Fire Technology & Arson

Investigation
Theories of Combustion
1. Fire Triangle Theory
– 3 elements are necessary in order to create
fire.
2. Fire Tetrahedron Theory
- fourth element is known as the “Chemical
Chain Reaction”
3. Life Cycle of Fire Theory
- stages/steps wherein fire is created
Fire Triangle Theory
Fire Triangle Theory
1. Heat – a form of energy measured in degree of temperature;
- product of combustion caused by fire
Sources of heat:
a. open flame
b. hot surfaces
c. sparks/arcs
d. Electrical energy
Fire Triangle Theory
2. Oxygen – odorless and colorless gas
- one of air composition that support fire (21%)
- 16% of oxygen is needed
- fuel contains oxygen to support burning
3. Fuel – combustibles which reacts with oxygen and produces flame
- fuel maybe: a. solid (coal, wood, paper, cloth)
b. Liquid (gasoline, kerosene, turpentine)
c. Gas (natural gas, propane, butane, hydrogen)
Fire Tetrahedron Theory
Fire Tetrahedron Theory
Elements:
1. Oxygen - oxidizing agent
2. Fuel - Reducing agent
3. Heat - Temperature
4. Self sustained Chemical Reaction – series of events that occur in
sequence when all of the reaction of all elements are added
together.
Life Cycle of Fire Theory
Life Cycle of Fire Theory
The 4 stages of Fire:
1. Incipient – first stage, otherwise known as “ignition stage”
2. Growth – the structures fire load and oxygen are used as fuel for
the fire (flash over could happen)
3. Fully Developed – climax and all combustible materials have been
ignited. The hottest stage of fire, and the most dangerous.
4. Decay – longest stage of fire, characterize by decrease in oxygen or
fuel, putting an end to the fire.
Dangers: 1) non-flaming combustibles
2) backdraft
What is Combustion?
-it is the complex sequence of exothermic chemical reactions between
fuel and an oxidant accompanied by the production of heat or both
heat and light in the form of flame.
Fire VS Combustion
Fire – a form of combustion
Combustion – self-sustaining chemical reaction producing energy that
cause reaction of the same kind
Pyrolysis
-Chemical process whereby fire consumes the most solid part of
the fuel. The thermal decomposition of a solid fuel through the action
of heat.
Process:
1. The fuel is heated until its temperature reaches fire point
2. Decomposition takes place – moisture in the fuel is converted into
vapor.
3. Decomposition produce combustible vapours that surface of the
fuel.
4. Free radical undergo combustion
Products of Combustion
1. Fire Gases – those that remains when other products of combustion
cool to normal temperature.
2. Flame – visible (light-emitting) part of the fire.
- when its hot enough to ionize gaseous components, it becomes “plasma”
3. Heat – product of combustion that spread the fire.
4. Smoke – visible product of incomplete combustion
- mixture of oxygen, nitrogen, CO, CO2, divided particles from burnt material
Properties of Fire
Specific Gravity – the ratio of the weight of a solid or substance to the
weight of an equal volume of water.
- defined as the ratio of the density of a given solid or
liquid substance to the density of water at a specific temperature and
pressure, typically at 4degree Celcius (39 degree Farenheit) and 1 atm
(760.00mmHg), making it a dimensionless quantity.
Properties of Fire
Vapor density – the weight of the volume of pure gas composed to the
weight of a volume of dry air at the same temperature and pressure.

Vapor Pressure – the force exerted by the molecules on the surface of

the liquid at equilibrium. The vapor pressure of a liquid is the
equilibrium pressure of a vapor above its liquid (or solid); that is the
pressure of the vapor resulting from evaporation of a liquid (or solid)
above a sample of the liquid (or solid) in a closed container.
Properties of Fire
Temperature – the measure of thermal degree of the agitation of
molecules of a given substance; the measure of the molecular activity
within a substance. Temperature is measured with thermometers that
maybe calibrated to a variety of temperature scales. In most of the
world (except for Myanmar, Liberia and the United States) the degree
Celsius scale is used for most temperature measuring purposes. The
entire scientific world (these countries included) measures
temperature using the Celcius scale and thermodynamic temperature
using the Kelvin scale, which is just the Celcius scale shifted towards so
that oK1 = 273.15degree Celcius or absolute zero.