Flow Induced by Fire in a Compartment.

Published

July 1, 1982

Author(s)

Kenneth D. Steckler, Jim G. Quintiere, William J. Rinkinen

Abstract

Fifty-five full-scale steady-state experiments were conducted to study the flow induced by a simulated pool fire in a compartment under conditions characteristic of the developing fire. The mass flow rate through the door or window opening and bounds on the fire plume entrainment rate are presented as a function of opening geometry, fire strenght, and fire location. The characteristics of the measured opening flow rates are explained by a simple hydrostatic model based on temperature distribution. A good correlation between the measured results and the idealized flows, taking into account the complete temperature distribution, is demonstrated. Entrainment results for fires near walls are in reasonable agreement with results from free-standing plume models. Except for the smalles openings, fires in other locations entrain at a rate two to three times the rate predicted by these models. This phenomenon is attributed to room disturbances caused by the opening flow and is similar to the behavior of a fire plume in a cross wind.

Citation

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR) -

NIST Pub Series

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR)

Pub Type

NIST Pubs

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Keywords

air flow, compartment fires, entrainment, flow rates

Citation

Steckler, K. , Quintiere, J. and Rinkinen, W. (1982), Flow Induced by Fire in a Compartment., NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=106938 (Accessed January 9, 2025)