Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Full scale experimental and numerical studies on effect of ventilation in an enclosure diesel pool fire

  • Research Article
  • Indoor/Outdoor Airflow and Air Quality
  • Published:
Building Simulation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The compartment fires have been studied through full-scale experiments, which were conducted in a compartment of size 4 m × 4 m × 4 m with a door of size 2 m (height) × 1 m (width). Four different experiments were performed, in which the width of the door was varied. The diesel fuel pan of 60 cm diameter was placed in the center of compartment. The maximum heat release rates measured were 502, 564, 446 and 124 kW for Exp. 1, Exp. 2, Exp. 3 and Exp. 4 respectively. The average hot gas temperature in Exp. 1, Exp. 2, Exp. 3 and Exp. 4 were found to be 266, 328, 314, and 174 °C respectively. In Exp. 3, highest heat flux was found to be 13.6 kW at ceiling. Further, the numerical simulations were performed for Exp. 1 and Exp. 2 experimental condition using Fire Dynamics Simulator incorporating different mesh sizes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aljumaiah O, Andrews GE, Jimenez A, Duhoon NR, Phylaktou HN (2014). Fuel volatility effects on pool fires in compartments with low ventilation. Fire Safety Science, 11: 331–345.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Andrews GE, Ledger J, Phylaktou HN (2000). Enclosed pool fires in low ventilation enclosures: Flame temperatures and global heat loss using gas analysis. Fire Safety Science, 6: 591–602.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baker G, Wade C, Spearpoint M, Fleischmann C (2013). Developing probabilistic design fires for performance-based fire safety engineering. Procedia Engineering, 62: 639–647.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beard AN (1996). Limitations of fire models. Journal of Applied Science, 5: 233–243.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beard AN (1997). Fire models and design. Fire Safety Journal, 28: 117–138.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Becker R (2008). Fundamentals of performance-based building design. Building Simulation, 1: 356–371.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Birk DM (1991). An Introduction to Mathematical Fire Modelling, 2nd edn. Lancaster, PA, USA: Technomic Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bryant RA, Mulholland GW (2008). A guide to characterizing heat release rate measurement uncertainty for full-scale fire tests. Fire and Materials, 32: 121–139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cai N, Chow WK (2012). Numerical studies on heat release rate in room fire on liquid fuel under different ventilation factors. International Journal of Chemical Engineering, 2012: 910869.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cai N, Chow WK (2014). Numerical studies on heat release rate in a room fire burning wood and liquid fuel. Building Simulation, 7: 511–524.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cox G (1994). The challenge of fire modelling. Fire Safety Journal, 23: 123–132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cox G, Chitty R (1980). A study of the deterministic properties of unbounded fire plumes. Combustion and Flame, 39: 191–209.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fleischmann CM, Parkes AR (1997). Effects of ventilation on the compartment enhanced mass loss rate. Fire Safety Science, 5; 415–426.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Floyd JE (2002). Comparison of CFAST and FDS for fire simulation with the HDR T51 and T52 tests. Gaithersburg, MD, USA: National Institute of Standards and Technology.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Gottuk DT, White DA (2002). Liquid Fuel Fires, 3rd edn. In: DiNenno PJ (ed), SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering, 3rd edn. Quincy, MA, USA: National Fire Protection Association. pp. 297–316.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamins A, Johnsson E, Donnelly M, Maranghides A (2008). Energy balance in a large compartment fire. Fire Safety Journal, 43: 180–188.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • He Y, Jamieson C, Jeary A, Wang J (2008). Effect of computation domain on simulation of small compartment fires. Fire Safety Science, 9: 1365–1376.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hietaniemi J, Hostikka S, Vaari J (2004). FDS simulation of fire spread—Comparison of model results with experimental data. VTT Working Papers 4. Finland: VTT Information Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huggett C (1980). Estimation of rate of heat release by means of oxygen consumption measurements. Fire and Materials, 4: 61–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hwang C-H, Lock A, Bundy M, Johnsson E, Ko GH (2010). Studies on fire characteristics in over-and under-ventilated full-scale compartments. Journal of Fire Sciences, 28: 459–486.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hwang C-H, Lock A, Bundy M, Johnsson E, Ko GH (2011). Effects of fuel location and distribution on full-scale under ventilated compartment fires. Journal of Fire Sciences, 29: 21–52.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kagou G, Kola B, Mouangue R (2016). CFD studies of the propagation and extinction of flame in an under-ventilated and over-ventilated enclosure. Journal of Taibah University for Science, 10: 393–402.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kawagoe K (1958). Fire behavior in rooms. Report No. 27. Tokyo: Building Research Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kumar R, Naveen M (2007). An experimental fire in compartment with dual vent on opposite walls. Combustion Science and Technology, 179: 1527–1547.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lukošius A, Vekteris V (2003). Precision of heat release rate measurement results. Measurement Science Review, 3(3): 13–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mackay D, Barber T, Yeoh GH (2010). Experimental and computational studies of compartment fire behavior training scenarios. Building and Environment, 45: 2620–2628.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mandloi D, Lilley D (2011). FDS: Grid refinement studies with the Fire Dynamics Simulator Code for one-room structural fires with a variety of burning items. In: Proceedings of 49 AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting including the New Horizons Forum and Aerospace Exposition, Orlando, Florida.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCaffrey BJ (1978). Purely buoyant diffusion flames: Some experimental results. Final Report. Available at http://fire.nist.gov/bfrlpubs/fire79/art001.html.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCaffrey BJ, Quintiere JG, Harkleroad MF (1981). Estimating room fire temperatures and the likelihood of flashover using fire test data correlations. Fire Technology, 17: 98–119.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McGrattan K, McDermott R, Hostikka S, Floyd J (2010). Fire Dynamics Simulator (Version 5), User’s Guide, 1019-5. Gaithersburg, MD, USA: National Institute of Standards and Technology.

