FIRE TECHNOLOGY & ARSON

INVESTIGATION
WEEK 4

Prepared By: Sir Algin John G.

Caccam
 Classification of Fuels (Combustible
Materials):
• 1. Class A Fuels – they are ordinary combustible
materials that are usually made of organic
substances such as wood and wood-based
products. It includes some synthetic or inorganic
materials like rubber, leather, and plastic
products.
• 2. Class B Fuels – materials that are in the form of
flammable liquids such as alcohol, acidic
solutions, oil, liquid petroleum products, etc.
• 3. Class C Fuels – they are normally fire
resistant materials such as materials used on
electrical wiring and other electrical
appliances.
• 4. Class D Fuels – they are combustible
metallic substances such as magnesium,
titanium, zirconium, sodium and potassium.
 General Categories of Fuel:
• 1. Solid Combustible Materials- organic and inorganic,
natural or synthetic, and metallic or solid materials.
-the principal component is carbon.
* Pyrolysis- is generally defined as the chemical
decomposition of matter by the action of heat or the
chemical process whereby fire consumes the most solid
part of the fuel.
• 2. Liquid Combustible Materials- includes all
flammable fuels and chemicals.
-the principal component is hydrocarbon
-the most common liquid fuels are kerosene,
gasoline, etc.
• 3. Gaseous Substances- includes those
toxic/hazardous gasses that are capable of
ignition.
- The principal component is hydrocarbon.
- Gaseous fuels are either natural or
manufactured flammable gases. They have no
definite shape or volume and assume the shape
and volume of their containers.
 The Solid Fuels
• The most obvious solid fuels are wood, paper,
and cloth. Its burning rates depend on its
configuration. For example, solid fuels in the
form of dust will burn faster than bulky
materials.
 Types of Flammable solids
• a. Pyrolyzable solid fuels- includes many of the
ordinary accepted combustibles: wood, paper
and so on. The vapors released by their
chemical decomposition support flaming
combustion. This exemplifies a gas to gas
reaction: the vapors released mixed with
oxygen in the air to produce a flame.
• b. Non-pyrolyzable solid fuels- solid fuels that
is difficult to ignite. A common example is
charcoal. Chemical decomposition does not
occur because there are no pyrolyzable
elements present. No vapors released. The
glowing combustion that results is an example
of gas to solid reaction.
The following are the group
of solid fuels:
1. Biomass
• it is the name given to such replaceable
organic matters like wood, garbage and animal
manure that can be use to produce energy.
For example, heat produced by burning
nutshells, rice and oat hulls, and other by-
products of food processing. They are often
used to operate plant equipment.
Factors affecting the combustibility of
wood and wood based products:
• a. Physical form- the smaller the piece of
wood, the easier it is to burn.
• b. Moisture content (water content)- the
freshly cut wood is more difficult to ignite and
burn than dry wood.
• c. Heat conductivity- a poor conductor of heat
takes longer time to ignite than those
materials that are good conductors of heat.
• d. Rate and period of heating- less flammable
materials don’t easily ignite and needs direct
contact with flame than highly combustible
materials.
• e. Rate of combustion- with an unlimited supply
of oxygen, the rate burns increases, more heat is
produced and fuel is consumed more completely.
• f. Ignition temperature- the higher the
temperature, the faster it reaches ignition point
and it varies depending on the other factors
above.
2 . Fabrics and Textiles-
• Almost all fabrics and textiles are combustible.
A fiber is a very fine strand or thread like
object. Fabrics are twisted or woven fibers.
And textiles are machine woven or knitted
fabric.
Classification of Fibers
• a. Natural Fibers- they come from plants.
(Coir-coconut fiber, Cotton- seed fiber, Pulp-
wood fiber) From animals (wool, silk, protein
fibers- leather); from minerals (asbestos).
• b. Synthetic/Artificial Fibers- organic fibers,
cellulose fibers, cellulose acetate, non
cellulose and inorganic fibers like fiber glass,
steel.
 Factors affecting combustibility of
Fibers:
• a. Chemical composition- natural and synthetic
fibers are generally highly combustible materials
especially if they are dry.
• b. Fiber finish or coating- fiber coating combined
with organic fibers are supportive to continued
burning of fabric.
• c. Fabric weight- the heavier the fabric, the
greater its resistance to ignition. Thus delaying
the ignition.
• d. Tightness of weave- the closer the fiber is
woven, the smaller the space it contains, and
thus it takes a longer period to ignite.
• e. Flame retardant treatment- fabric treated
with flame retardant has higher resistance to
ignition.
END OF DISCUSSION