Characterization of Stovetop Cooking Oil Fires.

A series of cooking fire experiments were conducted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to examine the hazard associated with cooking oil fires. First, a series of twelve 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 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 cook top burner until autoignition took place. Measurements of oil and pan temperatures, heat release rates, and heat fluxes characterized 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 high. Corn oil was heated on a cook top burner until autoignition took place. Measurements of room temperatures, heat fluxes, and heat release rates showed that even small cooktop fires spread and grew ultra-fast within the kitchen compartment.