- Author
- Prahl, J. | Emmons, H. W.
- Title
- Fire Induced Flow Through an Opening.
- Coporate
- Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA
- Sponsor
- National Science Foundation, Washington, DC
- Report
- Home Fire Proj. Tech. Rpt. 12, 1975, 42 p.
- Contract
- NSF-GRANT-GI-34734
- Keywords
- fire gases | buoyant flow | kerosene
- Identifiers
- hot gas layer; flow coefficients
- Abstract
- The buoyantly driven flow of fire gases out through a window or door of a burning room is calculated for a constant density hot gas layer. An experimental model employing kerosene and water is developed to test the validity of the theory. The results indicate that the theory, with flow coefficients determineed from the experiment can adequately predict the behavior. The inability of the theory discussed to properly predict the room layer depth at low inflow rates is of no practical consequence. Fire safety implications for doorway and window design are noted. Flow formulas useful for practical calculations are presented.