Course syllabus
Branddynamik - avancerad
Fire Dynamics - Advanced
VBRN05, 9 credits, A (Second Cycle)
Valid for: 2021/22
Faculty: Faculty of Engineering, LTH
Decided by: PLED BI/RH
Date of Decision: 2021-04-14
General Information
Main field: Fire Safety Technology.
Compulsory for: MFST1
Language of instruction: The course will be given in English
Aim
The overriding aim of the course is that, after taking the
course, the students will understand the various stages that a fire
in a building goes through. Furthermore, the course is aimed at
providing the students with a knowledge base concerning the
different methods and techniques applied in the analysis of a fire
sequence, as well as developing their ability to critically examine
those methods in terms of practical application. The course is also
aimed at increasing the engineering-related ability to construct
and analyse models.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
For a passing grade the student must
- be able to explain the effect of the enclosure on a fire
sequence.
- be able to explain the range of application of the models and
the applicable constraints for fire safety engineering
computations.
- be able to characterise the various stages of a fire sequence
based on various variables.
Competences and skills
For a passing grade the student must
- be able to apply various manual computation models and computer
models (2-zone models) for calculating various variables in a fire
sequence.
- be able to calculate the value of various physical variables
associated with a fire sequence.
- be able to analyse and interpret results from fire safety
engineering experiments.
- be able to judge the reasonableness of calculated results
obtained from various computational models.
- be able to estimate data values for input into computational
models where these are lacking in the problem statement.
- be able to design fire safety engineering systems for control
and handling of combustion gases.
- be able to evaluate the effect the fire event can have on
people occupying the building.
- be able to calculate the time before critical conditions are
reached for fires in a building.
- be able to defend, orally and in writing, his/her choice of
models and assumptions in the analysis of fire sequences in private
and public operations.
- be able to present results from fire safety engineering
experiments in a clear and scientific manner.
- be able to search for and apply information concerning fire
evolution inside buildings in scientific journals and manuals.
- be able to carry out fire safety engineering experiments.
Judgement and approach
For a passing grade the student must
- demonstrate a capacity to make judgements on the applicability
of various computation models to various types of problems.
- demonstrate insight into the responsibilities of a fire
engineer in choosing and reporting parameters in such a way that
the models are used properly.
Contents
- Qualitative description of a fire sequence. Ignition, flame
spreading. Various ways of categorising a fire. The effect of the
building on the fire.
- Heat release rate. Mass burning rate and time-dependency of the
heat release rate, the order of magnitude of the heat release rate,
the strengths and weaknesses of various test methods, growth of
alfa-t2, the effect of the enclosure on the heat release rate,
extraction of a power curve.
- Fire plumes and flames. Froude number, mean flame height,
flame-height correlations, various profiles in a plume, ideal
plumes, strong and weak plumes, plume correlations, ceiling jets,
special issues to be considered in the design process,
quasi-stationary conditions, selecting a plume model.
- Pressure profiles. Background on air-flow in buildings.
Bernoulli's equation. Various forms of pressure. Computing
pressure, rate and mass air-flow through openings.
- Gas temperatures. Energy balance, rate of heat transfer,
correlations for computing gas temperatures. Fully-developed fires,
ISO 834, temperature calculation. The influence of high
temperatures on structural elements of steel or wood.
- Heat transmission. Conduction, convection, and radiation.
Visibility factors, emissivity.
- Smoke filling. Pressure build-up in the fire enclosure.
Transient smoke filling models. Stationary models for control of
combustion gases. Various fire safety engineering systems for
handling and control of combustion gases. Continuity equations.
Effect of sprinklers on smoke filling. Correlations.
- Combustion products. Equivalency ratios. Soot production.
Visibility, dosage. How soot particles are formed. CO, CO2.
- Computer modelling. Sub-models for zone models. Model
constraints.
Examination details
Grading scale: TH - (U,3,4,5) - (Fail, Three, Four, Five)
Assessment: The final certificate is based on a written examination (individual work), home assignments (individual work), and laboratory work reports (group work) and requires participation in compulsory seminars.
The examiner, in consultation with Disability Support Services, may deviate from the regular form of examination in order to provide a permanently disabled student with a form of examination equivalent to that of a student without a disability.
Parts
Code: 0111. Name: Fire Dynamics.
Credits: 6. Grading scale: TH. Assessment: Written examination. Contents: The course is based on lectures and written exercises.
Code: 0211. Name: Laboratory Work and Homework.
Credits: 3. Grading scale: UG. Assessment: Home assignments (individual work) and laboratory work reports (group work). Participation in compulsory seminars is also required. Contents: This part of the course contains home assignments (individual work) and laboratory work reports (group work).
Admission
Assumed prior knowledge: FMAA05 Calculus in One Variable or FMAB65 Calculus in One Variable B1 together with FMAB70 Calculus in One Variable B2, MMVA01 Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics, Basic Course.
The number of participants is limited to: 40
Selection: Completed university credits within the program. Within programs where the course is given as a compulsory course students are guaranteed admission.
Thereafter priority is given to students enrolled in programmes that include the course in their curriculum.
The course overlaps following course/s: VBR033, VBRF05, VBRF10
Reading list
- Karlsson, B and Quintiere, J G: Enclosure Fire Dynamics. CRC Press, 1999. ISBN: 0-8493-1300-7.
Contact and other information
Course coordinator: Nils Johansson, nils.johansson@brand.lth.se