NIST

PUBLICATIONS

A 1 1 1 2 TL.L.BAB

NISTIR 88-3897

Burning Characteristics of

Combat Ship Compartments

and Vertical Fire Spread

Daniel Gross and William D. Davis

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology

(Formerly National Bureau of Standards)

National Engineering Laboratory

Center for Fire Research

Gaithersburg, MD 20899

December 1988

National Bureau of Standards became the

National Institute of Standards and Technology

on August 23, 1988, when the Omnibus Trade and

Competitiveness Act was signed. NIST retains

all NBS functions. Its new programs will encourage

improved use of technology by U.S. industry.

Sponsored by:

Naval Research Laboratory

Washington, DC 20375

-QC100

. U 5 6

88-3897

1988

C.2

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

C. William Verity, Secretary

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS

AND TECHNOLOGY

Ernest Ambler, Director

N1STIR 88-3897

Burning Characteristics of

Combat Ship Compartments

and Vertical Fire Spread

Daniel Gross and William D. Davis

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology

(Formerly National Bureau of Standards)

National Engineering Laboratory

Center for Fire Research

Gaithersburg, MD 20899

December 1988

Sponsored by:

Naval Research Laboratory

Washington, DC 20375

,\o- 2>*

v ^

,

Table of Contents

Page

ABSTRACT 1

1. INTRODUCTION 1

2. COMPUTER MODEL 1

3. PARAMETERS 2

4. MATERIALS 3

5. FIRE INITIATION 4

6. CRITERIA 4

7. RESULTS 5

8. CONCLUSIONS 7

9. REFERENCES 9

m
List of Tables

Page

Table 1. Material Thermal Properties 10

Table 2. Estimated Hot Surface Ignition and Self - ignition

Temperatures and Times 11

Table 3. Selected Computer Simulation Runs and Data Summary ....... 12

Table 4. Estimated Time to Reach End-point Criteria 13
List of Figures

Page

Figure 1A. Temperatures in steel compartment 14

Figure IB. Heat flux through walls 15

Figure 1C. Energy output from burning contents 16

Figure ID. Mass loss of contents 17

Figure IE. Oxygen fraction in upper layer 18

Figure IF. Hot layer interface height 19

Figure 2. Effect of vent size on upper layer temperature in 12 x 15 x 3 m

steel compartment without missile 20

Figure 3. Effect of vent size on upper layer temperature in steel

compartment with 1000 MJ missile 21

Figure 4. Effect of vent size on energy released from burning contents in

steel compartment 22

Figure 5. Effect of insulation (25 mm Kaowool) on temperatures in 9 x 9 m

steel compartment 23

v
-

'
BURNING CHARACTERISTICS OF COMBAT SHIP COMPARTMENTS

AND VERTICAL FIRE SPREAD

D. Gross and W. Davis

ABSTRACT

This is a report to sponsor summarizing work accomplished under

Naval Research Laboratory Contract N0017388WR80284 "Burning

Characteristics of Combat Ship Compartments and Vertical Fire

Spread." The computer program FIRST was employed to estimate

levels of temperature, energy and heat transfer in burning

compartments having features typical of Naval vessels with emphasis

on vertical fire spread due to heat transfer through metal decks.

Key words: Aluminum deck; computer modeling; FIRST; missile

propellant; self - ignition; steel deck; vertical fire

spread

.

1. INTRODUCTION

This study complements the program at NRL to study fire growth in combat ship

compartments with emphasis on vertical fire spread as a result of heat transfer

through metal decks. Inasmuch as a large number of parameters (geometrical,

combustion, thermal and fluid flow) affect the fire growth process, a

parametric study using an advanced computer model will help define those

parameters which have the greatest impact on the vertical transfer of heat.

The approach selected in this study is to employ the computer program FIRST to

estimate levels of temperature, energy, and heat transfer in a burning

compartment as a function of compartment size, vent size, combustible load, and

compartment enclosure materials. The ranges of values to be explored are

intended to cover: the smallest shipboard or experimental mockup spaces as well

as large areas likely to be separated by steel watertight compartmentation;

openings representing a single hatchway as well as a large combat-produced

vent; typical uninsulated steel and aluminum decks and bulkheads as well as

composite insulated structures; and combustible contents over the range likely

to be found aboard Naval ships. In addition, the presence of an energy source

simulating the burning of ordnance weapon propellant will be investigated.

