)
D = diameter of pool fire (diameter involved in vaporization, circular pool is assumed) (m)
(Liquids with relatively high flash point, like transformer
oil require localized heating to achieve ignition)
Pool Fire Diameter Calculation
Adike = pD2/4
D = √(4Adike/p)
Where Adike = surface area of pool fire (m2)
D = pool fire diamter (m)
D= 1.032 m

Heat Release Rate Calculation

Q = m"DHc,eff (1-e-kb D) Adike
Q= 771.52 kW 731.26 Btu/sec
Heat Release Rate Per Unit Length of Fire Calculation
Q' = Q/L
Where Q' = heat release rate per unit length (kW/m)
Q = fire heat release rate of the fire (kW)
L = length of the fire source (m)

Fire Source Length Calculation

L x W = Adike
Lx W= 0.836 m2
L= 0.914 m

Q' = Q/L
Q' = 843.75 kW/m

ESTIMATING WALL FIRE FLAME HEIGHT

Reference: NFPA Fire Protection Handbook, 19th Edition, 2003, Page 3-134.

Hf(wall) = 0.034 Q'2/3

Where Hf(wall) = wall fire flame height (m)
Q' = rate of heat release per unit length of the fire (kW/m)
Hf(wall) = 0.034 Q'2/3
Hf(wall) = 3.04 m 9.96 ft Answer

NOTE
The above calculations are based on principles developed in the SFPE Handbook of Fire

2
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Division of Systems Safety and Analysis
Plant Systems Branch
Fire Protection Engineering and Special Projects Section

Protection Engineering, 3rd Edition, 2002, and NFPA Fire Protection Handbook, 19th Edition, 2003.
Calculations are based on certain assumptions and have inherent limitations. The results of
such calculations may or may not have reasonable predictive capabilities for a given situation, and
should only be interpreted by an informed user.
Although each calculation in the spreadsheet has been verified with the results of hand calculation,
there is no absolute guarantee of the accuracy of these calculations.
Any questions, comments, concerns, and suggestions, or to report an error(s) in the spreadsheet,
please send an email to [email protected] or [email protected].

Prepared by: Date Organization

Checked by: Date Organization

Additional Information

Revision Log Description of Revision

1805.0 Original issue with final text.

3
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Division of Systems Safety and Analysis
Plant Systems Branch
Fire Protection Engineering and Special Projects Section

4
 Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Division of Systems Safety and Analysis
Plant Systems Branch
Fire Protection Engineering and Special Projects Section

ENU for the Fuel Selected.

ecified in the input
ntry in a cell(s).

0.0076 m3
0.836 m2

Empirical Constant Select Fuel Type

kb (m ) -1

100 Scroll to desired fuel type then

100 Click on selection
2.7
2.7
1.9
1.1
1.4
1.9
5.4
0.7
3.6
2.1
3.5
2.1
3.6
1.6
0.7
100
1.7
2.8
0.7
Enter Value

5
 Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Division of Systems Safety and Analysis
Plant Systems Branch
Fire Protection Engineering and Special Projects Section

ircular pool is assumed) (m)

lash point, like transformer
to achieve ignition)

Answer

Handbook of Fire

6
 Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Division of Systems Safety and Analysis
Plant Systems Branch
Fire Protection Engineering and Special Projects Section

dbook, 19th Edition, 2003.

ions. The results of
s for a given situation, and

results of hand calculation,

ror(s) in the spreadsheet,

Date
January 2004

7
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Division of Systems Safety and Analysis
Plant Systems Branch
Fire Protection Engineering and Special Projects Section

8
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Division of Systems Safety and Analysis
Plant Systems Branch
Fire Protection Engineering and Special Projects Section

CHAPTER 4. ESTIMATING CORNER FIRE FLAME HEIGHT

Version 1805.0
The following calculations estimate the corner fire flame height.
Parameters in YELLOW CELLS are Entered by the User.
Parameters in GREEN CELLS are Automatically Selected from the DROP DOWN MENU for the Fuel Selected.
All subsequent output values are calculated by the spreadsheet and based on values specified in the input
parameters. This spreadsheet is protected and secure to avoid errors due to a wrong entry in a cell(s).
The chapter in the NUREG should be read before an analysis is made.

