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Numerical and experimental investigation of backdraft

Horvat, Andrej ; Sinai, Yehuda ; Rosberg, Daniel LU and Karlsson, Björn LU (2008) In Combustion Science and Technology 180(1). p.45-63
Abstract
The article describes full-scale backdraft experiments in a shipping container using methane as a fuel. Numerical modelling has followed the experimental setup. The numerical simulations show the initial gravity current, the ignition, the spreading of flame in the enclosure, the external fireball, and the subsequent decay. The Detached Eddy Simulation (DES) approach has been used to model turbulence. In order to describe the combustion process of the mixture from the local ignition to progressive deflagration, three separate combustion models have been implemented for laminar, low- and high-intensity turbulence flow regimes. The calculated ignition time is slightly shorter than the average ignition time observed in the experiments. The... (More)
The article describes full-scale backdraft experiments in a shipping container using methane as a fuel. Numerical modelling has followed the experimental setup. The numerical simulations show the initial gravity current, the ignition, the spreading of flame in the enclosure, the external fireball, and the subsequent decay. The Detached Eddy Simulation (DES) approach has been used to model turbulence. In order to describe the combustion process of the mixture from the local ignition to progressive deflagration, three separate combustion models have been implemented for laminar, low- and high-intensity turbulence flow regimes. The calculated ignition time is slightly shorter than the average ignition time observed in the experiments. The fire front progresses through the combustible mixture, generating a cloud of hot gases that are accelerated from the container into the external environment. The velocity increases up to 20 m/s. When the fire front reaches the door, combustion continues outside the enclosure as the fuel has been pushed through the door. The comparison between the calculated time history of relative pressure and the pressure sensor record shows that the numerical simulations slightly overpredict the flame front speed, with a stronger pressure pulse and higher temperatures than the observations. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
deflagration, gravity current, flame, combustion, backdraft
in
Combustion Science and Technology
volume
180
issue
1
pages
45 - 63
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • wos:000251676100003
  • scopus:37249072958
ISSN
1563-521X
DOI
10.1080/00102200701600770
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
6c8cd2d5-f00b-4edf-8240-f03c328d37ef (old id 966147)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:01:52
date last changed
2022-01-26 21:45:16
@article{6c8cd2d5-f00b-4edf-8240-f03c328d37ef,
  abstract     = {{The article describes full-scale backdraft experiments in a shipping container using methane as a fuel. Numerical modelling has followed the experimental setup. The numerical simulations show the initial gravity current, the ignition, the spreading of flame in the enclosure, the external fireball, and the subsequent decay. The Detached Eddy Simulation (DES) approach has been used to model turbulence. In order to describe the combustion process of the mixture from the local ignition to progressive deflagration, three separate combustion models have been implemented for laminar, low- and high-intensity turbulence flow regimes. The calculated ignition time is slightly shorter than the average ignition time observed in the experiments. The fire front progresses through the combustible mixture, generating a cloud of hot gases that are accelerated from the container into the external environment. The velocity increases up to 20 m/s. When the fire front reaches the door, combustion continues outside the enclosure as the fuel has been pushed through the door. The comparison between the calculated time history of relative pressure and the pressure sensor record shows that the numerical simulations slightly overpredict the flame front speed, with a stronger pressure pulse and higher temperatures than the observations.}},
  author       = {{Horvat, Andrej and Sinai, Yehuda and Rosberg, Daniel and Karlsson, Björn}},
  issn         = {{1563-521X}},
  keywords     = {{deflagration; gravity current; flame; combustion; backdraft}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{45--63}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Combustion Science and Technology}},
  title        = {{Numerical and experimental investigation of backdraft}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00102200701600770}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/00102200701600770}},
  volume       = {{180}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}