2. COMPUTER MODEL

The computer model FIRST is a comprehensive, deterministic, single-compartment

zone fire model which provides a solution of the time -dependent mass and energy
transfer processes in a compartment [1]. The model utilizes heat, mass and

momentum balances to determine the conditions within a compartment defined by:

one or more burning objects; flames and thermal plumes; a hot upper layer and a

cool lower layer; vents or openings in the compartment; enclosing surfaces; and

objects of interest exposed to the heating effects in the compartment. The

model computes the heat absorbed by the compartment surfaces (by radiation and

convection) and also computes the heat transferred by conduction and then lost

(by radiation and convection) from the outside surface of the compartment

"walls".

While FIRST is a fairly comprehensive model, its basic features and limitations

need to be kept in mind. For example, this two-zone model requires that the

ceiling and upper walls be considered as a single uniform temperature surface.

Similarly, the floor and lower walls are considered to be another isothermal

surface. The combustion, heat transfer, and fluid flow processes generally use

single-value coefficients which are preset to best-known values but which may

be modified by the user.

The computer model used here is designated FIRST6XX and contains the following

enhancements that are relevant to this study but which are not found in the

published version:

1. The numerics have been improved by changing the extrapolation technique

in the Gauss -Seidel solver and by modifying the subroutine which

calculates the pressure in the compartment.

2. An output file PLOT was added to provide a list of output variables

relevant to this study. This includes the heat flux emitted from the

outside surface of the wall.

3. A wall heat conduction algorithm capable of handling thermally thin walls

was added.

4. Floor heating was included in the computation.

In addition to the above changes, a new wall heat conduction algorithm capable

of handling walls with up to three independent segments was developed and may

be imbedded into the code.

3. PARAMETERS

The principal parameters and corresponding ranges examined in this study were

as follows:

2
PARAMETER RANGE

Size of Compartment (m)

Size of Vent (m)

Enclosure Material

Combustible Contents (kg/m2

) (kg)

Propellant Energy (MJ)

Heat Transfer Coefficient (W/m2 K)

Initial Burning Radius (m)

Maximum Burning Radius (m)

2 . 5W by 2 . 5D by 2.5H to 12W by 15D by 3H

0.65W by 1.65H to 8W by 3H

Steel; Aluminum; Insulated metal

10 to 50

200 to 5000

100 to 1000

1 to 50

0.1 to 1

1.25 to 7.5

Parameters which may be specified for each run from a menu but which were not

systematically varied included the following (selected or default values in

parentheses)

:

Plume Model

Initial Compartment Temperature

Ambient (exterior) Temperature

Specific Heat of Air

Heat Transfer Coefficient (Objects)

Plume Entrainment Coefficient

Vent Flow Coefficient

(Morton-Taylor-Turner area

source)

(300 K)

(300 K)

(1004 J/kg K)

(10 W/m2 K)

(0.1)

( 0 . 68 )

Burning

Object Position/Orientation

Material

Heat of Combustion

Fraction of Heat Released

Pyrolysis Temperature

Ignition Temperature

Stoichiometric (Air/Fuel) Mass

Emissivity/Absorptivity

Fire Spread Parameter

Burnout Parameter

Flame Extinction Coefficient

(Center of floor/horizontal)

(Flexible Urethane Foam)

(28.7 MJ/kg)

(0.65)

(600 K)

(770 K)

Ratio (9.85)

(0.98)

(0.0137 m/s)

(20 s)

(1.28 iif

1

)

Vent Transom Depth

Forced Ventilation

(0 m)

(absent)

4. MATERIALS

The materials comprising the enclosure surfaces are listed in Table 1 along

with the assumed thermal properties corresponding to reference source room

temperature values. In view of the possible magnitude of other uncertainties,

variations of these properties with temperature and differences in surface

absorptivity (emissivity) are not taken into account in this model. Also listed

are the assumed properties of two of the most common contents likely to be

found in Naval vessel berthing compartments and electronic spaces. Different

types of electrical cables may be found aboard Naval vessels. The thermal and

3
combustion characteristics selected for this preliminary study approximated a

"cable" composed entirely of PVC since the insulation may constitute 50 % or

more of the total cable weight and since PVC- jacketed cable is among the most

prone to undergo insulation degradation and ignition in laboratory tests [2].

5. FIRE INITIATION

Accidental fires are a fact of life in all types of occupancies where there is

human activity and energy usage. Aboard Naval vessels, especially in battleready conditions, weapons - initiated fires are also anticipated. Two main types

of fire initiation have been considered here:

(a) a localized ignition resulting in a fire which spreads relatively

slowly on combustible contents (i.e., non-battle conditions)

(b) a distributed ignition arising from the action of an ordnance weapon

including the burning of propellant (i.e., battle conditions).

