Theoretical approach to smoke generation
Opacity and visibility through fire smoke

The smoke produced by the pyrolysis and combustion of materials depends on the nature of the material and the conditions of degradation and combustion. This smoke is made up of suspended solid aerosols, known as soot, with high opacifying power, as well as liquid droplets (water and possibly suspended fuel) and gases. Gases generally have little impact on total smoke opacity. The soot formation process is the most complex and is described in detail below.

The soot contained in smoke is mainly formed during the coking of fuels, as the temperature in the gas phase is insufficient to oxidize all the carbon. Aromatic nuclei join together to form compounds ranging from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to macromolecular networks...