INPUT PARAMETERS
Fuel Spill Volume (V) 1.50 gallons
Fuel Spill Area or Dike Area (Adike) 10.00 ft2
Mass Burning Rate of Fuel (m") 0.045 kg/m2-sec
Effective Heat of Combustion of Fuel (DHc,eff) 44400 kJ/kg
Empirical Constant (kb) 2.1 m-1

Calculate

THERMAL PROPERTIES FOR

BURNING RATE DATA FOR LIQUID HYDROCARBON FUELS
Mass Burning Rate Heat of Combustion
Fuel
m" (kg/m2-sec) DHc,eff (kJ/kg)
Methanol 0.017 20,000
Ethanol 0.015 26,800
Butane 0.078 45,700
Benzene 0.085 40,100
Hexane 0.074 44,700
Heptane 0.101 44,600
Xylene 0.09 40,800
Acetone 0.041 25,800
Dioxane 0.018 26,200
Diethy Ether 0.085 34,200
Benzene 0.048 44,700
Gasoline 0.055 43,700
Kerosene 0.039 43,200
Diesel 0.045 44,400
JP-4 0.051 43,500
JP-5 0.054 43,000
Transformer Oil, Hydrocarbon 0.039 46,000
561 Silicon Transformer Fluid 0.005 28,100
Fuel Oil, Heavy 0.035 39,700
Crude Oil 0.034 42,600
Lube Oil 0.039 46,000
User Specified Value Enter Value Enter Value
Reference: SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering, 3rd Edition, Page 3-26.
Heat Release Rate Calculation

9
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Division of Systems Safety and Analysis
Plant Systems Branch
Fire Protection Engineering and Special Projects Section

Reference: SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering, 3rd Edition, 2002, Page 3-25.

Q = m"DHc,eff (1 - e-kb D) Af
Where Q = pool fire heat release rate (kW)
m" = mass burning rate of fuel per unit surface area (kg/m2-sec)
DHc,eff = effective heat of combustion of fuel (kJ/kg)
Af = Adike = surface area of pool fire (area involved in vaporization) (m2)
kb = empirical constant (m-1)
D = diameter of pool fire (diameter involved in vaporization, circular pool is assumed) (m)
(Liquids with relatively high flash point, like transformer
oil require localized heating to achieve ignition)
Pool Fire Diameter Calculation
Adike = pD2/4
D = √(4Adike/p)
Where Adike = surface area of pool fire (m2)
D = pool fire diamter (m)
D= 1.088 m
Heat Release Rate Calculation
Q = m"DHc,eff (1-e-kb D) Adike
Q= 1667.09 kW 1580.10 Btu/sec
ESTIMATING CORNER FIRE FLAME HEIGHT
Reference: Hesemi and Tokunaga, "Modeling of Turbulent Diffusion Flames and Fire Plumes for the Analysis of Fire Growth,"
Growth," Proceeding of the 21th National Heat Transfer Conference, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), 1983.
Hf(corner) = 0.075 Q3/5
Where Q = heat release rate of the fire (kW)
Hf(corner) = 0.075 Q3/5
Hf(corner) = 6.43 m 21.10 ft Answer

NOTE
The above calculations are based on principles developed in the SFPE Handbook of Fire
Protection Engineering, 3rd Edition, 2002 and Hesemi and Tokunage, 1983.
Calculations are based on certain assumptions and have inherent limitations. The results of
such calculations may or may not have reasonable predictive capabilities for a given situation,
and should only be interpreted by an informed user.
Although each calculation in the spreadsheet has been verified with the results of hand calculation,
there is no absolute guarantee of the accuracy of these calculations.
Any questions, comments, concerns, and suggestions, or to report an error(s) in the spreadsheet,
please send an email to [email protected] or [email protected].