In the former case, a typical fire ignition was taken to consist of a 0.1 m

radius fire spreading on an extended horizontal combustible surface at deck

level. This was intended to simulate distributed combustibles in berthing

spaces and a single slab representing flexible urethane mattresses was used for

convenience to represent all combustible contents. In the latter case,

ignition was assumed to be the very rapid release of energy corresponding to

the burning of 137 kg (300 lb) of a mixture of polymer, aluminum and ammonium

perchlorate based on an estimate from the final report on damage assessment and

analysis [3]. Assuming the propellant burns in a berthing compartment after

the contents have been re-distributed on missile entry, the initial radius of

the fire could be considerably larger. For the selected fire spread parameter

and combustible load in the largest compartment, there is a time delay of less

than 5 minutes in reaching the fully involved burning stage if the initial

burning radius is 0.1 rather than 1.0 m.

The propellant energy release was modelled as a gas burner with an artificially

high heat of combustion (50xl0 8 J/kg) and correspondingly low mass burning rate

(0.007 kg/s maximum). Since missile propellants carry their own oxygen, this

scheme avoided unrealistic oxygen depletion from the compartment air supply,

the conditions associated with the diffusive burning mode assumed in the model.

However, no allowance was made for the increase in product mass resulting from

propellant burning.

6. CRITERIA

Fire spread between compartments may occur horizontally or vertically according

to several likely modes:

o Direct flame impingement through openings

o Hot gas convection and/or radiation through openings

o Hot surface ignition of combustible contents due to wall heat conduction

4
o Heated air ignition of combustible contents ("oven" or "self -heating"

effect)

In the absence of hatches, scuttles or other penetrations in metal decks, the

first two spread modes are excluded. Vertical fire spread is here assumed to

occur only under the following conditions and criteria:

(a) Aluminum deck temperature exceeds 400° C (752°F)

This corresponds to a slightly lower temperature than the melting

point of aluminum alloys (approx. 600° C) but makes allowance for the

significant loss of yield strength at temperatures above 250°C which

could result in local punctures at points of load concentration.

Less than 25 percent of the yield strength of aluminum alloys remains

at 400°C

.

(b) Hot surface ignition of combustibles above the heated deck

Very little published experimental data exist on the non-piloted

ignition of solid material layers on hot surfaces. Table 2 lists

approximate ignition temperatures, estimated from available sources

[4,5,6], that are intended to represent self - ignition of thick

(>0.2 m) or well-insulated layers above an extended hot surface.

(c) Excessive air temperature in adjoining compartment

This corresponds to a temperature at which self-heating of certain

stored combustibles may occur in the absence of a flame, spark or

other ignition source. Such "self - ignition temperatures" depend

greatly upon size; geometry; exposure duration; and material

property kinetics [4,5]. Very approximate estimates of exposure

temperatures and times based on available information on selfignition behavior are also listed in Table 2. The actual time

period required for transition from a self - sustained smoldering

reaction ("ignition") to open flame is very uncertain.

7. RESULTS

A summary of critical outputs from selected computer simulation runs is given

in Table 3. The emphasis has been placed on the temperatures and levels of heat

flux penetrating the ceiling (deck) and upper wall. It should be kept in mind

that the actual magnitudes of temperature and of energy and mass flow rates

depend upon the model assumptions and the selected constants, the combined

effects of which may be considerable. For example, the specified maximum size

(radius) of the burning item has a very large effect on the burning (mass loss)

rate, even in compartments with a limited size vent. Also critical are the

entrainment coefficient, the spread rate parameter, and the plume model

selected.

In this study, estimates are provided over a very wide range of conditions,

including combinations of conditions not originally considered in the FIRST

code. In particular, there has been very limited experimental validation of

model predictions for large area compartments, small vents, conductive walls

and spreading fires.

5
Based on the tabulated data in Table 3 for the available runs, the following

may be noted:

o Energy Release

The actual energy release rate in a ventilation-limited compartment fire

may be significantly less than that computed from the product of mass

burning rate and effective heat of combustion. This computer model

prediction is based on recognition that burning will not be complete

within an oxygen- limited compartment and that partially decomposed

products will vent from the compartment and burn outside. In this series

of simulated runs, the portion of the available energy which is actually

released in the fire compartment ranged from 1.5 to 100 percent. The

lowest value corresponds to the most restricted ventilation condition,

i.e., the largest compartment with smallest vent and highest combustible

load (Run 66) ; the highest value corresponds to a compartment with a

large vent relative to its size and combustible load (Runs 61A and 65A)

.

