Numerical and experimental studies of pool fires

1998-2001,EPSRC GR/L95595/01

The aim of the programme was to study pool fires in the context of building fire safety by using a combination of numerical and experimental methods. The objective was to advance the techniques for building fire prediction which share many similar characteristics to pool fires; and to address the turbulence modelling problems associated with the near field ‘persistent flame’ zone immediately above the pool surface.

The proposed work built upon existing research for low-Reynolds number turbulence modelling by Prof. Wen (originally at South Bank University) and research at Cranfield on soot and radiation modelling and measurements. The objectives of the project included the development of buoyancy modified turbulence models and validation of these models against experimental data; the investigation of turbulent fluctuations upon the mean radiative fluxes and the measurement of gas temperature, soot concentration and thermal radiation for three liquid fuels, i.e. heptane, methyl methacrylate ( MMA monomer ) and kerosine. The resultant data was employed in the validation of the CFD models.

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