Combustion triangle

The combustion triangle is a term used in combustion theory . The combustion triangle is used to represent the conditions that are necessary for a fire to start . It is important that all conditions coincide in time and space (temporal and spatial coincidence ).

The three conditions shown as a combustion triangle are:

Flammable substance
oxygen
Ignition energy (heat, mechanical sparks, electricity)

Since the mixing ratio of these three conditions is also necessary for starting the combustion process, this condition is referred to as the fourth basic condition. However, there is no uniform representation (as a cremation square, as four supporting pillars, ...).

Fire tetrahedron

The fire tetrahedron

The three factors of the combustion triangle considered individually would not lead to a fire. All three factors have to come together in space and time, and a self-sustaining chemical chain reaction has to occur in order to maintain the combustion process. In the English language training literature for fire brigades , the combustion triangle has therefore been expanded to include a three-dimensional model, the so-called fire tetrahedron .

The expansion of the combustion triangle has now found its way into the specialist literature in the German fire service , since the processes and relationships during a fire can be explained in more detail with the fire tetrahedron.

In defensive fire protection , these findings are used and deleted by trying to eliminate one or more conditions:

Avoid storing flammable materials in critical places.

The supply of atmospheric oxygen is prevented, for example by installing fire doors or gas extinguishing systems .

The so-called anti - catalytic extinguishing effect comes into play with fire classes B and C, mostly flame fires, and is the main extinguishing effect with the extinguishing agents powder and halon .

Catalysts are an additional factor influencing combustion . They reduce the activation energy that is required to start the chemical reaction. However, this does not change the speed of combustion.

literature

Roy Bergdoll, Sebastian Breitenbach: Die Roten Hefte, Issue 1 - Burning and Extinguishing . 18th edition. Kohlhammer, Stuttgart 2019, ISBN 978-3-17-026968-2 .
Lothar Schott, Manfred Ritter: Fire Brigade Basic Course FwDV 2 . 20th edition. Wenzel-Verlag, Marburg 2018, ISBN 978-3-88293-220-1 .

Web links

Commons : Fire triangle - collection of images, videos and audio files

The Burn Triangle - Safety Education (accessed April 9, 2020)
Research-based learning in inclusive science teaching - topic "Combustion" (accessed on April 9, 2020)
Experiments with Fire (accessed April 9, 2020)
Experiments with fire in sec. 1 (accessed April 9, 2020)
Physics at the fire brigade (accessed April 9, 2020)

Individual evidence

^ Training of the volunteer fire brigades - basic training, 1995, Neckar-Verlag, ISBN 3-7883-1964-X .
↑ Fire Engineering Handbook for Firefighter I & II, 2009, PennWell Corporation, ISBN 978-1-59370-135-2
↑ Fighting fires in an internal flashover and backdraft attack, extinguishing methods, deployment tactics, real fire training, 2013, Ecomed, ISBN 978-3-609-77499-2

[1] Training of the volunteer fire brigades - basic training, 1995, Neckar-Verlag, ISBN 3-7883-1964-X .

[2] Fire Engineering Handbook for Firefighter I & II, 2009, PennWell Corporation, ISBN 978-1-59370-135-2

[3] Fighting fires in an internal flashover and backdraft attack, extinguishing methods, deployment tactics, real fire training, 2013, Ecomed, ISBN 978-3-609-77499-2