Thermal and Fluid Dynamic Structures of a Laboratory-Scale Fixed-Frame Fire-Whirl

Author(s):  
Mohamed I. Hassan ◽  
A. Helali ◽  
Kozo Saito

Abstract Fire whirl is one of the most destructive phenomena in mass fires. To study thermal and fluid dynamic structures of a fire whirl in a laboratory, a fire whirl generator consisting of two vertically oriented split-cylinders were placed in an asymmetric position to form a compartment leaving two open slits in each end. A 5-cm diameter liquid pool fire was placed at the center of the compartment floor, the fire generated buoyancy flow moved upwardly, and fresh air entered to the compartment creating swirl motion. The visible flame height of the generated fire whirl was measured by a video camera, 2-D azimuthal velocity profiles at several different heights by particle image velocimetry (PIV), and the average heat flux input to the fuel surface by a Gardon gauge type heat flux meter.

1995 ◽  
Vol 117 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. Vincent ◽  
S. R. Gollahalli

The risk of accidental spills and possible fires is high in the storage and handling of large quantities of flammable liquids. Such liquid pool fires are generally buoyancy-driven and emit a large fraction of their heat release in the form of radiation. Ignition and combustion characteristics of liquid pools depend on the design parameters such as diameter, spacing, and shape of the pools. This laboratory scale study was conducted to determine the effects of these parameters on the characteristics of multiple liquid pool fires. The measurements reported include pool surface regression rate, flame height, temperature, and concentrations of carbon dioxide, soot, and oxygen.


Author(s):  
Johannes Gradl ◽  
Florian Schwertfirm ◽  
Hans-Christoph Schwarzer ◽  
Hans-Joachim Schmid ◽  
Michael Manhart ◽  
...  

Mixing and consequently fluid dynamic is a key parameter to tailor the particle size distribution (PSD) in nanoparticle precipitation. Due to fast and intensive mixing a static T-mixer configuration is capable for synthesizing continuously nanoparticles. The flow and concentration field of the applied mixer is investigated experimentally at different flow rates by Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF). Due to the PIV measurements the flow field in the mixer was characterized qualitatively and the mixing process itself is quantified by the subsequent LIF-measurements. A special feature of the LIF set up is to detect structures in the flow field, which are smaller than the Batchelor length. Thereby a detailed insight into the mixing process in a static T-Mixer is given. In this study a CFD-based approach using Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) in combination with the solid formation kinetics solving population balance equations (PBE) is applied, using barium sulfate as modeling material. A Lagrangian Particle Tracking strategy is used to couple the flow field information with a micro mixing model and with the classical theory of nucleation. We found that the DNS-PBE approach including macro and micro mixing, combined with the population balance is capable of predicting the full PSD in nanoparticle precipitation for different operating parameters. Additionally to the resulting PSD, this approach delivers a 3D-information about all running subprocesses in the mixer, i.e. supersaturation built-up or nucleation, which is visualized for different process variables.


2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (116) ◽  
pp. 20160068 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gen Li ◽  
Ulrike K. Müller ◽  
Johan L. van Leeuwen ◽  
Hao Liu

Larvae of bony fish swim in the intermediate Reynolds number ( Re ) regime, using body- and caudal-fin undulation to propel themselves. They share a median fin fold that transforms into separate median fins as they grow into juveniles. The fin fold was suggested to be an adaption for locomotion in the intermediate Reynolds regime, but its fluid-dynamic role is still enigmatic. Using three-dimensional fluid-dynamic computations, we quantified the swimming trajectory from body-shape changes during cyclic swimming of larval fish. We predicted unsteady vortices around the upper and lower edges of the fin fold, and identified similar vortices around real larvae with particle image velocimetry. We show that thrust contributions on the body peak adjacent to the upper and lower edges of the fin fold where large left–right pressure differences occur in concert with the periodical generation and shedding of edge vortices. The fin fold enhances effective flow separation and drag-based thrust. Along the body, net thrust is generated in multiple zones posterior to the centre of mass. Counterfactual simulations exploring the effect of having a fin fold across a range of Reynolds numbers show that the fin fold helps larvae achieve high swimming speeds, yet requires high power. We conclude that propulsion in larval fish partly relies on unsteady high-intensity vortices along the upper and lower edges of the fin fold, providing a functional explanation for the omnipresence of the fin fold in bony-fish larvae.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Chengjun Yue ◽  
Li Chen ◽  
Hengbo Xiang ◽  
Linfeng Xu ◽  
Shigang Yang ◽  
...  

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) leaks often lead to cascading accident disasters, including vapor cloud release, explosion, fire, and toxic gas release. The origin and evolution of each accidental disaster must be considered when assessing safety. This paper discusses the safety assessment project of an LNG gas storage station in Xuzhou, China. Multiple conceivable disasters due to the leakage of LNG storage tanks are simulated and analyzed using the computational fluid dynamic software FLACS. We studied different wind speeds interacting with the flammable vapor cloud area and creating frostbite in areas of low temperature. Diffusion simulations of vapor cloud explosion (VCE), thermal radiation, and the distribution of toxic substances were performed. The overpressure-impulse criterion was used to calculate the influence range of VCE. Heat flux, heat dose, and heat flux-heat dose criteria were used to calculate the safe distance for personnel in the event of fire. Based on the calculation results of the three latter criteria, this paper recommends using the heat flux criterion to evaluate fire accidents. The danger zone of each accident was compared. VCE accidents yielded the largest area.


2010 ◽  
Vol 182 (7) ◽  
pp. 858-878 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesse Lozano ◽  
Watcharapong Tachajapong ◽  
David R. Weise ◽  
Shankar Mahalingam ◽  
Marko Princevac

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (19) ◽  
pp. 3989 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheng Wang ◽  
Anthony Chun Yin Yuen ◽  
Qing Nian Chan ◽  
Timothy Bo Yuan Chen ◽  
Qian Chen ◽  
...  

