Limiting Oxygen Index Tests and the Extinguishment Tests of Typical Flammable Liquids Fire

This paper researched the limiting oxygen index of several typical flammable liquids, include ethanol, heptane and 97# gasoline, and also conducted serials ultra-fine water mist extinguish tests on these liquid fires in confined space. Experiments showed that, the limiting oxygen index of ethanol is 14.0%, and the value is 14.5% for heptane, and the value is 15.0% for 97# gasoline. Extinguish tests showed ethanol, heptane and 97# gasoline fire can be extinguished at 16.86%, 17.74% and 18.1% oxygen concentration, and the extinguish time is 633s, 432s and 336s. Test results showed that the liquid fire is more easily to be extinguished which with higher limiting oxygen index.