Fortune favours the bold

Smouldering fire of large compost heap in Havelock

2012-01-27T10:05:00.000-08:00

After Hurricane Irene made landfall on Aug 27, 2011, the city of Havelock in North Carolina (USA) decided to shred all damaged trees and vegetation and collect them in a large heap. The biomass stockpile is ~4000 m^3 in volume, the equivakent capacity of a 16 m cube. The idea was to produce plenty of compost for the city. But as the heap dried and decomposed, on its way to become compost, it

Computational model of new clean-up technology

2011-12-29T13:27:00.000-08:00

We have just published a paper in the journal Environmental Modelling & Software reporting our computational model of the combustion technology that cleans soils (EMS 2011, in press). Based on the physics of the problem, the model simulates the destruction of industrial chemicals found extensively polluting the subsurface and aquifers. This very promising remediation technology is called STAR

Travelling fires paper wins Lloyd's Science of Risk Prize

2011-11-28T16:10:00.001-08:00

We have won the 2011 Lloyd’s Science of Risk Prize in the Technology category for the paper "The Influence of Travelling Fires on a Concrete Frame" (published in Engineering Structures 33). Winners of the 2011 Lloyd’s Science of Risk Prize. Dr Law is is second from the right. The work argues that the trend towards open plan offices has changed the types of fire likely to occur in modern

Smouldering mega-fires in the Earth system

2011-11-15T20:06:00.001-08:00

I just gave the presentation "Smouldering mega-fires in the Earth system" at the conference Exploring the Mega-fire Reality, Florida State University. It went well very, good questions (~8) from audience and great feedback. The abstract is below. Smouldering mega-fires in the Earth system (function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async

Smouldering and self-sustaining reactions in solids: an experimental approach

2011-10-24T13:56:00.000-07:00

I am delighted to announce that the PhD thesis of my student Rory is now online: Smouldering and self-sustaining reactions in solids: an experimental approach (clik on title for pdf) by Rory Hadden, PhD, University of Edinburgh, 2011 The Ostedijk on 21st February (the 5th day) after the hold was opened and before specialized firefighting activities had commenced. Derived from photograph

Accidental combustion of a coal waste heap in Scotland burning since 2009

2011-09-30T10:05:00.000-07:00

Researchers at the Universities of Edinburgh and Strathclyde have studied a burning Bing. A 30 m high waste heap at Bogside, North Lanarkshire, Scotland, started to smoulder (flameless combustion) in 2009, approximately 80 years after the closure of the pit. The work was presented at the Geological Society of America Annual Meeting in Minneapolis, USA. Presentation reference: Investigation of

Abysmal technical gaps in Scientific American

2011-09-29T03:27:00.000-07:00

I recently sent a Letter to the Editor of Scientific American calling her attention to the abysmal technical gaps in the September issue article "Castles in the Air" by Mark Lamster where the failed prophecy that the attacks of 9/11 were to end the age of the skyscraper is discussed. The letter can be read here and is reproduced below. UPDATE Sept 2011: This letter was followed by two more

Disasters of divine origin and Engineering

2011-09-23T06:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, on the train from King's Cross to Waverly, I read in History Today an interesting article about the other Great Fire of Rome (AD 192), second after that with Nero's infamous role in AD 64: Galen and the Great Fire of Rome A newly rediscovered ancient letter by the great physician Galen offers a prime example of how fire was seen as a act of god against which humans could do little.

Accidental Burning of Fossil Fuels

2011-09-13T06:48:00.000-07:00

(aka, Accidental Emissions from Fossil Fuels) Next week, I will present at the Royal Academy of Engineering a brief poster summarizing the work that I have developed with the generous funding of the RAEng/Leverhulme Fellowship. The poster is here (pdf). A related seminar I gave at UC Berkeley in July can be watched in youtube here. The following reproduces the content of the poster: World

Smouldering wildfire burning in New Orleans

2011-09-02T09:01:00.000-07:00

The organic soil of Loiusiana marshes near New Orleans is smouldering in at least two separated locations. The fire continues to slowly spread after several days, and the smoke is now affecting town up to 160 km away. The Louisiana National Guard has been called in to help in the suppresion. Smouldering fires of organic soils like peat burn underground and are the most difficult fire pheonmena

Cut or not cut peat? but never let it burn accidentally

2011-08-26T08:49:00.000-07:00

Prof Ian Rotherham, ecologist and landscape historian at Sheffield Hallam University, has written a letter to The Telegraph "Peat cutting must be regulated, not banned". He argues for "enlightened management of peat resouces". The process of peatlands restoration must continue. But he notes that this could be combined with traditional uses as domestic fuel; "we can allow the traditional peat fire

Quenching the Reactive Earth - talk given at UC Berkeley

2011-08-01T04:36:00.000-07:00

Quenching the Reactive Earth - Accidental Burning of Fossil-Fuels and Geoengineering I recently gave a research seminar at the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of California where I presented some of my research ideas. I start by summarizing my academic career to date and then proceed to talk about smouldering mega fires of natural coal and peat deposits. I have termed

