What kind of situations typically result in the formation of black smoke?

The formation of black smoke is primarily associated with high-temperature fires, such as high temperature pool fires. In these scenarios, the combustion process occurs at a significantly elevated temperature, which leads to a more complete burning of organic materials. However, when the fuel-to-oxygen ratio is imbalanced, incomplete combustion can occur. This incomplete combustion results in the production of particulate matter and unburned hydrocarbons, which are reflected in the dark coloration of black smoke.

In high-temperature pool fires, the intense heat accelerates the pyrolysis of organic materials, releasing volatile gases that can contribute to this smoke. The high temperatures also facilitate the breakdown of these gases during combustion. Thus, the presence of black smoke is a sign of incomplete combustion consistently associated with high temperatures in fire scenarios.