{"title":"A computational study of the deposition of firebrands between two side-by-side blocks","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.firesaf.2024.104270","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.firesaf.2024.104270","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The deposition of firebrands between two blocks, representing neighboring simplified structures, was investigated by large-eddy simulation and Lagrangian tracking of firebrands. Fire Dynamics Simulator was modified and implemented for simulations. The computational configuration resembled the previous wind-tunnel measurement setup including two blocks and the firebrand generator apparatus, aka NIST Dragon (Suzuki and Manzello 2021). Different wind speeds and frictional coefficients between the sliding firebrands and the ground were considered. Simulations revealed several flow effects influencing the motion of firebrands on the ground, such as re-circulation flow in the wake of the dragon, a crossflow upwind of the blocks, and twin re-circulation regions on leeward and windward sides of the blocks. At lower wind speeds, firebrands were accumulated somewhere between the dragon and the blocks, consistent with observations in the previous measurements. At higher wind speeds, the firebrands tended to accumulate momentarily before the crossflow region and then accelerate through the gap between the blocks. Some accumulated in the leeward corner of the blocks. Firebrands displayed much more dispersion in the streamwise direction compared to the spanwise direction because the normal component of the Reynolds stress was greater in the streamwise direction.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50445,"journal":{"name":"Fire Safety Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142442887","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Computational analysis of flame spreads over alcohol fuel at sub-flash temperatures using multi-step chemistry","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.firesaf.2024.104271","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.firesaf.2024.104271","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Although flame spread over liquid fuel has been extensively investigated, there still exist some unresolved issues on its controlling mechanisms. In addition, state-of-art models have not addressed all the potentially important processes such as detailed chemistry, limiting the prediction accuracy. In the present study, our previously developed fully coupled three-dimensional numerical approach is extended with a multi-step chemistry. The improved model is then used to investigate flame spreads under different fuel temperatures and pool depths, aiming to reveal fine details of the underlying gas and liquid flow features.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50445,"journal":{"name":"Fire Safety Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142420978","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Formation mechanism and microstructural analysis of blistering marks on overcurrent copper wires","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.firesaf.2024.104268","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.firesaf.2024.104268","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Electrical fires frequently result in severe casualties, with overcurrent faults being a primary cause. This study investigates the formation mechanisms of blistering marks on polyvinyl chloride (PVC) insulated copper wires, traditionally attributed to direct flame exposure. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of PVC copper wires subjected to overcurrents ranging from 190 to 240A, examining the resultant microstructural changes. Our findings challenge conventional beliefs by demonstrating that certain blistering marks, especially on non-flame-retardant PVC (NF-PVC) insulated wires, are indicative of overcurrent faults rather than flame exposure. By integrating detailed microstructural analysis with the thermal decomposition characteristics of the PVC insulation, this study provides new insights into diagnosing the causes of electrical fires and advocates for more meticulous methods in fire investigations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50445,"journal":{"name":"Fire Safety Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142310283","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Partial gravity flammability of cast PMMA rods in concurrent axial stagnation flow","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.firesaf.2024.104267","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.firesaf.2024.104267","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Testing was performed in a partial gravity centrifuge drop vehicle in the Zero Gravity Research Facility with cast PMMA rods in concurrent axial buoyant stagnation flow to determine flammability limits as a function of partial gravity level. The partial gravity levels studied varied from 0.04 g to a simulated 1g for ambient oxygen concentrations from 13.2 % to 15.2 % O<sub>2</sub> by volume at an average 57.6 kPa (8.4 PSIA) ambient pressure, which is very close to the anticipated Lunar habitat pressure. The PMMA flammability boundary as a function of oxygen concentration and gravity level has been determined at five gravity levels. Coriolis effects appear to be minimal in the stagnation region where the flame is stabilized while the tips of the flame do show some bending at the higher gravity levels. Lunar gravity levels are near the minimum in the oxygen - gravity level flammability boundary. This suggests that fire is a significant safety risk for future exploration missions to the Moon since materials are screened in normal gravity to evaluate their safe use in space. If normal gravity screening is not conservative, a material derating method will need to be applied to ensure the material is not flammable on the Moon. Since the blowoff boundary appears to be linear with forced flow velocity, it may be possible to conduct elevated forced flow blowoff testing that could then be extrapolated down to effective Lunar gravity levels to provide an oxygen delta between 1g and Lunar flammability limits to derate the material.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50445,"journal":{"name":"Fire Safety Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142323244","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Bayesian analysis of domestic fire response and fire injury","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.firesaf.2024.104266","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.firesaf.2024.104266","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>In this article domestic fire response and fire injury was examined using a Bayesian analysis approach. A Bayesian model was developed to estimate the probability of non-fatal fire injury associated with a given fire response (escape, return to fire, fight the fire) under given circumstances of non-fatal fire injury (age band, gender, smoke alarm presence, type of domestic fire). The Bayesian model was developed using non-fatal fire injury data recorded by Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service between 2011 and 2022. Overall, more domestic fire injuries relating to attempting to fight the fire occurred in properties with a smoke detector (82 % of attempting to fight the fire injuries) compared to properties without a smoke detector (18 % of attempting to fight the fire injuries). Similarly, fire injuries sustained returning to the fire mainly occurred in properties with a smoke detector (75 % of returning to fire injuries) as opposed to properties without a smoke detector (25 % of returning to fire injuries).</p></div>","PeriodicalId":50445,"journal":{"name":"Fire Safety Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-09-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0379711224001796/pdfft?md5=cd6748ab3dfce94cbf459696a6d64ef5&pid=1-s2.0-S0379711224001796-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142238369","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Numerical model of aerial drop characteristic of mass firefighting units for aerial firefighting","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.firesaf.2024.104263","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.firesaf.2024.104263","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The aerial drop characteristic of mass firefighting units has a significant influence on the effectiveness of aerial firefighting. In order to accurately describe the aerial drop characteristic of mass firefighting units, a numerical model covering the fundamental stages of the whole operation process was developed in the present study. In the model, mass firefighting units' filling and discharging processes are simulated by the discrete element method; the falling process is simulated by aerodynamic analysis, and the ground pattern characteristics are obtained. The model validation shows that, the numerical result agrees well with the experimental result with a maximum deviation of 14 %. The initial velocity distribution characteristic remains constant with varying filling amounts, and the mass fire firefighting units' initial velocities at different times follow a special normal distribution; the standard deviation of the initial velocities’ distribution primarily determines the width of mass firefighting units' ground pattern, while initial velocity and filling amount primarily determine the length of the ground pattern; the maximum coverage level is about 10 L/m<sup>2</sup>.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":50445,"journal":{"name":"Fire Safety Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142238370","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Intercalation modified nano zirconium phosphate inhibitor for inhibiting coal spontaneous combustion","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.firesaf.2024.104265","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.firesaf.2024.104265","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The synthesis and characterization of a modified zirconium phosphate (MZrP) nano-inhibitor for spontaneous coal combustion inhibition were explored through isooctylamine intercalation. Using oxidation experiment, FTIR and SEM, the variation rules of the characteristic parameters of the different coal samples were investigated. It was observed that MZrP exhibited enhanced dispersion within the coal matrix post-intercalation modification. As the MZrP concentration increased, there was a notable decrease in oxygen consumption rate, gas production concentration, and active group content in the coal, alongside a significant increase in apparent activation energy and inhibition efficacy. This enhanced inhibition is attributed to two primary mechanisms. Firstly, the hydrophilic nature of MZrP allows for its uniform distribution on the coal surface and within internal pores, creating a dense carbonized layer. This layer effectively retains moisture and isolates oxygen, enhancing physical inhibition. Secondly, MZrP inhibitor is thermally decomposed into phosphoric acid and its phosphoric acid derivatives, which can effectively capture the H- and -OH in the coal, and strengthens the inactivation of its reactive free radicals. The optimal inhibition was observed in coal samples treated with 6 wt% MZrP, exhibiting an average inhibition rate of 62.2 %, coupled with the lowest rates of gas production and oxygen consumption.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":50445,"journal":{"name":"Fire Safety Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142238371","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Early warning signals of flashover in compartment fires","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.firesaf.2024.104264","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.firesaf.2024.104264","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>There have been efforts to predict the occurrence of flashover. Due to its sudden development and the difficulty in discerning warning signs during the induction phase, the approach to flashover prediction is still under investigation. This research tests a new approach for detecting flashover events within a compartment through single-signal processing of the heat release rate (HRR). A set of ordinary differential equations aligned with a two-zone model are formulated and transformed into stochastic differential equations, subsequently solved through a numerical method. Based on the noisy HRR readings, a dynamical marker is constructed as a product of two quantities: the smoothed HRR and the standard deviation of the noise component. The dynamical marker was found to increase prior to a rise in the HRR signal on its own, confirming its superiority as a sign of flashover detection. To assess the practical applicability of the dynamical marker, we computed it to detect flashover incidents using HRR obtained from an FDS simulation and the fire calorimetry database provided by NIST; the dynamical marker exhibited a significant rise before the transition to flashover, confirming its potential as an early warning signal.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":50445,"journal":{"name":"Fire Safety Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0379711224001772/pdfft?md5=5c33e7a0d63c038e2566a4211d793665&pid=1-s2.0-S0379711224001772-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142238368","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Assessment of a PAH-based soot production model in laminar coflow methane diffusion flames doped by gasoline surrogate fuels","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.firesaf.2024.104252","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.firesaf.2024.104252","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This article assesses the capability of the PAH-based soot model developed by the authors and validated in ethylene non-premixed flames to predict soot production in flames fueled with gasoline surrogates. The soot model was coupled to a flamelet model and the Rank-Correlated Full-Spectrum k model to simulate laminar coflow nitrogen-diluted methane/air diffusion flames doped with n-heptane/toluene and iso-octane/toluene mixtures. Consistent with our previous studies, the simulation was conducted using the Kaust Mechanism 1, pyrene as soot precursor, and the same set of model parameters. The model reproduced reasonably-well the peak soot volume fraction. However, the soot production onset was predicted much earlier than measurements owing to the early formation of pyrene induced by the presence of toluene. These discrepancies can be partially corrected by selecting a larger PAH than pyrene with a similar level of concentrations as soot precursor. For the present mechanism, anthanthrene was found to be the best candidate. Model results show that different mechanisms dominate the soot mass growth in ethylene and gasoline surrogate flames. While the HACA is more important in the former, PAH condensation largely prevails in the latter. This suggests that ethylene may be not the most relevant reference fuel for developing semi-empirical soot models for fires. Further investigations are required to confirm this conjecture.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":50445,"journal":{"name":"Fire Safety Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142163698","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Suppression characteristics of methane/coal dust explosions by active explosion suppression system in the large mining tunnel","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.firesaf.2024.104251","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.firesaf.2024.104251","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>To enhance intelligent prevention and control of methane/coal dust explosions in coal mines, the active explosion suppressor was developed. Methane/coal dust explosion suppression experiments were carried out in an 896-m mining tunnel. The suppression mechanism of NH<sub>4</sub>H<sub>2</sub>PO<sub>4</sub> powder during methane/coal dust explosions was elucidated. The results indicated that the device effectively prevented flame propagation within a 40 m radius by propelling NH<sub>4</sub>H<sub>2</sub>PO<sub>4</sub> powder using high-pressure nitrogen. There was a significant reduction in the intensity and destructiveness of the overpressure, with a maximum decrease of 61.43 %. The phosphorus-containing material produced by NH<sub>4</sub>H<sub>2</sub>PO<sub>4</sub> consumed free radicals through catalytic cycles of HOPO ⇔ PO<sub>2</sub> and HOPO ⇔ HPO<sub>3</sub>⇔PO(OH)<sub>2</sub>, weakening and interrupting the reactions, and suppressing flame development. NH<sub>4</sub>H<sub>2</sub>PO<sub>4</sub> reduced peak concentrations of CO and NO<sub>2</sub>. Guidelines for explosion suppression of CH<sub>4</sub>/coal dust explosions in large mining tunnel were presented. The findings provide technical and theoretical support for the prevention and control of methane/coal dust explosions in coal mines.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":50445,"journal":{"name":"Fire Safety Journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2024-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142157986","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}