Characterization of stovetop cooking oil fires

Abstract

A series of cooking fire experiments were conducted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology to examine the hazard associated with cooking oil fires. First, a series of 12 experiments were conducted on a free-standing stove situated in the open. The experiments were based on scenarios outlined in the draft UL 300A standard for fire suppression apparatus. Both the gas and electric ranges were tested. The amount of oil and types of cooking pans were varied in the experiments. Oil was heated on a cooktop burner until autoignition took place. Measurements of oil and pan temperatures, heat release rates, and heat fluxes were made to characterize the hazard of the ensuing fires. Next, two experiments were conducted using a full-scale residential kitchen arrangement to examine the hazard associated with the free-burning oil fires situated within a compartment equipped with commercial furnishings, fiberboard cabinets, and countertops. The dimensions of the test room were 3.6 m × 3.4 m × 2.4 m. Corn oil was heated on a cooktop burner until autoignition took place. Measurements of room temperature, heat fluxes, and heat release rates showed that even small cooktop fires spread and grew ultra-fast within the kitchen compartment.