Study on Flame Self-extinction Time in Closed Space in Numerical Simulation

The difference of methane combustion flame self- extinction time in closed space under the circumstance of normal gravity and microgravity is investigated by using CFD numerical simulation. The relationship between flame self- extinction time with heat release rate,volume of the enclosed space and gravity is analyzed. Results show that when the fire heat release rate is constant,the flame self- extinction time in microgravity environment is several times as long as that in normal gravity. When the volume of the enclosed space is constant,flame self- extinction time of small power source in microgravity environment is far more than that in normal gravity. So the method of fire smothering is not applicable in microgravity environment.