Preliminary studies on flashover mechanism in compartment fires

The mechanism of flashover in a compartment fire is investigated using nonlinear theory through a two-layer zone model. To simplify the illustration of the approach, there is only one variable, i.e. the upper smoke temperature, with the smoke layer interface height being fixed. Effects of different factors, such as the geometry of the compartment, the thermal and chemical properties of the combustible content, and the ventilation conditions, affecting flashover are discussed. Results show that the occurrence of flashover depends on many factors, among which, heat release rate is the most important.