Experimental study on artificial lightning ignition phenomenon and model of the fuel bed
Junwei Feng A , Hao Shen A and Dong Liang A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Fire Science and Technology, School of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, China.
B Corresponding author. Email: liangd3@mail.sysu.edu.cn
International Journal of Wildland Fire 30(9) 720-731 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF20005
Submitted: 10 January 2020 Accepted: 26 May 2021 Published: 28 June 2021
Abstract
As global warming continues, wildland lightning fires have exhibited an increasing trend. The phenomenon of lightning ignition and a model are urgent research fields. In this study, an impulse current generator was used to study artificial lightning ignition. Ignition phenomena for several fuel beds were compared. Flames in the grass bed existed in the form of particles, but these particle flames had a short duration and were extinguished by the shock waves from the artificial lightning. It is noteworthy that a 10/350 μs impulse current could ignite a cotton fibre bed and produce sustained and stable combustion. An artificial lightning ignition model for the fuel bed was established. The model was verified by artificial lightning ignition experiments. The results show that the model could be applied to grass and needle fuel beds and waveforms of 10/350 μs impulse current and short continuing current. The findings of this study provide valuable information for understanding the mechanism of lightning ignition.
Keywords: arc, artificial lightning ignition, bulk density, fuel bed, impulse current, Joule heat, lightning fire, long continuing current, moisture content.
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