Numerical investigation on upper layer thickness and temperature rise in a fire in two rooms connected through a side vent

Abstract

Upper layer thickness and temperature rise in a fire in two rooms connected through a side vent were numerically investigated. Side vents of SV-1 and SV-2 were installed between two rooms (R-1 and R-2) and between R-2 and the outside, respectively. Situations in which fires occurred in R-1 and R-2, referred to as R-1-F and R-2-F, respectively, were tested. Effects of heat release rate (HRR), SV-1 width (W1), SV-2 width (W2), and room boundary wall material (hk) on the upper layer thickness and temperature rise in the fire and adjacent rooms were examined using the velocity profile and mass flow rate of vent flow. W1 and W2 had the greatest impact on the upper layer thickness in R-1 of R-1-F and in the other rooms, respectively, whereas the effect of hk was the smallest. HRR and hk had the greatest and smallest impacts, respectively, on the upper layer temperature rise. Bias factors and model's relative standard deviations of upper layer thickness, upper layer temperature rise, and vent flow velocity were evaluated. Based on the numerical simulation data and bias factor, correlations for predicting the upper layer temperature rises in the fire and adjacent rooms of R-1-F and R-2-F were proposed.