- Author
- Quintiere, J. G.
- Title
- Recent Research Activities in Fire. BFRL Fire Research Seminar. VHS Video.
- Coporate
- Maryland Univ., College Park
- Report
- Video, September 25, 2001,
- Keywords
- fire research | salt water | wood | compartments | fire behavior | ventilation | computational fluid dyanics | water mist
- Abstract
- Several studies in fire research at the University of Maryland will be briefly presented to show the range of recent activities and to provoke discussion with NIST fire researchers. The following areas of active research will be discussed: (*) Saltwater analyses: Studies have been conducted to examine fire induced smoke movement for transient rising fire plumes, and entrainment and compartment filling for flows associated with two compartments. The NIST FDS model was used to predict each and comparisons will be presented. (*) Auto-ignition of wood: An experimental study is underway on the radiative ignition of Redwood, parallel and perpendicular to the grain. Results are compared to piloted ignition and the initiation of smoldering without flaming. Surface temperature and mass loss data have been taken. (*) Fire behavior in compartments with low natural ventilation: A small-scale experimental study has examined the burning of heptane pools in an enclosure with wall vents and roof vents. Various flow and dynamical effects occur including oscillations and extinction. Pressure, oxygen, mass loss and temperature have been measured. (*) A CFD/LES analysis of fire plumes: An extensive examination of the combustion dynamics using the NIST FDS model has been made and compared to "best" experimental correlations for accuracy assessment. (*) Water Mist Scaling: A design analysis is being made to determine the needed flow requirements of a water mist system to extinguish a large-scale test for allowing a suppression system for shipboard use. The strategy is to use a scale model to determine the requirements, and then test the results in the full-scale standard test.