Use of Computer Models to Predict the Response of Sprinklers and Detectors in Large Spaces.
Use of Computer Models to Predict the Response of
Sprinklers and Detectors in Large Spaces.
(594 K)
Notarianni, K. A.; Davis, W. D.
Society of Fire Protection Engineers and Worcester
Polytechnic Institute. Computer Applications in Fire
Protection. Proceedings. June 28-29, 1993, Worcester,
MA, 27-33 pp, 1993.
Keywords:
computers; fire protection; computer models; sprinkler
response; detector response; aircraft hangars; test
fires; fire models
Abstract:
Measurements were made during fire tests conducted in an
aircraft hangar with a ceiling height of 30.4 m. Fire
gas temperatures and disk temperatures were measured
above the fire and along the ceiling in locations
corresponding to the expected location of detectors or
sprinklers. Instrument locations were determined
utilizing the computer fire models FPETOOL, DETACT-QS,
and LAVENT. The results of the fire experiments were
then compared to the predictions from the computer
models in order to determine the limits of applicability
of the models and to develop recommendations for use in
large spaces. In the analysis conducted, computer fire
models underpredicted the ceiling jet temperatures and
thus are conservative in their activation predictions.
For large spaces, a model should be developed that
includes hot gas transport time and fire plume dynamics.
In the ongoining phase of this project, a computational
fluid dynamic model, HARWELL FLOW3D, is used to model
the space. Initial comparisons between the
computational fluid dynamic calculations and the
experiment for the centerline plume temperatures are in
reasonable agreement.
