Aug 16, 2010: Russia Burns

spudcon · 08-16-2010, 09:39 PM

If there's so much CO2 in the air, why doesn't it put the fire out?

Bullitt · 08-16-2010, 10:27 PM

Fire sucks in fresh air from near the ground, then the heat blasts unburnt fuels and byproduct gases way up into the sky forming those giant plumes of smoke. The CO2 never gets a chance to displace the oxygen feeding the fire because it is carried up so quickly, and is actually released from the fuel source above where combustion is actually occurring.

spudcon · 08-17-2010, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bullitt

Fire sucks in fresh air from near the ground, then the heat blasts unburnt fuels and byproduct gases way up into the sky forming those giant plumes of smoke. The CO2 never gets a chance to displace the oxygen feeding the fire because it is carried up so quickly, and is actually released from the fuel source above where combustion is actually occurring.

I got thinking about CO2 being heavier than air, but I guess you explained that too.

Bullitt · 08-17-2010, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spudcon

I got thinking about CO2 being heavier than air, but I guess you explained that too.

CO2 (and CO, which is why your household CO detector should be near the floor) is more dense than air, but that density is no match for the buoyant force of the heat from the fire. However that only applies in wildfires. Unventilated structure fires are a whole different ball game.

Griff · 08-18-2010, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bullitt

CO2 (and CO, which is why your household CO detector should be near the floor) is more dense than air, but that density is no match for the buoyant force of the heat from the fire. However that only applies in wildfires. Unventilated structure fires are a whole different ball game.

Please leave Colorado out of this, they're doing their best.

xoxoxoBruce · 08-26-2010, 08:06 AM

The rising superheated air will even form a mini-tornado.

08-16-2010, 09:39 PM	#1
spudcon Beware of potatoes Join Date: May 2007 Location: Upstate NY, USA Posts: 2,078	If there's so much CO2 in the air, why doesn't it put the fire out? __________________ "I believe that being despised by the despicable is as good as being admired by the admirable."

08-16-2010, 10:27 PM	#2
Bullitt This is a fully functional babe lair Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 2,324	Fire sucks in fresh air from near the ground, then the heat blasts unburnt fuels and byproduct gases way up into the sky forming those giant plumes of smoke. The CO2 never gets a chance to displace the oxygen feeding the fire because it is carried up so quickly, and is actually released from the fuel source above where combustion is actually occurring. __________________ Kiss my white Irish ass.

08-26-2010, 08:06 AM	#6
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	The rising superheated air will even form a mini-tornado. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)