Fire Technology and Arson

Investigation
Fire
• Fire is the manifestation of rapid chemical reaction
occurring between fuel and an oxidizer- typically the
oxygen in the air.
• Such rapid chemical reaction releases energy in the
form of heat and light.

• The start of burning is the start of a Chain Reaction

(the burning process).
CHEMISTRY OF FIRE
three things are required for combustion or fire:
• FUEL (Combustible materials to vaporize and burn),

• OXYGEN (Oxygen in air is the common oxidizing agent, to combine

with fuel vapor

• HEAT (to raise the temperature of the fuel vapor to its

ignition temperature). The combinations of these three
elements form the so-called Fire Triangle.
 OXYGEN HEAT
FUEL
• With the presence of the elements of fire, combustion may take
place.
.

• The process is known as PYROLYSIS(also known as thermal

decomposition) -the “chemical decomposition of matter through
the action of heat”.
The combustion process is represented by the fire tetrahedron

OXYGEN HEAT
FUEL

CHAIN REACTION
• The fire tetrahedron explains- The modes of combustion are either Flaming mode or
Surface mode (Glowing– represented by the fire triangle).

• A condensed phased combustion is called glowing combustion

• A gas-phased combustion is known as flame
• If the process is confined with pressure it is called explosion
• If combustion propagates at supersonic speed, it produced a detonation
PROPERTIES OF FIRE
The Physical properties

• Specific Gravity – the ratio of the weight of a solid or liquid

substance to the weight of an equal volume of water.

• Vapor density – the weight of a volume of pure gas

composed to the volume of dry air at the same temperature
and pressure.

• Vapor Pressure – the force exerted by the molecules on the

surface of a liquid.

• Temperature – the measure of the degree of thermal

agitation of molecules.
PROPERTIES OF FIRE
The Physical properties

• Boiling Point – the constant temperature at which the vapor pressure

of the liquid is equal to the atmospheric pressure.

• Ignition/Kindling temperature – the minimum temperature at which

the substance must be heated in order to initiate combustion.

• Fire point – the lowest temperature of a liquid in an open container

at which vapors are evolved fast enough to support combustion.

• Flash point – the temperature at which a flammable liquid forms a

vapor-air mixture that ignites (mixture with in the explosive range).
The Chemical Properties

• Endothermic Reactions – changes whereby energy (heat) is absorbed or is added

before the reaction takes place.

• Exothermic Reactions – those that release or give off energy (heat) thus they produce
substances with less energy than the reactants.

• Oxidation – a chemical change that is exothermic, a change in which combustible

material (fuel) and an oxidizing agent (air), react. Example of oxidation is combustion
which is the same as actual burning (rapid oxidation)

• Flames – flames are incandescent (very bright/glowing with intense heat) gases. It is a
combustion product and a manifestation of fire when it is in its gas-phased combustion.
 Types of Flames
• Based on Color and Completeness of Combustibility of Fuel
• Luminous Flame – is orange-red, deposit soot at the bottom of a vessel being heated
due to incomplete combustion and has a low temperature.

• Non-Luminous Flame – is blue, there is complete combustion of fuel and has relatively
high temperature.

Based on Fuel and Air Mixture

• Premixed Flame – is exemplified by a Bunsen-type laboratory burner.

• Diffusion Flame –The candle flame is an example of diffusion flame governed

purely by molecular diffusion, and the flame of the oxyacetylene torch. (diffused –
dispersed, widely spread)
 Types of Flames

Based on Smoothness
• Laminar Flame – when a particle follows a smooth path through a gaseous
flame.

• Turbulent Flame – are those having unsteady, irregular flows. As physical size,
gas density or velocity is increased, all laminar gas flows tend to become
turbulent.
Classification of Combustible Materials

• Class A Fuels –wood and wood-based products.

• Class B Fuels –flammable liquids

• Class C Fuels –electrical wiring and other electrical

appliances.

• Class D Fuels –metallic substances such as magnesium,

titanium, zirconium, sodium and potassium.
Heat and Temperature
• HEAT – It is the energy possessed by a material or substance due to molecular
activity.

• heat is the transfer of energy from one part of a substance to another or from one
body to another by virtue of a difference in temperature.

• Temperature is an intensity measurement, with units in degrees on the

Celsius (centigrade),
Fahrenheit,
Kelvin scales.

• Temperature is the measurement of the degree of thermal agitation of molecules;

the hotness or coldness of something.
• Latent heat is the quantity of heat absorbed by a
substance from a solid to a liquid and from a liquid to gas.

• A number of physical changes are associated with

the change of temperature of a substance.
• SUBLIMATION -The process of changing from solid to gas
• MELTING- The process of changing from solid to liquid
• VAPORIZATION- The process of changing from liquid to vapor.
Heat Production
There are five ways to produce heat:

• Chemical – chemically produced heat is the result of rapid oxidation.

• Mechanical – mechanical heat is the product of friction.

• Electrical – electrical heat is the product of arcing, shorting or other electrical

malfunction..

• Compressed gas – when a gas is compressed, its molecular activity is greatly

increased producing heat.

• Nuclear – Nuclear energy is the product of the splitting or fusing of atomic particles
Heat Transfer

• Conduction – it is the transfer of heats by molecular

activity with in a material or medium, usually a solid.

• Convection – it is the transfer of heat through a

circulating medium, usually air or liquid. Heat transfer by
convection is chiefly responsible for the spread of fire in
structures.

• Radiation – radiated heat moves in wave and rays much

like sunlight.

• Flame contact/Direct Contact