Modelling of transient flows in tunnel fires

2011-07-27T03:35:00.000-07:00

Our most recent paper on tunnel fires has just been published in the journal Computers and Fluids. The title is: Multiscale Modelling of the Transient Flows from Fire and Ventilation in Long Tunnels The paper applies a transient multiscale approach to model ventilation flows and fires in a long tunnel. It couples dynamically a Computational Fluid Dynamics solver with a simple 1D model, allowing

Despite the laws of thermodynamics that govern wildfires: NYT article

2011-07-19T08:29:00.000-07:00

The NYT published last month a very interesting article on the use of computer modelling of wildfires to aid fire fighting decisions during the recent extreme fire behaviour suffered in Arizona, USA. The full article is Fighting Wildfires With Computers and Intuition. Some excerpts that I found interesting are: ... Fire behaviorists work alongside meteorologists, given that the weather,

Smouldering mega fires are back in Russia: burning peat

2011-07-10T23:37:00.000-07:00

Remember the Russian wildfires last summer that choked the city of Moscow and other regions? These were smouldering mega fires burning for several weeks and caused by the slow burning of dry peatlands. See here for an introduction to smouldering combustion. Unfortunately, they are back this summer. Last week, they were several flaming fires burning in the region of Moscow. After flames were

Call for papers: Fire Technology special issue on WTC Collapse

2011-07-04T06:16:00.000-07:00

Fire Technology, the journal of the National Fire Protection Association published by Springer, is preparing an issue on the 2001 fire and collapse of World Trade Center. The purpose is to collect research, forensic and engineering output of the highest scholarly standards synthesized in the 10 years passed since the event. Multidisciplinary and international contributions are especially

Smouldering mega fire in North Carolina Wildlife Refuge

2011-06-17T08:47:00.000-07:00

A peat fire has been burning in North Carolina since May 4 inside the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. It is only 75% contain so far, and the higher summer temperatures are arriving fast. It could burn for several more months. It is believed to had started with a lightning strike [ref]. A recent local article reports "crews pump millions of gallons of water on stubborn ground fire that

Bifurcations and Forecasting Scenarios - in CO2 emissions

2011-06-15T03:12:00.000-07:00

I was quickly reading over a new paper on renewable energy policy [Krey and Clarke 2011], and realized that there is a visual link between global CO2 emission predictions and a bifurcation diagram. The bigger plot below shows "Historic and projected global fossil and industrial CO2 emissions across all scenarios between 1900 and 2100", Figure 1 in Krey and Clarke 2011. The red-frame insert is

Inaugural Lecture on Multiscale Modelling of Tunnel Fires

2011-06-08T07:32:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday 1 June, I gave this Inaugural Lecture on Multiscale Modelling of Tunnel Fires at the I Fire Engineering Conference at Universidad Politecnica de Valencia. The lecture is based on the PhD thesis of Francesco Colella (2010), my second PhD student. Multiscale Modelling of Tunnel Fires(function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript";

Forecasting Fire Dynamics - IOP talk

2011-05-24T04:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday 23 May, I gave this invited talk on Forecasting Fire Dynamics at the Institute of Physics Combustion Group meeting on Combustion Modelling for Challenging Applications, University of Southampton. It is based on the PhD thesis of Wolfram Jahn (2010), my very first PhD student. Forecasting Fire Dynamics IOP May 2011(function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type

Fundamentals of Combustion Processes, Springer 2011

2011-05-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

Spinger has published a new book on combustion. It is based on the long-running undergraduate course at UC Berkeley ME140 Combustion Processes taught originally by Prof Carlos Fernandez-Pello (my former PhD supervisor): Fundamentals of Combustion Processes 2011, Springer (Amazon $79.11) The book is very accessible to engineering students interested in combustion but not advanced in their

The park that came back from the dead

2011-05-16T16:58:00.000-07:00

I was quoted in the article that The Independent published last Saturday on Spain's wetlands National Park Las Tablas de Daimiel: The park that came back from the dead The article quotes some of my comments published in the 2010 interview for El Pais. They said Guillermo Reim, but sure the meant Rein :). The article summarizes the recent story of the park, from being completely dry due to

Wildfires UK and interviews in the BBC and LBC Radio

2011-05-10T04:08:00.000-07:00

The unusual warn and sunny weather spell that we have been enjoying recently over most of the UK has unfortunately led to an intensification of wildfires. Because of the sudden media attention on the topic, on 4 May I was interview by BBC Radio Wales about wildfire dynamics. You can listen to the audio here. Minutes after, I was interviewed by Nick Ferrari in LBC Radio (97.3). The worst is

Laser guns and Ignition times - research paper

2011-04-12T07:16:00.000-07:00

We have published recently a paper in Combustion and Flame titled "Numerical Investigation of the Ignition Delay Time of a Translucent Solid at High Radiant Heat Fluxes" This investigation revisits the theory explaining the ignition of a solid surface via a radiation external source. It led to a discovery affecting our understanding of how fires start and spread. The paper explains the failure

Oral presentation at EGU: Climate Feedbacks on Smouldering Earth

2011-04-06T03:42:00.000-07:00

Yesterday 6 April, I gave this talk on Climate Feedbacks on Smouldering Earth at the 2011 European Geosciences Union, Vienna: Climate Feedbacks on Smouldering Earth (talk at EGU Vienna 2011) (function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "http://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s =