The fluid mechanics of fire whirls: An inviscid model

• DOI: 10.1063/1.1308510
• Publication Date: 2002-07-26T12:41:43Z
• Authors: Francine Battaglia; Ronald G. Rehm; Howard R. Baum
• Keywords: Inviscid flow; Entrainment (biomusicology); Momentum (technical analysis)

Whirling fire plumes are known to increase the danger of naturally occurring or post-disaster fires. In order for a whirl exist, there must be an organized source angular momentum produce large swirl velocities as air is entrained into plume. These vorticity-driven fires occur over range length and velocity scales, significantly alter entrainment combustion dynamics. A new model derived buoyant plume that incorporates rotation neglects dissipation; result form steady state Euler equations. Included general solution density temperature variations. Results presented identify mechanisms their effects toward creating whirl.