- Author
-
Deal, S.
- Title
- Review of Four Compartment Fires With Four Compartment Fire Models.
- Coporate
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD
- Book or Conf
- Fire Retardant Chemicals Association. Fire Safety Developments and Testing: Toxicity--Heat Release--Product Development--Combustion Corrosivity. October 21-24, 1990,
Fire Retardant Chemicals Assoc., Lancaster, PA,
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL,
33-51 p.,
1990
- Keywords
-
fire safety
|
toxicity
|
heat release
|
product development
|
combustion
|
compartment fires
|
fire models
|
computer models
|
heat release rate
|
geometry
|
temperature
|
mass flow
|
predictive models
|
layer heights
|
simulation
|
oxygen concentration
|
vents
- Identifiers
- FIRST9X; FAST; CCFM-VENTS; FPETOOL; species generation rates; interface height; gas species; vent flow
- Abstract
- This paper discusses the absolute and relative performance of four compartment fire models executed from a desktop computer. The computer models used were FIRST9X (1), FAST (2), CCFM-VENTS (3) and FPETOOL (4). The absolute comparison was made between the models' simulated results and those recorded experimentally. The relative comparison was based upon how easily the models could be used to simulate fire conditions. The fire experiments were conducted in a small room, in which vent and fuel effects were varied. A narrow and normal door geometry were investigated, and polyurethane and wood fuels were burned. Comparisons were made of the heat release rate, upper layer temperature, layer height, vent flow rate and several species concentrations. Anomalies between simulated and experimental data were explored to identify the responsible properties and to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the individual models. The levels of sophistication available within this group of model can be advantageously used to meet most efficiently meet the demands of the user's application and the user's skill level. In summary, all of the models simulated the experimental conditions quite satisfactorily. This should give the reader confidence in using these models at these smaller room geometries. Various conditions including narrow and normal vent widths, plastic and wood fuels, and flashover/subflashover fire temperatures were addressed. FPETOOL was the easiest model to use followed in decreasing order by CCFM-VENTS, FAST AND FIRS9X.