• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.235-244
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• 2007

In the case of the fire outburst within a partitioned space, it can disappear inside it through smoldering process if the fire cannot obtain sufficient imflammability. On the contrary, if it obtains it, the fire is not restricted within the room, spreading to the higher levels beyond outside windows and the compartment room. The method to prevent the fire spread through windows is considered to build a balcony or equip with sprinkler facilities. This case study is to identify which effects and controlibility a balcony brings about on the spread of fire through a full scale model experiment. In order to understand the effects of fire spread on the upper levels of the room on fire by changing the length of balcony, the temperature was measured, radiant heat was investigated, and products of combustion were analyzed. The result showed that when fire occured, longer length of the balcony, which linked to the outside wall of the apartments, led to the blocking of the fire spread, lower level of radiant heat, and significantly less transfer of toxic gases, and the driving force of the outburst of flame was identified as the attractive force due to the turbulence of uncombusted gases, which exist on the upper level of the outbursting flame.