Burning Rate, Flame Height & Thermal Radiation
Measured from pool edge, not pool center
Understand pool fire burning rate correlations, Thomas flame height model, radiation modeling, and containment design principles
Pool fire flame height is most commonly calculated using the Thomas (1963) correlation: H/D = 42 * (m_dot / (rho_air * sqrt(g * D)))^0.61, where H is the flame height, D is the pool diameter, m_dot is the mass burning rate per unit area, rho_air is ambient air density, and g is gravitational acceleration. This correlation is valid for pool diameters from about 1 meter to over 50 meters.
Burning rates vary by fuel type. For large pool fires (D > 1 m): crude oil burns at 0.035-0.060 kg/(m2·s), gasoline at 0.055-0.065 kg/(m2·s), diesel at 0.035-0.045 kg/(m2·s), condensate at 0.050-0.065 kg/(m2·s), and LNG at 0.080-0.100 kg/(m2·s). These are mass burning rates per unit area of the pool surface.
Containment (dike or berm) limits the maximum pool diameter, which directly controls flame height and radiation. Without containment, a liquid spill spreads until the burning rate equals the spill rate, potentially creating a very large pool. Diked areas should be sized per API 2610 and NFPA 30 to limit the pool area and thus the radiation hazard to nearby equipment and personnel.