Open Access

ARTICLE

Study of the Influence of the Distance between Smoke Outlets and Fire Source on Smoke Flow Characteristics in Tunnel Fires

Liang Yi, Zhiqiang Lei, Zhisheng Xu, Yaolong Yin, Houlin Ying^*

School of Civil Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, China

* Corresponding Author: Houlin Ying. Email:

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Heat and Mass Transfer in Fire)

Frontiers in Heat and Mass Transfer 2024, 22(4), 977-996. https://doi.org/10.32604/fhmt.2024.053688

Received 07 May 2024; Accepted 17 June 2024; Issue published 30 August 2024

Abstract

This paper explores the smoke flow characteristics in tunnel fires, giving a particular emphasis on the effects of different distances between the smoke outlets and the fire source. It examines the smoke behavior under different conditions, including variations in heat release rates, exhaust volumetric flow rates, spacing between smoke outlets, and the longitudinal fire source positions. Results indicate that altering the fire source positions and the smoke outlets in the tunnel leads to variations in the properties of smoke flow both the fire source upstream and downstream; the distance between fire source and smoke outlet increases gradually, airflow rate decreases initially and eventually reaches a stable state. Similarly, smoke mass flow rate exhibits an increasing trend that eventually reaches a stable state. Moreover, the heat exchange between the tunnel walls and hot smoke increases as the smoke outlet moves further away from the fire source. This interaction leads to a reduction in the heat exhaust coefficient and a decrease in the distance the smoke spreads. This study investigates the impact of altering the relative longitudinal fire source positions and smoke outlet on smoke flow characteristics by numerical simulation. A theoretical analytical method is used to give a predictive model for the heat exhaust coefficient and the smoke spreading distance. This research can support the theory and technical process of tunnel smoke exhaust prevention and control.

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