This paper describes the application of a fire field model based on the PHOENCIS CFD software to the simulation of fire induced flows in domestic-sized rooms. Several scenarios are examined consisting of various fire sizes, fire locations, and door sizes. Comparisons are based on upper- layer room temperatures, mass fluxes in and out of the fire compartment, and door-way vertical and horizontal temperature and velocity profiles. For most cases, the model agrees reasonably well with the observed trends. However, significant smearing is observed in predicted tempera ture profiles in the vicinity of the confining walls. A close examination of the horizontal doorway velocity profiles highlights the need for careful modelling and experimental practices.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Thomas, P.H., Hinkley, P.L., Theobald, C.R., and Simms, D.L., "Investigations into the Flow of Hot Gases in Roof Venting," Fire Research Tech Paper No. 7, HMSO, 1963.
2.
Galea, E.R., "On the Field Modelling Approach to the Simulation of Enclosure Fires ," Journal of Fire Protection Engineering, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 11-22, 1989.
3.
Satoh, K., Lloyd, J.R., Yang, K.T., and Kanury, A.M., "A Numerical Finite-Difference Study of the Oscillatory Behavior of Vertically Vented Compartments," Proceedings of the 2nd National Symposium on Numerical Methods in Heat Transfer, USA, 1981.
4.
Markatos, N.C. , Malin, M.R., and Cox, G., "Mathematical Modelling of Buoyancy Induced Smoke Flow in Enclosures," International Journal of Heat Mass Transfer, Vol. 25, No. 1, 1982, pp. 63.
5.
Galea, E.R. and Markatos, N.C., "The Mathematical Modelling and Computer Simulation of Fire Development in Aircraft," International Journal of Heat Mass Transfer , Vol. 34. No. 1, 1991 pp. 181-197.
6.
Simcox, S., Wilkes, N.S., and Jones, I.P., "Fire at Kings Cross Underground Station," 18th November 1987; Numerical Simulation of the Buoyant Flow and Heat Transfer, U.K. Atomic Energy Authority Harwell Report, 1988, AERE-G 4677.
7.
Galea, E.R., Hoffmann, N. and Berhane, D., "Large-Scale Fire Field Modelling— the Route to General Use via Parallel Processing," Interflam '93, Interscience, 1993, pp. 307-319.
8.
Than, C-F. and Savilonis, B.J., "Modeling Fire Behavior in an Enclosure with a Ceiling Vent," Fire Safety Journal, Vol. 20, 1993 , pp. 151-174.
9.
Chow, W.K. and Fong, N.K., "Numerical Studies on the Sprinkler Fire Interaction Using Field Modelling Technique," Proceedings of the 5th. International Conference of Fire Safety Science, Interflam, 1990, pp. 25-33.
10.
Hadjisophocleous, G.V. and Cacambouras , M., "Computer Modelling of Compartment Fires,"Journal of Fire Protection Engineering , Vol. 5, No. 2, 1993, pp. 39-52.
11.
Kumar S., Gupta, A.K. and Cox, G., "Effects of Thermal Radiation on the Fluid Dynamics of Compartment Fires," Proceedings of the 3rd International Symposium on Fire Safety Science, Elsevier Applied Science, 1991, pp. 345-354.
12.
Burns, A.D. and Wilkes, N.S., "A Finite-Difference Method for the Computation of Fluid Flows in Complex Three-Dimensional Geometries," U.K. Atomic Energy Authority Harwell Report, AERE-R 12342.
13.
Spalding, D.B. , "A General Purpose Computer Program for Multidimensional One- and Two-Phase Flow," Mathematics and Computers in Simulations , North Holland (IMACS), Vol. 23, 1981, pp. 267.
14.
Steckler, K.D. , Quintiere, J.G. and Rinkinen, W.J., Flow Induced by Fire in a Compartment, NBSIR82-2520, National Bureau of Standards, Washington, September 1982.
15.
Kerrison, L.N. , Galea, E.R., Hoffmann, N., and Patel, M.K., "A Comparison of a FLOW3D based Fire Field Model with Experimental Room Fire Data," To appear in Fire Safety Journal.
16.
Patankar, S.V. , Numerical Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow, McGraw Hill, New York, USA, 1980 .
17.
Patankar, S.V. and Spalding, D.B., "A Calculation Procedure for Heat, Mass and Momentum Transfer in Three-Dimensional Parabolic Flows," International Journal of Heat Mass Transfer, Vol. 15, 1972, pp. 1787-1806.
18.
Kerrison, L., Mawhinney, N., Galea, E.R., Hoffmann, N. and Patel, M.K., "A Comparison of Two Fire Field Models with Experimental Room Fire Data," Proceedings of the 4th International Symposium on Fire Safety Science, 1994, pp. 13-17
19.
Williamson, R.B. , Revenaugh, A. and Mowrer, R.W., "Ignition Sources in Room Fire Tests and Some Implications for Flame Spread Evaluation," Proceedings of the 3rd Int ernational Symposium on Fire Safety Science, Elsevier Applied Science, 1991, pp. 657-666,
20.
Steckler, K.D. , Baum H.R., and Quintiere , J.G., "Fire Induced Flows Through Room Openings—Flow Coefficients," Twentieth Symposium on Combustion, The Combustion Institute, 1984, pp. 1591-1600.
