Investigation of Pertamax (Gasoline) Pool Fire in Confined Compartment

An understanding of fire is needed as a basis for fire suppression, especially in a compartment. Large fires can cause material losses and loss of life, as well as the release of toxic substances into the environment. These fires can be triggered by fuel leaks that form pool fires. Therefore, the characteristics and behaviour of the fire in the compartment were investigated. Experiments were conducted inside a cube-shaped compartment measuring 1.2 m3 in volume with three square pool pans: 14, 21, and 28 cm. The fuel used was Pertamax, an engine fuel produced by Pertamina and commonly used in Indonesia. The experimental results showed that the size of the fire indicated by the Heat Release Rate (HRR) value was influenced by the cross-sectional area of the pool fire, which would affect the maximum temperature and duration of the flame in the closed compartment. This is related to the heat flux and oxygen consumption rate. Numerical simulations were also carried out using the Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS version 6.7.9), yielding results that closely matched the experimental results, with differences of less than 20 % for the HRR value. It is expected that by knowing the characteristics and behaviour of the fire, research can be continued on the fire extinguishing system in the compartment.