U.S. flag
        An official website of the United States government
          Here’s how you know
        Here’s how you know**Official websites use .gov**
              
              A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
        **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
              
              A **lock** (  A locked padlock
) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. https://www.nist.gov/el/fcd/stovetop-cooking-pan-fire-safety-0
  Search NIST
    Search
              Menu

      


Close
    Topics
        All Topics
                                                        Advanced communications
                                                        Artificial intelligence
                                                        Bioscience
                                                        Buildings and construction
                                                        Chemistry
                                                        Climate
                                                        Cybersecurity
                                                        Electronics
                                                        EnergyEnvironment
                                                        Fire
                                                        Forensic science
                                                        Health
                                                        Information technology
                                                        Infrastructure
                                                        Manufacturing
                                                        Materials
                                                        Mathematics and statisticsMetrology
                                                        Nanotechnology
                                                        Neutron research
                                                        Performance excellence
                                                        Physics
                                                        Public safety
                                                        Resilience
                                                        Standards
                                                        Transportation
            Publications
            Labs & Major Programs
        Laboratories
                                Communications Technology Laboratory
                                  Engineering Laboratory
                                  Information Technology Laboratory
                                  Material Measurement Laboratory
                                  Physical Measurement LaboratoryUser Facilities
                                NIST Center for Neutron Research
                                  CNST NanoFab
                                                        Research Test Beds
                                                        Research Projects
                                                        Tools & InstrumentsMajor Programs
                                Baldrige Performance Excellence Program
                                  CHIPS for America Initiative
                                  Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP)
                                  Office of Advanced Manufacturing
                                  Special Programs Office
                                  Technology Partnerships Office
            Services & Resources
        Standards and Measurements
                                Calibration Services
                                  Laboratory Accreditation (NVLAP)
                                  Quality System
                                  Standard Reference Materials (SRMs)
                                  Standards.gov
                                  Time Services
                                  Office of Weights and MeasuresSoftware
                                                        Data
                                Chemistry WebBook
                                  National Vulnerability Database
                                  Physical Reference Data
                                  Standard Reference Data (SRD)
                                                        Storefront
                                                        License & PatentsComputer Security Resource Center (CSRC)
                                                        NIST Research Library
            News & Events
        News
                                                        Events
                                                        Blogs
                                                        Feature Stories
                                                        AwardsVideo Gallery
                                                        Image Gallery
                                                        Media Contacts
            About NIST
        About Us
                                Leadership
                                  Organization Structure
                                  Budget & Planning
                                                        Contact Us
                                                        Visit
                                                        Careers
                                Student programsWork with NIST
                                                        History
                                NIST Digital Archives
                                  NIST Museum
                                  NIST and the Nobel
                                                        Educational Resources
 
 Engineering Laboratory /                  Fire Research Division
      National Fire Research Laboratory

    
    Breadcrumb
        Fire Calorimetry Database (FCD)Stovetop Cooking Pan Fire Safety

            Research Overview
                                A series of experiments was conducted characterizing the flammability properties of small-scale corn oil fires. The oil was placed in a pan located on the center of an electric coil heating element associated with an electric cooktop. Ignition was accomplished with a torch with the heating element off or by auto-ignition when the heating element was on. The mass loss, heat release rate, pan bottom temperature, heat flux to the surroundings, and flame height were measured. The radiative fraction and combustion efficiency were estimated from the measurements. Heating the oil on a typical electric cooktop leads to auto-ignition of the oil. Continued heating of the oil on the cooktop enhances the vaporization of the oil and leads to rapidly growing fires with relatively large peak heat release rates. Under some conditions, heated corn oil can boil-over, a phenomenon in which the oil bulk density decreases until it flows over the pan sides. For a given pan volume, the occurrence of boil-over depends on the initial fuel volume. Compared to traditional gasoline pool fires, the corn oil undergoing auto-ignition and continued heating had larger peak values of heat release rate and peak flame height by factors of 3.1 and 1.6, respectively.


                  Y. Hu, J. Chen, Z. Wang, K.Y. Lee, M. Bundy M. Fernandez, A. Hamins, The Character of Residential Cooktop Fires, NIST Technical Note 2133, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland, January 2021
  https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.TN.2133
                                        Chen, J. et al , Why are cooktop fires so hazardous?, Fire Safety Journal, May 2020
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.firesaf.2020.103070
                                        Hu Y, Chen J, Bundy M, Hamins A. The character of residential cooktop fires. Journal of Fire Sciences. February 2021
  https://doi.org/10.1177/0734904121990392
  

      

      Experiment NameSort descending
                            Plot of Heat Release Rate
                                                  Ignition Photo
                                                  Date/Time
                                                  Specimen
                                                  Fuel Type
                            Test Duration (min)
                            Total Heat Released (MJ)
                            Peak HRR (kW)CornOil_50g_20cm_AlumiPanRepeat2
                            Plot of Fire Heat Release Rate with event markers. Uncertainty bar shown at peak value.
                                                                                        fuel pour
                                                                                        11/19/2019 11:44:44 AM EST
                                                                                        corn oil in 20 cm pan
                                                                                        Corn Oil
                            1.45
                            1.447
                            28.2CornOil_50g_20cm_Calphalon
                            Plot of Fire Heat Release Rate with event markers. Uncertainty bar shown at peak value.
                                                                                        fuel pour
                                                                                        11/19/2019 11:17:12 AM EST
                                                                                        corn oil in 20 cm pan
                                                                                        Corn Oil
                            1.65
                            1.656
                            34.0Gasoline_50g
                            Plot of Fire Heat Release Rate with event markers. Uncertainty bar shown at peak value.
                                                                                        fuel pour
                                                                                        11/19/2019 8:37:04 AM EST
                                                                                        gasoline in 20 cm pan
                                                                                        Gasoline
                            1.97
                            2.04
                            21.9stovetop_test_MassLoss_13
                            Plot of Fire Heat Release Rate with event markers. Uncertainty bar shown at peak value.
                                                                                        heating element on
                                                                                        10/25/2017 9:54:37 AM EDT
                                                                                        cooking pan
                                                                                        Corn Oil
                            4.63
                            5.59
                            73.7stovetop_test_MassLoss_14c
                            Plot of Fire Heat Release Rate with event markers. Uncertainty bar shown at peak value.
                                                                                        heating element on
                                                                                        10/25/2017 11:07:45 AM EDT
                                                                                        cooking pan
                                                                                        Corn Oil
                            3.77
                            1.71
                            18.50

      Bryant, R. and Bundy, M. The NIST 20 MW Calorimetry Measurement System for Large-Fire Research, Technical Note (NIST TN) 2077, 2019https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.TN.2077
        NIST Fire Calorimetry Database (FCD)https://doi.org/10.18434/mds2-2314

      Last Updated May 14, 2021
 HEADQUARTERS
            100 Bureau Drive
              Gaithersburg, MD 20899301-975-2000
            Webmaster | Contact Us | Our Other Offices
        Twitter
            
Facebook
            
LinkedIn
            
Instagram
            
YouTube
            
Giphy
            
RSS Feed
            
Mailing List
                              How are we doing? Feedback

  
  Site Privacy
                      Accessibility
                      Privacy Program
                      Copyrights
                      Vulnerability Disclosure
                      No Fear Act Policy
                      FOIA
                      Environmental Policy
                      Scientific Integrity
                      Information Quality Standards
                      Commerce.gov
                      Science.gov
                      USA.gov
                      Vote.gov