10
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Division of Systems Safety and Analysis
Plant Systems Branch
Fire Protection Engineering and Special Projects Section

Prepared by: Date Organization

Checked by: Date Organization

Additional Information

Revision Log Description of Revision

1805.0 Original issue with final text.

11
 Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Division of Systems Safety and Analysis
Plant Systems Branch
Fire Protection Engineering and Special Projects Section

MENU for the Fuel Selected.

specified in the input
entry in a cell(s).

0.0057 m3

0.929 m2

Empirical Constant Select Fuel Type

kb (m-1)
100 Scroll to desired fuel type then
100 Click on selection
2.7
2.7
1.9
1.1
1.4
1.9
5.4
0.7
3.6
2.1
3.5
2.1
3.6
1.6
0.7
100
1.7
2.8
0.7
Enter Value

12
 Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Division of Systems Safety and Analysis
Plant Systems Branch
Fire Protection Engineering and Special Projects Section

circular pool is assumed) (m)

lash point, like transformer
to achieve ignition)

umes for the Analysis of Fire Growth,"

Mechanical Engineers (ASME), 1983.

Answer

E Handbook of Fire

ations. The results of

es for a given situation,

e results of hand calculation,

error(s) in the spreadsheet,

13
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Division of Systems Safety and Analysis
Plant Systems Branch
Fire Protection Engineering and Special Projects Section

Date
January 2005

14
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Division of Systems Safety and Analysis
Plant Systems Branch
Fire Protection Engineering and Special Projects Section

CHAPTER 4. ESTIMATING LINE FIRE FLAME HEIGHT AGAINST THE WALL

Version 1805.0
The following calculations estimate the line fire flame height against the wall.
Parameters in YELLOW CELLS are Entered by the User.
Parameters in GREEN CELLS are Automatically Selected from the DROP DOWN MENU for the Fuel Selected.
All subsequent output values are calculated by the spreadsheet and based on values specified in the input
parameters. This spreadsheet is protected and secure to avoid errors due to a wrong entry in a cell(s).
The chapter in the NUREG should be read before an analysis is made.

INPUT PARAMETERS
Fuel Spill Volume (V) 15.00 gallons 0.0568
Fuel Spill Area or Dike Area (Adike) 30.00 ft 2
2.787
Mass Burning Rate of Fuel (m") 0.045 kg/m2-sec
Effective Heat of Combustion of Fuel (DHc,eff) 44400 kJ/kg
Empirical Constant (kb) 2.1 m-1

Calculate

THERMAL PROPERTIES FOR

BURNING RATE DATA FOR LIQUID HYDROCARBON FUELS
Empirical
Fuel Mass Burning Rate Heat of Combustion Constant
m" (kg/m2-sec) DHc,eff (kJ/kg) kb (m-1)
Methanol 0.017 20,000 100
Ethanol 0.015 26,800 100
Butane 0.078 45,700 2.7
Benzene 0.085 40,100 2.7
Hexane 0.074 44,700 1.9
Heptane 0.101 44,600 1.1
Xylene 0.09 40,800 1.4
Acetone 0.041 25,800 1.9
Dioxane 0.018 26,200 5.4
Diethy Ether 0.085 34,200 0.7
Benzene 0.048 44,700 3.6
Gasoline 0.055 43,700 2.1
Kerosene 0.039 43,200 3.5
Diesel 0.045 44,400 2.1
JP-4 0.051 43,500 3.6
JP-5 0.054 43,000 1.6
Transformer Oil, Hydrocarbon 0.039 46,000 0.7
561 Silicon Transformer Fluid 0.005 28,100 100
Fuel Oil, Heavy 0.035 39,700 1.7
Crude Oil 0.034 42,600 2.8
Lube Oil 0.039 46,000 0.7
User Specified Value Enter Value Enter Value Enter Value
Reference: SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering, 3rd Edition, Page 3-26.