Graphical data from a typical computation (Run 61A) is shown in Figure

l(A-F).

o Vent Size

For a given size steel compartment, increasing the vent size permits

burning of combustibles to be more rapid and complete, whereas decreasing

the vent size results in oxygen starvation and incomplete burning. For

example, in a 12 by 15 by 3 m (approx 40 by 50 by 10 ft) compartment with

a 8 by 3 m (26 by 10 ft) vent and containing 5000 kg (11000 lb) of

combustible contents (Run 42B) , the upper layer compartment temperature

was over 100 degrees C higher than that in the same compartment with a

50 % smaller vent (See Figure 2)

.

o Missile Propellant

The addition of burning missile propellant (1000 MJ) under the same

conditions produced a rapid peak temperature of 1065°C (1338°K) after

20 sec, followed by a gradual recovery to a secondary peak temperature of

863°C (1136°K) after 100 sec for the larger vent (Run 49C) . Reducing the

vent area by factors of 2 (Runs 59, 55 and 66) gave the same rapid peak

temperature after 20 seconds (since oxygen depletion was not a factor)

but significantly lower compartment temperatures during burning of the

contents where oxygen depletion was a factor. The effects are shown

graphically in Figure 3 (upper layer- temperature) and Figure 4 (energy

output from contents)

.

o Small Compartment

For a small experimental steel compartment (2.5 by 2.5 by 2.5 m) with a hatch-size opening (0.65 by 1.65 m) and a combustible load of 200 kg

(urethane), the maximum rate of heat release may reach about 1.8 MW and

the computed layer temperature approximately 850°C (1123°K)

.

6
o Heat Conduction

Considerable heat is conducted through uninsulated compartment walls made

of 9.4 mm (3/8 in) steel or 6.3 mm (1/4 in) aluminum. The energy

conducted through a 12 by 15 m steel deck amounted to approximately 20 %

of the total energy released in a 12 by 15 by 3 m compartment with large

vent (Run 42B) . For comparable test conditions, the aluminum compartment

surface heated considerably quicker than the steel and slightly more heat

was conducted through it. For an aluminum deck, excessive temperatures

sufficient to cause extensive melting would occur after 4 minutes in the

large compartment (Run 56) but no melting would occur in a smaller

compartment (Run 48B) . However, it is possible that local punctures could

occur in the smaller compartment since wall temperatures reached 440° C.

For an uninsulated steel (or aluminum) deck covered with combustibles,

hot surface ignition of typical combustibles could occur in time periods

as short as 4 minutes based on the sizes, geometries and combustible

loads assumed here. For a compartment of the same volume directly above

the fire - involved compartment, self - ignition of insulated cables or

stored combustibles could occur within 5 minutes in Run 65A and after

approximately one hour in Run 59 (See Table 4)

.

o Insulation

The addition of a ceramic fiber insulation layer 25 mm (1 in) thick,

would prevent appreciable heat conduction through the metal deck (or

bulkhead) but would increase the compartment temperature approximately

500 degrees C (See Figure 5).

o Water Application

In a typical case of active burning in the large (12 by 15 by 3 m)

compartment (Run 56)

,

the maximum computed rate of energy passing into

the upper compartment as a result of heat conduction through an aluminum

deck (i.e., excluding the development of openings), was 9000 kW; if water

were applied to maintain air temperatures at or below 100°C,

approximately 4 kg/s (60 gal/min) would be required, assuming 100 %

application effectiveness.

8. CONCLUSIONS

This initial study demonstrated the potential value of computer modeling for

deriving information on the important factors affecting fire growth and spread

in Naval ship compartments. The basic configuration modeled was a compartment

containing a single opening (vent) in one side which serves as the exhaust for

hot gases at the top and as intake for outside air at the bottom. In this

study, estimates of fire development have been provided over a very wide range

of conditions.

Changes in geometric parameters (compartment size, vent size and location,

etc.) result in non-linear changes in fire growth response due in part to the

interacting effects of oxygen consumption, fluid flow and heat transfer. Under

7
Table 1. Material Thermal Properties

Material Thickness

mm in

Density

kg/m3

Thermal

Conductivity

W/m K

'

Specific

Heat

J/kg K

Steel 9.4 3/8 7850 60 500

Aluminum (alloy) 6.3 1/4 2700 200 900

Thermal Insulation ("Kaowool") 25.4 1 64 0.072 1090

Cable Insulation (PVC) 10 3/8 1300 0.15 1000

Contents A (Polyurethane Foam) - - 48 0.054 1900

Contents B (PVC Cable) - - 1300 0.15 1000

10
Table 2. Estimated Hot Surface Ignition and Self - ignition

Temperatures and Times

Tlg CC)

hot

Time (min)

surface

T

ie (°C)

selfTime (min)iznition

Wood Fiberboard 230 50

200 200

Wood 280 30 230 30

250 120 200 120

Flexible polyurethane foam 300 30 250 30

250 120 200 120

PVC (cable) insulation 400 30 350 30

350 120 300 120

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Table 4. Estimated Time to Reach End-point Criteria

