You are asked to assess the fire dynamics within a compartment of dimensions of 5 m (width)
x 5 m (length) x 5 m (height). The compartment has a vertical opening (a door) of dimensions
1 m (width) x 2.4 m (height) and a horizontal opening of 1 m x 1 m located at the centre of the
ceiling. The design fire within the compartment is a parabolic (αt
2
) fire, with a medium growth
rate. Three different scenarios are to be considered where the compartment boundaries are (a)
adiabatic (no heat losses), (b) made of a 2 mm thick steel sheet and (c) made of a 30 mm thick
plasterboard.
In this project, you are asked to use both a zone model (CFAST) and a computational fluid
dynamics model (FDS) to assess the fire dynamics for the three scenarios noted above. The
outcomes from these models must be used in conjunction, wherever possible, to elaborate a
detailed description of the following aspects:
- Fire dynamics during the pre-flashover stage (fuel-controlled, well-ventilated). [25
points] - Conditions for flashover (transition from pre-flashover to post-flashover). [25
points] - Fire dynamics during the post-flashover stage (ventilation-controlled, underventilated). [25 points]
- Mass transfer through openings for both pre-flashover and post-flashover
conditions. [25 points]
Sample Solution