Fire Dynamics
Branddynamik

VBRF25, 12.0 credits, G2 (First Cycle)

Valid for: 2026/27
Faculty: Faculty of Engineering LTH
Decided by: PLED BI/RH
Date of Decision: 2026-04-09

General Information

Main field: Technology Depth of study relative to the degree requirements: First cycle, in-depth level of the course cannot be classified
Mandatory for: BR2
Language of instruction: The course will be given in Swedish

Aim

The overall purpose of the course is to provide students with knowledge of and tools for the analysis of room fires.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding
For a passing grade the student must

• Be able to characterize different stages of a room fire.
• Be able to explain the room's impact on the course of a fire.
• Be able to explain the uses and limitations of different models (analytical models and computer models) for fire engineering calculations.
• Be able to describe current research and development work within the field of fire safety engineering.

Competences and skills
For a passing grade the student must

• Be able to defend, verbally and in writing, his/her choice of models and assumptions in the analysis of a room fire.
• Be able to use various analytical models and computer models to calculate different parameters in a room fire.
• Be able to assess the reasonableness of computed results from different calculation models.
• Be able to plan, conduct, analyze, interpret, and present results from fire experiments in a scientific manner.
• Be able to search for and use information related to room fires in scientific literature.

Judgement and approach
For a passing grade the student must

• Demonstrate a capacity to make judgements on the applicability of various models to various types of problems.
• Demonstrate an ability to identify the need for more knowledge concerning room fires.

Contents

• Room fires and the room's influence on the course of fires and the formation of combustion products.
• Pressure profiles and flows in buildings: Bernoulli's equation, velocities, and mass flows through openings.
• Gas temperatures: Mass and energy balance in room fires, heat transfer coefficients, correlations for gas temperature calculations, fully developed fires, parametric fires.
• Smoke filling: Pressure increase in the fire room, different smoke filling models, hand calculations, zone models, and CFD models. Stationary models for controlling fire gases. Various fire safety systems for smoke management and control.
• Computer modeling: zone models, CFD models, sub-models for computer models, limitations in computer models.
• Laboratory experiments with room fires in large and small scale.

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 active 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.

Modules
Code: 0124. Name: Exam.
Credits: 6.0. Grading scale: TH - (U, 3, 4, 5). Assessment: Written examination. The module includes: The course is based on lectures and written exercises.
Code: 0224. Name: Laboratory Work and Homework.
Credits: 6.0. Grading scale: UG - (U, G). Assessment: Home assignments (individual work), and laboratory work reports (group work), and participation in compulsory seminars is also required. The module includes: This part consists of seminars and individual assignments. Students work in groups during laboratory experiments. Further information: Group assignments require active participation. Each group member must individually be able to account for the content of the assignment. If a group member does not fulfill the demands of the group or ignores hers/his commitment, she/he can be reassigned to another group or get a fail result.

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, VBRF35 Fire Physics.
The number of participants is limited to: No
Kursen överlappar följande kurser: VBRN05 VBRF10

Reading list

• Karlsson, B, Quintiere, J G: Enclosure: Enclosure fire dynamics, Second Edition. CRC Press, 2022.

Contact

Course coordinator: Nils Johansson, nils.johansson@brand.lth.se
Course administrator: Linnéa Ekman, linnea.ekman@ebd.lth.se

Further information

Some of the teaching is given in English.

Generative AI may be used in a similar way as other tools used for gathering information. Using the resulting text, figure, code or similar created by a GAI tool is treated as deceptive and is treated as cheating. The use of GAI tools shall be stated in written material for examination. Recommendation on the use of GAI tools is presented on the course area on Canvas.