Time (min)

Run

Wall Compartment

Material Size

m

Vent

Size

m

Combustible

Contents

kg

Aluminum Loss of

Melting Strength

Hot Surface Hot Air

Ignition Ignition

56 Aluminum 12x15x3 8x3 5000 4 3 4 7

59 Steel 12x15x3 4x3 5000 NA NA 18 60

+1000 MJ

65B Aluminum 9x9x3 8x2 1000 7 6 7 4

48B Aluminum 4x5x3 0.65x1. 65 1000 NR 12 24 32

NA = not applicable

NR = not reached
NAVY

61

A

a 3aniva3dH3i

14

Figure

1A.

Temperatures

in

steel

compartment
NAVY

61

A

ZW/M xnu 1V3H

15

Figure

IB.

Heat

flux

through

walls
NAVY

61

A

indino AOd3N3

16

Figure

1C.

Energy

output

from

burning

contents
NAVY

61

A

6>1 SSVN

17

Figure

ID.

Mass

loss

of

contents
NAVY

61

A

8

o

8

8

8

m

O

®

in

LJ

8

§

s

N0I10VHJ N30AX0

18

Figure

IE.

Oxygen

fraction

in

upper

layer
NAVY

61

A

19

Figure

IF.

Hot

layer

interface

height
1300

U

©

10

s

CN 8 8

o

8

O) 8 8 8m

>i 3univa3dN3i

20

Figure

2.

Effect

of

vent

size

on

upper

layer

temperature

in

12

x

15

x3

m

steel

compartment

without

missile
X 3aniVH3dN31

21

Figure

3.

Effect

of

vent

size

on

upper

layer

temperature

in

steel

compartment

with

1000

MJ

missile
+1

o

©©

LU

mn indino A9H3N3

22

Figure

4.

Effect

of

vent

size

on

energy

released

from

burning

contents

in

steel

compartment
2000

>1 3UniVU3dH31

23

Figure

5.

Effect

of

insulation

(25

mm

Kaowool)

on

temperatures

in

9

x9

m

steel

compartment
FORM NBS-1 1 4A (REV. 11 -84)

U.S. DEPT. OF COMM.

BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA

SHEET (See instructions)

1. PUBLICATION OR

REPORT NO.

NISTIR 88-3897

2. Performing Organ. Report No. 3. Publication Date

December 1988

4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE

BURNING CHARACTERISTICS OF COMBAT SHIP COMPARTMENTS

AND VERTICAL FIRE SPREAD

5. AUTHOR(S)

D. Gross and W. Davis

6. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION (If joint or other than NBS. see instructions)

National Institute of Standards

and Technology

Department of Commerce

Gaithersburg, MD 20899

7. Contract/Grant No.

N0017388WR80284

8. Type of Report & Period Covered

9. SPONSORING ORGANIZATION NAME AND COMPLETE ADDRESS (Street. City. State, ZIP)

Naval Research Laboratory

Washington, DC 20375

10. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES

j | Document describes a computer program; SF-185, FlPS Software Summary, is attached.

11. ABSTRACT (A 200-word or less factual Summary of most si gn ificant information. If document includes a si gn i fi cant

bi bl iography or literature survey, mention it here)

This is a report to sponsor summarizing work accomplished under

Naval Research Laboratory Contract N0017388WR80284 "Burning Characteristics

of Combat Ship Compartments and Vertical Fire Spread." The computer

program FIRST was employed to estimate levels of temperature, energy and

heat transfer in burning compartments having features typical of Naval

vessels with emphasis on vertical fire spread due to heat transfer through

metal decks.

12. KEY WORDS (S/x to twelve entries ; alphabetical order; capitalize only proper names; and separate key words by semicolon s) Aluminum deck; computer modeling; FIRST; missile propellant; self-ignition;

steel deck; vertical fire spread

13. AVAILABILITY

jjjfj Uni i mi ted

j

I For Official Distribution. Do Not Release to NTIS

1 Order From Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC

20402.

DS Order From National Technical Information Service (NTIS), Springfield, VA 22161

14. NO. OF

PRINTED PAGES

29

15. Pri ce

$ 11.95

USCOMM-DC 85-6006