Abstract
To investigate flash flame spread mechanisms over napped fabrics, dependence of the flame spread on depth or density of a napped layer was studied experimentally by using napped absorbent cotton. The flame spread rate was found to increase with the depth and decrease with the density of the napped layer.
Models of the spreading flame downward or upward over a napped layer of a vertical plate were derived from video images of the observed flames. By comparing the models with experimental results, it was revealed that the flame spread rate is governed by radiative heat transfer in the case of downward flame spread and by convective heat transfer in the case of upward flame spread.
