Modeling of shipboard smoke propagation with a forced counter-flow air supply

Abstract

The propagation of fire-generated smoke with a counter-flow air supply in, a horizontal arrangement of shipboard compartments and passageways was modeled using a computational fluid dynamics program generated by Computational Fluid Dynamics Research Corporation. This study was based on a large-scale live fire experiment performed by Naval Research Laboratory on the ex-USS SHADWELL. All simulations were evaluated at steady state conditions. A constant velocity counter-flow air supply was introduced into the model structure. The counter-flow air velocities used were 0.5, 1, and 2 m/s. This study used a computational fluid dynamics combustion module to simulate a 620 kW fire generated by the complete combustion of propene gas from a burn pan in the space.: Carbon dioxide from the fire was tracked throughout the structure to model smoke propagation. Seven simulations were performed with adiabatic and isothermal bulkhead, deck and overhead boundary conditions. Simulation smoke propagation results were consistent with experimental observations. Figures depicting temperature' distribution, carbon dioxide distribution and mixture flow patterns at specified locations are provided in the report The goal of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of computational fluid dynamics modeling of smoke propagation in a shipboard space with a counter-flow air supply.