Numerical Prediction of Heat Release Rate in Wooden and Plastic Pallet Fires: Fire Dynamics Simulator Calibration for Free-Burning and Suppression Scenarios

Abstract

Employing a numerical approach to accurately estimate the heat release rate of a wooden pallet fire poses a significant challenge. The complexity of predicting the HRR is further escalated when coupled with the operation of an active fire suppression system. This study aims to utilise Fire Dynamic Simulator 6.9.1 (FDS) to assess the fire growth and peak heat release rate based on the outcomes of a laboratory fire test involving the combustion of wooden pallets with and without the operation of a fire suppression system. This article presents and deliberates on the modelling methodology, which involves the heat release rate per unit area coupled with the ignition temperature method used in FDS to estimate the growth phase and peak heat release rate in both free-burning and suppression environments. Furthermore, this paper examines the influence of various extinguishing coefficients (E-Coefficient) and water droplet size during the operation of the suppression system on the prediction of heat release rate.