Flameless combustion processes (smouldering)

Smouldering is a form of slow combustion, without flame, which is produced by the exothermic surface reaction between solid fuel and oxygen. This type of combustion is characteristic of porous materials, with a large specific surface area, and it is observed frequently in cellulose materials.

In particular, we work on the analysis and improvement of the smoling that is produced in thermal insulating materials, made from lignocellulose products, such as vegetable marrow.

Main results of this line of research:

M. Palumbo, A. M. Lacasta, A. Navarro, M. P. Giraldo, B. Lesar. Improvement of fire reaction and mould growth resistance of a new bio-based thermal insulation material. Construction and Building Materials 139, 531–539 (2017).

Palumbo, M.; Formosa, J.; Lacasta, A. M. Thermal degradation and fire behaviour of thermal insulation materials based on food crop by-products. Construction and Building materials 79, pp. 34 - 39 (2015).

Lacasta A. M., Haurie L., Palumbo M., Giraldo M. P. Factors affecting smouldering combustion of bio-based thermal insulation materials. Proceedings of the 1^st European workshop fire safety on green buildings. Berlin, 2015, 40-42.