Numerical simulation of the tree higro-thermal response in forest fire environment

Abstract

This paper refers to a numerical study of the hypo-thermal behaviour of a pine tree in a forest fire environment. The pine tree thermal response numerical model is based on energy balance integral equations for the tree elements and mass balance integral equation for the water in the tree. The simulation performed considers the heat conduction through the tree elements, heat exchanges by convection between the external tree surfaces and the environment, heat exchanges by radiation between the flame and the external tree surfaces and water heat loss by evaporation from the tree to the environment. The virtual three-dimensional tree model has a height of 7.5 m and is constituted by 8863 cylindrical elements representative of its trunks, branches and leaves. The fire front has 10 m long and a 2 m high. The study was conducted taking into account that the pine tree is located 5, 10 or 15 m from the fire front. For these three analyzed distances, the numerical results obtained regarding to the distribution of the view factors, mean radiant temperature and surface temperatures of the pine tree are presented. As main conclusion, it can be stated that the values of the view factor, MRT and surface temperatures of the pine tree decrease with increasing distance from the pine tree in front of fire.