Theoretical and experimental study on fully-developed compartment fires

Abstract

Fuel responses to the flame and its surroundings are essential to predict the effect of fire on the structures. This study explores these effects and applies them to the common fuel configurations. The study focuses on the fully-developed fires where all available fuel becomes involved and can potentially yield the severest damage to the structural elements. A single-zone fire model is developed along with a fuel mass loss rate model that accounts for the thermal enhancement, oxygen-limiting feedback, and the fuel configuration. An empirical correlation for mixing of oxygen into the lower floor layer essential for the modeling is developed. An experimental program for single-wall-vent compartment using wood crib and heptane pool is performed to validate the model and explore a full range of phenomena associated with fully-developed fires. The simulation from the model is able to capture these phenomena and shows good agreement with the experiments. Some generalities of the fuel mass loss rate and compartment gas temperature are presented using the experimental results and the model simulations. The developed model has a potential to give burning time and temperature in a fire for any fuel, scale and ventilation.