DOE HANDBOOK

Metric            DOE-HDBK-1081-94            December 1994

Primer on Spontaneous Heating and Pyrophoricity

U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, D.C. 20585     FSC-6910

Distribution Statement A. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

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This document is an electronic representation of the official, printed standard. The printed document takes precedence and is available as follows:

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Order No. DE95003576

Table of Contents

Combustion

The Fire Triangle

Spontaneous Combustion

Spontaneous Heating/Ignition of Hydrocarbons

Spontaneous Heating/Ignition of Organic Materials

Spontaneous Oxidation and Heating of Coal

Coal Storage

Pyrophoric Gases

Pyrophoric Liquids

Phosphorus

Magnesium

Titanium

Alkali Metals Sodium, Potassium, NaK, and Lithium

Zirconium and Hafnium

Calcium and Zinc

Metals Not Normally Combustible

Plutonium

Uranium

Combustible Metal Agents and Application Techniques

Silane Gas Cabinet Fire

Recent Coal Fire at a DOE Site

Zirconium Incidents (Smith, 1956)

Uranium Incidents (Smith, 1956)

Thorium Incidents (Smith, 1956)

Miscellaneous Incidents (Smith, 1956)

Rocky Flats Plant Fire, 1969