This paper numerically examines the characterisation of fire whirl formulated under various entrainment conditions in an enclosed configuration. The numerical framework, integrating large eddy simulation and detailed chemistry, is constructed to assess the whirling flame behaviours. The proposed model constraints the convoluted coupling effects, e.g., the interrelation between combustion, flow dynamics and radiative feedback, thus focuses on assessing the impact on flame structure and flow behaviour solely attribute to the eddy-generation mechanisms. The baseline model is validated well against the experimental data. The data of the comparison case, with the introduction of additional flow channelling slit, is subsequently generated for comparison. The result suggests that, with the intensified circulation, the generated fire whirl increased by 9.42 % in peak flame temperature, 84.38 % in visible flame height, 6.81 % in axial velocity, and 46.14 % in velocity dominant region. The fire whirl core radius of the comparison case was well constrained within all monitored heights, whereas that of the baseline tended to disperse at 0.5   m height-above-burner. This study demonstrates that amplified eddy generation via the additional flow channelling slit enhances the mixing of all reactant species and intensifies the combustion process, resulting in an elongated and converging whirling core of the reacting flow.


Micromachines ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 768 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Kottmeier ◽  
Maike Wullenweber ◽  
Sebastian Blahout ◽  
Jeanette Hussong ◽  
Ingo Kampen ◽  
...  

A pressure resistant and optically accessible deterministic lateral displacement (DLD) device was designed and microfabricated from silicon and glass for high-throughput fractionation of particles between 3.0 and 7.0 µm comprising array segments of varying tilt angles with a post size of 5 µm. The design was supported by computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations using OpenFOAM software. Simulations indicated a change in the critical particle diameter for fractionation at higher Reynolds numbers. This was experimentally confirmed by microparticle image velocimetry (µPIV) in the DLD device with tracer particles of 0.86 µm. At Reynolds numbers above 8 an asymmetric flow field pattern between posts could be observed. Furthermore, the new DLD device allowed successful fractionation of 2 µm and 5 µm fluorescent polystyrene particles at Re = 0.5–25.


Author(s):  
Xi Wang ◽  
Xu Cheng

The main failure mechanism of in-vessel corium retention through external reactor vessel cooling (IVR-ERVC) happens when the local heat flux through reactor pressure vessel (PRV) wall exceeds the critical heat flux (CHF). High local heat flux in the molten pool is usually caused by the metallic layer focusing effect due to stratification. In this paper, depending on experimental correlations, both the lump parameter method and computational fluid dynamic method are used to investigate the mechanism of focusing effect. The concentration factor varying with the height of metallic layer is studied. The results show that the lump parameter method probably overestimates the wall heat flux of metal layer.


Author(s):  
M. W. Alnaser ◽  
K. Spindler ◽  
H. Mu¨ller-Steinhagen

A test rig was constructed to investigate flow boiling in an electrically heated horizontal mini-channel array. The test section is made of copper and consists of twelve parallel mini-channels. The channels are 1 mm deep, 1 mm wide and 250 mm long. The test section is heated from underneath with six cartridge heaters. The channels are covered with a glass plate to allow visual observations of the flow patterns using a high-speed video-camera. The wall temperatures are measured at five positions along the channel axis with two resistance thermometers in a specified distance in heat flow direction. Local heat transfer coefficients are obtained by calculating the local heat flux. The working fluids are deionised water and ethanol. The experiments were performed under near atmospheric pressure (0.94 bar to 1.2 bar absolute). The inlet temperature was kept constant at 20°C. The measurements were taken for three mass fluxes (120; 150; 185 kg/m2s) at heat fluxes from 7 to 375 kW/m2. Heat transfer coefficients are presented for single phase forced convection, subcooled and saturated flow boiling conditions. The heat transfer coefficient increases slightly with rising heat flux for single phase flow. A strong increase is observed in subcooled flow boiling. At high heat flux the heat transfer coefficient decreases slightly with increasing heat flux. The application of ethanol instead of water leads to an increase of the surface temperature. At the same low heat flux flow boiling heat transfer occurs with ethanol, but in the experiments with water single phase heat transfer is still dominant. It is because of the lower specific heat capacity of ethanol compared to water. There is a slight influence of the mass flux in the investigated parameter range. The pictures of a high-speed video-camera are analysed for the two-phase flow-pattern identification.


Author(s):  
Koyu Satoh ◽  
Naian Liu ◽  
Xiaodong Xie ◽  
Wei Gao

The number of huge oil storage tanks is increasing in the world. If a fire occurs in one of these tanks, it is very difficult to suppress. Additionally, if a fire whirl occurs in an oil tank fire, it is extremely dangerous for firefighters to extinguish the fire. The authors have numerically studied huge fire whirls in a large oil tank depot and predicted the generation of those fire whirls. Here, another study is attempted to clarify the details of huge fire whirl in a large oil tank, using two kinds of fire whirl generation channels in CFD simulations using the software, FDS by NIST. Details of burning rates, velocities of whirling flames, radiative heat flux, heat release rates and whirling cycles are examined, using oil tanks with the diameters of 0.2 to 80 m. In oil tanks with a diameter of 80 m, a tall fire whirl is generated. The height is about 1000 m. In this study of oil tanks fires with small to large diameters, it has been found that fire whirl lengths are about 8 to 11 times of the oil tank diameter. The maximum radiative heat flux due to a fire whirl in 80 m diameter oil tanks exceeds 100 kW/m2. Since the maximum radiation is found at twice the distance of oil tank diameters from the tank centers, adjacent oil tanks may be ignited. This study has also examined a method used to prevent fire whirl generation in huge oil tanks.


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