A MODEL FOR PREDICTING THE THERMAL-RADIATION HAZARDS FROM LARGE-SCALEHORIZONTALLY RELEASED NATURAL-GAS JET FIRES

A new model is described for predicting the size and orientation of la rge-scale, accidental, horizontally released natural gas jet fires and the thermal radiation emitted to external objects. The flame is repre sented by a frustum of a cone. The relative influences of the jet mome ntum flux, buoyancy forces and the wind momentum flux are determined b y correlations derived from large-scale experiments carried out over a wide range of release and weather conditions. The surface radiative e mission, from the ends and sides of the model flame shape, differs in a way that is representative of the variation of radiative emission wi th emitting path length through the flame. Predictions and experimenta l measurements are compared. The model can be implemented on personal computers.