    Google Scholar 

  • McGrattan K, Floyd J, Forney GP, Baum HR, Hostikka S (2003). Improved radiation and combustion routines for a large eddy simulation fire model. Fire Safety Science, 7: 827–838.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McGrattan K, Hostikka S, McDermott R, Floyd J, Weinschenk C, Overholt K (2015). Fire Dynamics Simulator (Version 6), Technical Reference Guide. Gaithersburg, MD, USA: National Institute of Standards and Technology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Merci B, Vandevelde P (2007). Experimental study of natural roof ventilation in full-scale enclosure fire tests in a small compartment. Fire Safety Journal, 42: 523–535.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Novozhilov V (2001). Computational fluid dynamics modeling of compartment fires. Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, 27: 611–666.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ohmiya Y, Tanaka T, Wakamatsu T (1996). Burning rate of fuels and generation limit of the external flames in compartment fire. Fire Science and Technology, 16: 1–12.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peatross MJ, Beyler CL (1997). Ventilation effects on compartment fire characterization. Fire Safety Science, 5: 403–414.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pierce JBM, Moss JB (2007). Smoke production, radiation heat transfer and fire growth in a liquid-fuelled compartment fire. Fire Safety Journal, 42: 310–320.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Quintiere JG, Rinkinen WJ, Jones WW (1981). The effect of room openings on fire plume entrainment. Combustion Science and Technology, 26: 193–201.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sahu D, Kumar S, Jain S, Gupta A (2016). Experimental and numerical simulation studies on diesel pool fire. Fire and Materials, doi: 10.1002/fam.2361.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shi CL, Li YZ, Huo R, Yao B, Chow WK, Fong NK (2005). Mechanical smoke exhaust for small retail shop fires. International Journal of Thermal Sciences, 44: 477–490.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steckler KD, Quintiere JG, Rinkinen WJ (1982). Flow induced by fire in compartment. NBSIR 82-2520. Washington DC: National Bureau of Standards.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Sugawa O, Kawagoe K, Oka Y (1991). Burning behavior in a poorventilation compartment fire—ghosting fire. Nuclear Engineering and Design, 125: 347–352.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Takeda H, Akita K (1981). Critical phenomenon in compartment fires with liquid fuels. In: Proceedings of 18th Symposium (International) on Combustion, pp. 519–527.

    Google Scholar 

  • Venkatasubbaiah K, Jaluria Y (2012). Numerical simulation of enclosure fires with horizontal vents. Numerical Heat Transfer, Part A, 62: 179–196.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weng WG, Fan WC, Yang LZ, Song H, Deng ZH, Qin J, Liao GX (2003). Experimental study of back-draft in a compartment with openings of different geometries. Combustion and Flame, 132: 709–714.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the help and support rendered by Prof. Surendra Kumar (Emeritus Fellow, Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, India) and Dr. Ashok Kumar Gupta (Chief Scientist (Retd.) CSIR—Central Building Research Institute Roorkee, India). The work is supported by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), Mumbai, India under grant no. DAE 507-MID to Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, India.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, 247667, Uttarakhand, India

    Deepak Sahu & Shashi Kumar

  2. Fire Research Division, CSIR—Central Building Research Institute, Roorkee, Roorkee, 247667, Uttarakhand, India

    Shorab Jain

  3. Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, 247667, Uttarakhand, India

    Akhilesh Gupta

Authors
  1. Deepak Sahu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Shashi Kumar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Shorab Jain
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Akhilesh Gupta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Deepak Sahu.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sahu, D., Kumar, S., Jain, S. et al. Full scale experimental and numerical studies on effect of ventilation in an enclosure diesel pool fire. Build. Simul. 10, 351–364 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12273-016-0328-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12273-016-0328-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation