Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Enclosure Smoke Filling and Fire-Generated Environmental Conditions

  • Chapter
SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering

Abstract

Fires in buildings and other structures are distinguished from outdoor fires by the confinement effects associated with enclosure boundaries and by the ventilation effects associated with openings in these boundaries. The confinement of heat and smoke released by a fire in an enclosure gives rise to the evolution of fire-generated environmental conditions that can threaten life safety and cause thermal and nonthermal damage to the structure and its contents. For performance-based building fire safety analysis and design, it is important to be able to calculate the environmental conditions generated by fires in enclosures in order to evaluate the threat levels posed by anticipated fire scenarios. This chapter addresses the enclosure smoke-filling process and the fire-generated environmental conditions that develop within an enclosure during this process.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 869.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 1,099.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. E.E. Zukoski, “Development of a Stratified Ceiling Layer in the Early Stages of a Closed-Room Fire,” Fire and Materials, 2, pp. 54–62 (1978).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. L.Y. Cooper, “A Mathematical Model for Estimating Available Safe Egress Time from Fires,” Fire and Materials, 6, pp. 135–143 (1982).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. L.Y. Cooper, “The Development of Hazardous Conditions in Enclosures with Growing Fires,” Combustion Science and Technology, 33, pp. 279–297 (1983).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. W.D. Walton, “ASET-B: A Room Fire Program for Personal Computers,” Fire Technology, 21, pp. 293–309 (1985).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. H.E. Nelson, “FPETOOL: Fire Protection Engineering Tools for Hazard Estimation,” NISTIR 4380, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, General Services Administration, Washington, DC (Oct. 1990).

    Google Scholar 

  6. M. Hurley, “ASET-B: Comparison of Model Predictions with Full-Scale Test Data,” Journal of Fire Protection Engineering, 13, 1, pp. 37–65 (2003).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. F.W. Mowrer, “Methods of Quantitative Fire Hazard Analysis,” TR-100443, Electric Power Research Institute, Palo Alto, CA (May 1992).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Professional Loss Control, “Fire Induced Vulnerability Evaluation (FIVE),” TR-100370, Electric Power Research Institute, Palo Alto, CA (Apr. 1992).

    Google Scholar 

  9. J.A. Milke and F.W. Mowrer, “A Design Algorithm for Smoke Management Systems in Atria and Covered Malls,” Report No. FP93–04, Department of Fire Protection Engineering, University of Maryland (May 1993).

    Google Scholar 

  10. NFPA 92B, Standard for Smoke Management Systems in Malls, Atria, and Large Spaces, National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA (2005).

    Google Scholar 

  11. F.W. Mowrer, “Enclosure Smoke Filling Revisited,” Fire Safety Journal, 33, pp. 93–114 (1999).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. F.W. Mowrer, “Enclosure Smoke Filling and Management with Mechanical Ventilation,” Fire Technology, 38, 1, January pp. 33–56 (2002).

    Google Scholar 

  13. K. Matsuyama, Y. Misawa, T. Wakamatsu, and K. Hamada, “Closed-Form Equations for Room Smoke Filling During an Initial Fire,” Fire Science and Technology, 19, pp. 1–27 (1999).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. M.A. Delichatsios, “Closed Form Approximate Solutions for Smoke Filling in Enclosures Including the Volume Expansion Term,” Fire Safety Journal, 38, pp. 97–101 (2003).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. M.A. Delichatsios, “Tenability Conditions and Filling Times for Fires in Large Spaces,” Fire Safety Journal, 24, pp. 643–662 (2004).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. C.M. Fleischmann and K.B. McGrattan, “Numerical and Experimental Gravity Currents Related to Backdrafts,” Fire Safety Journal, 33, 1, pp. 21–34 (1999).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. S.P. Nowlen, “Enclosure Environment Characterization Testing for the Base Line Validation of Computer Fire Simulation Codes,” NUREG/CR-4681, SAND86–1296, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM (Mar. 1987).

    Google Scholar 

  18. R. Zalosh, “Explosion Protection,” in SFPE Fire Protection Handbook (P.J. DiNenno et al., eds.), National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA, pp. 3-402–3-421 (2003).

    Google Scholar 

  19. M. Skelly, R. Roby, and C. Beyler, “An Experimental Investigation of Glass Breakage in Compartment Fires,” Journal of Fire Protection Engineering, 3, 1, pp. 25–34 (1991).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. P.E. Sincaglia and J.R. Barnett, “Development of a Glass Window Fracture Model for Zone-Type Computer Fire Codes,” Journal of Fire Protection Engineering, 8, 3, pp. 101–118 (1997).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. F.W. Mowrer, “Window Breakage Induced by Exterior Fires,” NIST GCR 98–751, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD (1998).

    Google Scholar 

  22. J.D. Seader and I.N. Einhorn, “Some Physical, Chemical, Toxicological, and Physiological Aspects of Fire Smokes,” in 16th Symposium (International) on Combustion, Combustion Institute, Pittsburgh, PA, pp. 1423–1445 (1977).

    Google Scholar 

  23. G.W. Muholland and C. Croarkin, “Specific Extinction Coefficient of Flame Generated Smoke,” Fire and Materials, 24, 5, pp. 39–55 (2000).

    Google Scholar 

  24. G. W. Mulholland, "Smoke Production and Properties," SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering, National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA, 2008.

    Google Scholar 

  25. E.E. Zukoski, T. Kubota, and B. Cetegen, “Entrainment in Fire Plumes,” Fire Safety Journal, 3, pp. 107–121 (1980/1981).

    Google Scholar 

  26. V. Ho, N. Siu, and G. Apostolakis, “COMPBRN III—A Fire Hazard Model for Risk Analysis,” Fire Safety Journal, 13, pp. 137–154 (1988).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. K.L. Foote, P.J. Pagni, and N.J. Alvares, “Temperature Correlations for Forced-Ventilation Compartment Fires,” Fire Safety Science—Proceedings of the First International Symposium, International Association for Fire Safety Science, London, UK (1986).

    Google Scholar 

  28. C. Beyler, “Analysis of Compartment Fires with Overhead Forced Ventilation,” Fire Safety Science—Proceedings of the Third International Symposium, International Association for Fire Safety Science, London, UK (1991).

    Google Scholar 

  29. C.L. Beyler, “Fire Plumes and Ceiling Jets,” Fire Safety Journal, 11, 53, pp. 53–75 (1986).

    Google Scholar 

  30. J.G. Quintiere and B.S. Grove, “Correlations for Fire Plumes,” NIST GCR 98–744, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD (1998).

    Google Scholar 

  31. P.S. Ziesler, F.S. Gunnerson, and S.K. Williams, “Advances in Positive Pressure Ventilation: Live Fire Tests and Laboratory Simulation,” Fire Technology, 30, 2, pp. 269–277 (1994).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. S. Kerber and W.D. Walton, “Full-Scale Evaluation of Positive Pressure Ventilation In a Fire Fighter Training Building,” NISTIR 7342 National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD (2006).

    Google Scholar 

  33. J.H. Ferziger and M. Peric, Computational Methods for Fluid Dynamics, 3rd ed., Springer-Verlag, New York (2002).

    Book  MATH  Google Scholar 

  34. B. Hagglund, R. Jansson, and K. Nireus. “Smoke Filling Experiments in a 6 × 6 × 6 Meter Enclosure,” FOA Report C 20585-D6, National Defense Research Establishment, Stockholm, Sweden (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  35. B. Karlsson and J. Quintiere, Enclosure Fire Dynamics, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL (2000).

    Google Scholar 

  36. T. Yamana and T. Tanaka, “Smoke Control in Large Scale Spaces (Part 2: Smoke Control Experiments in a Large Scale Space),” Fire Science and Technology, 5, 1, pp. 41–54 (1985).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Director of Fire Protection Engineering Programs, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA, USA

    Frederick W. Mowrer

Authors
  1. Frederick W. Mowrer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Aon Fire Protection Engineering, Greenbelt, MD, USA

    Morgan J. Hurley P.E., FSFPE (Editor-in-Chief) (Editor-in-Chief)

  2. Hughes Associates, Baltimore, USA

    Daniel Gottuk Ph.D., P.E.

  3. National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, USA

    John R. Hall Jr. Ph.D.

  4. Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

    Kazunori Harada Dr. Eng.

  5. National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, USA

    Erica Kuligowski Ph.D.

  6. Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, USA

    Milosh Puchovsky P.E., FSFPE

  7. The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia

    José Torero Ph.D.

  8. The Fire Safety Institute, Quincy, USA

    John M. Watts Jr. Ph.D., FSFPE

  9. FM Global, Johnston, USA

    Christopher Wieczorek Ph.D.

Nomenclature

A

area (m2)

c p

specific heat at constant pressure (kJ/kg · K)

c v

specific heat at constant volume (kJ/kg · K)

C d

orifice flow coefficient (–)

\( d{m}_{{\mathrm{O}}_2} \)

mass of oxygen consumed by combustion (kg)

h

specific enthalpy (kJ/kg)

H

height of space from floor to ceiling (m)

k v

volumetric entrainment coefficient (m3/s · kW1/3 · m5/3)

m

mass (kg)

ṁ

mass flow rate (kg/s)

P

pressure (Pa)

P o

atmospheric pressure (101,325 Pa)

Q f

heat released by combustion (kJ)

\( \dot{Q} \)

heat release rate (kW)

Q*

dimensionless heat release rate—\( \dot{Q}/\left({\rho}_a{c}_p{T}_a\sqrt{gH}{H}^2\right) \)

r air

air stoichiometric ratio (kg air/kg fuel)

\( {r}_{{\mathrm{O}}_2} \)

oxygen stoichiometric ratio (kg oxygen/kg fuel)

R

ideal gas constant of air (287.0 J/kg · K)

t

time (s)

T

temperature (K or °C)

u

specific internal energy (kJ/kg)

U

total internal energy (kJ)

v

velocity (m/s)

V

volume (m3)

\( \dot{V} \)

volumetric flow rate (m3/s)

X i

mole fraction of species i (n i /n total) (moles i /molestotal)

Y i

mass fraction of species i (m i /m total) (kg i /kgtotal)

z

elevation variable (m)

Greek Letters

α n

power law fire growth coefficient (kW/sn)

χ l

heat loss factor \( \left({\dot{Q}}_l/{\dot{Q}}_f\right) \) (–)

\( {\chi}_{{\mathrm{O}}_2} \)

oxygen consumption fraction (–)

ΔH c

fuel heat of combustion (kJ/kg)

ΔT

temperature rise above ambient (K or °C)

ρ

density (kg/m3)

τ

time constant (s)

Subscripts

atm

atmospheric

c

convective

e

exit

exp

expansion

ext

extraction

f

fire

g

global

i

in, interface

l

loss, lower layer

net

net

o

ambient, reference

O2

oxygen

p

constant pressure

pl

plume

r

radiative

s

space

tot

total

u, ul

upper layer

v

constant volume

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Society of Fire Protection Engineers

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Mowrer, F.W. (2016). Enclosure Smoke Filling and Fire-Generated Environmental Conditions. In: Hurley, M.J., et al. SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2565-0_33

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2565-0_33

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-2564-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-2565-0

  • eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation