Degradation modelling of wildland fuels

Abstract

The combustion of forest fuels at laboratory scale is studied by using a Large Eddy Simulation (LES) fire simulator named ForestFireFOAM (FFF), based on the FireFoam package with the addition of a multiphase formulation adapted for highly porous fuel, such as pine needles. Experiments conducted with the FM-Global Fire Propagation Apparatus (FPA) were reproduced with FFF. Arrhenius-type laws were used to model the evaporation and pyrolysis rates. As these laws are temperature-dependent, the mass loss rate and the temperature distribution inside the fuel sample were selected as comparison criteria to better understand the porous fuel heating process using appropriate convective and radiative models and to better describe the burning dynamics of the fuel.