The Fire Triangle

Essential elements for combustion

When fuel, oxidizer, and an ignition source are
present at the necessary levels, burning will occur.
The fire triangle tells us a fire will not occur if:
(1) fuel is not present or is not present in sufficient
quantities,
(2) an oxidizer is not present or is not present in
sufficient quantities, and
(3) the ignition source is not energetic enough to
initiate the fire.
Relationship between Flammability properties
Example
Q10) Flammability limits for vapors are detected experimentally
in a specially established closed vessel apparatus. Use
flammability characteristics to check if the following mixtures
are flammable:
All in volume %
Mixture I Mixture II Mixture III
Ethylene 1.5 0.3 0.3
Ethyl ether 0.0 0.6 0.0
Hexane 1.2 0.0 1.7
Acetone 0.0 1.1 0.0
Methane 1.3 0.0 1.0

Lower flammability limits (LFL) for hexane, methane,

ethylene, acetone and ethyl ether are 1.2, 5.0, 2.7, 2.6 and
1.9, respectively. Upper flammability limits (UFL) for hexane,
methane, ethylene, acetone and ethyl ether are 7.5, 15, 36,
12.8 and 48.0, respectively.
• (b) The upper flammability limit for a substance is 17.0%
by volume at 0.101 MPa gauge pressure. Apply
flammability limit dependence on pressure to obtain the
UFL at 4.7 MPa and 7.4 MPa gauge pressure?
• Following equations may be helpful:
•

• where LFLi is the lower flammable limit for component,

UFLi is the upper flammable limit for component i, yi is
the mole fraction of component i on a combustible
basis, n is the number of combustible species. UFLP is
the upper flammable limit at pressure P, UFL is the
upper flammable limit at ambient condition.
• Sol 10
Prevention
 • Consider an inerting system
designed to maintain the oxygen
concentration below 10%.
• As oxygen leaks into the vessel and
the concentration rises to 8%, a
Example signal from the oxygen sensor
opens the inert gas feed valve.
Inerting • Once again the oxygen level is
System adjusted to 6%. This closed loop
control system, with high (8%) and
low (6%) inerting set points,
maintains the oxygen concentration
at safe levels with a reasonable
margin of safety.