Ignition of natural fuels from strikes between steel and rocks

• The ignition of natural fuels by sparks from strikes between metals and hard rock is far from understood and the ignition potential of sparks from rock strikes during heavy machinery operations is disputed in the scientific literature. This study utilises a spectrally resolved technique to study the temperature evolution of metal sparks from rock strikes. The study shows that initial temperature after collision can easily reach 1500 °C and this temperature can increase additionally by several hundred degrees as rapid oxidation processes are initiated, often leading to further disintegration of the fragment. The average temperature of fragments from such collisions is here measured to 1400 – 2000 °C and the combination of temperature, size and exothermic processes makes them viable for forest litter igniting. However, ignition on forest lands is always an unlikely, although possible outcome of heavy machinery operations and should be considered in risk assessment of the activity.

Nyckelord

Ignition

sparks

stone

metal

forestry

wildfire

Publikations- och innehållstyp

vet (ämneskategori)

rap (ämneskategori)