15
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Division of Systems Safety and Analysis
Plant Systems Branch
Fire Protection Engineering and Special Projects Section

Heat Release Rate Calculation

Reference: SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering, 3rd Edition, 2002, Page 3-25.

Q = m"DHc,eff (1 - e-kb D) Af
Where Q = pool fire heat release rate (kW)
m" = mass burning rate of fuel per unit surface area (kg/m2-sec)
DHc,eff = effective heat of combustion of fuel (kJ/kg)
Af = Adike = surface area of pool fire (area involved in vaporization) (m2)
kb = empirical constant (m-1)
D = diameter of pool fire (diameter involved in vaporization, circular pool is assumed) (m)
(Liquids with relatively high flash point, like transformer
oil require localized heating to achieve ignition)
Pool Fire Diameter Calculation
Adike = pD2/4
D = √(4Adike/p)
Where Adike = surface area of pool fire (m2)
D = pool fire diamter (m)
D= 1.884 m

Heat Release Rate Calculation

Q = m"DHc,eff (1-e-kb D) Adike
Q= 5462.02 kW 5177.01 Btu/sec
Heat Release Rate Per Unit Length of Fire Calculation
Q' = Q/L
Where Q' = heat release rate per unit length (kW/m)
Q = fire heat release rate of the fire (kW)
L = length of the fire source (m)

Fire Source Length Calculation

L x W = Adike
Lx W= 2.787 m2
L= 1.669 m

Q' = Q/L
Q' = 3271.73 kW/m

ESTIMATING LINE WALL FIRE FLAME HEIGHT

Reference: NFPA Fire Protection Handbook, 19th Edition, 2003, Page 3-134.

Hf(wall line) = 0.017 Q' 2/3

Where Hf(wall line) = wall fire flame height (m)
Q' = rate of heat release per unit length of the fire (kW/m)
Hf(wall line) = 0.017 Q' 2/3
Hf(wall line) = 3.75 m 12.29 ft Answer

NOTE

16
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Division of Systems Safety and Analysis
Plant Systems Branch
Fire Protection Engineering and Special Projects Section

NOTE
The above calculations are based on principles developed in the SFPE Handbook of Fire
Protection Engineering, 3rd Edition, 2002, and NFPA Fire Protection Handbook, 19th Edition, 2003.
Calculations are based on certain assumptions and have inherent limitations. The results of
such calculations may or may not have reasonable predictive capabilities for a given situation, and
should only be interpreted by an informed user.
Although each calculation in the spreadsheet has been verified with the results of hand calculation,
there is no absolute guarantee of the accuracy of these calculations.
Any questions, comments, concerns, and suggestions, or to report an error(s) in the spreadsheets,
please send an email to [email protected] or [email protected].

Prepared by: Date Organization

Checked by: Date Organization

Additional Information

Revision Log Description of Revision

1805.0 Original issue with final text.

17
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Division of Systems Safety and Analysis
Plant Systems Branch
Fire Protection Engineering and Special Projects Section

18
 Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Division of Systems Safety and Analysis
Plant Systems Branch
Fire Protection Engineering and Special Projects Section

E WALL

Fuel Selected.

m3
m2

Select Fuel Type

Scroll to desired fuel type then

Click on selection

19
 Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Division of Systems Safety and Analysis
Plant Systems Branch
Fire Protection Engineering and Special Projects Section

is assumed) (m)
transformer

20
 Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Division of Systems Safety and Analysis
Plant Systems Branch
Fire Protection Engineering and Special Projects Section

dition, 2003.

situation, and

nd calculation,

preadsheets,

Date
January 2005

21
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Division of Systems Safety and Analysis
Plant Systems Branch
Fire Protection Engineering and Special Projects Section

22