Large scale multi-compartment and multi-source fire modelling using the peatross & beyler correlation

Abstract

The present paper is dedicated to the modelling of real scale multi-compartment and multi-source fire scenarios and its validation against real scale experiments. The scenarios consist in a one or two fire sources located in a three mechanically ventilated compartments, communicating through vertical openings. The scenarios show complex behaviour and bring new knowledge to the field of compartment fires. It is interesting to assess the ability of the models to predict such complex scenarios. The three scenarios are modelled using the zone model MAGIC, which shows good agreement with the experiments. A second part of the work consists in the use of the Peatross and Beyler correlation to predict the fire behaviour. This correlation, which is intended to account for confinement in a predictive way, is implemented in the zone model MAGIC to achieve this goal. This work is original since this correlation has not been yet applied to such complex scenarios. The important aspects of the correlation, like the reference mass loss rate and the oxygen concentration, were discussed in detail. The correlation is found to give good predictions.