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https://www.nist.gov/video/non-sprinklered-computer-model-stage-area-fire-dynamics-simulator-fds-and-smokeview

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VIDEOS

# Non-Sprinklered Computer Model of Stage Area with Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) and Smokeview

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## Appears In

                        - Video of Report of the Technical Investigation of The Station Nightclub Fire

Gypsum board covered the ceiling, floor and the remaining wall areas that were not covered with wood paneling or foam. Some of the instrumentation can be seen in the foreground of the video frame. In the image from the simulation, on the right, the comparable interior finishes can be seen. The instrumentation in the right figures is represented by colored dots. The thermocouples appear as yellow dots in evenly spaced arrays. The light gray blocks represent the locations of the heat flux sensors and the gas sampling locations, which were installed at approximately 1.5 m (5 ft) above the floor.

This compares the fire development at 10 seconds after ignition. A flame is shown on both corners where the platform wall intersects with the drummer's alcove. In the case of FDS, the area that appears to be involved with flames is based on the stoichiometric mixture fraction, where there is the ideal mixture of fuel and oxygen for a robust flame to exist. The heat release rate per unit volume represented by the simulated flames is 285.5 kW/m3. The flames in the simulation appear wider due to the grid resolution, which is 100 mm (4 in) throughout the room.

At 20 seconds after ignition, flames were growing vertically and impinging on the ceiling. The simulated flames on the right, however, have not yet reached the ceiling. As noted above, the simulated flame is constrained to grow in 100 mm (4 in) increments, both vertically and laterally. This may account for the wider flame and the accompanying redistribution of energy that would reduce the propensity for rapid vertical flame spread. Light smoke can be seen in both images along the ceiling of the alcove, with light wisps of smoke along the ceiling above the platform.

30 seconds after ignition shows an increased amount of smoke flow across the ceiling. The actual fire continues to grow at a faster rate than the simulated flames. In the video frame on the left the flames have formed twin V-patterns on each side of the alcove and the flames are spreading across the alcove ceiling. Notice the light smoke that is coming up from the carpeting below the two fire plumes. This is the result of foam melting and the burning foam droplets falling to the floor. This mode of flame spread is not accounted for within the FDS model. 40 seconds after ignition shows areas of the foam on the platform wall have burned out (note the dark area directly above the point of ignition on the left side of the alcove). The actual flame fronts have continued to spread and into the alcove, where fire is visible on portions of the side walls and the ceiling of the alcove. The flames simulated with FDS have also grown, although at a slower rate. Both of the simulated flames have impinged on the ceiling.

At 50 seconds after ignition, it appears that the entire ceiling of the alcove is burning, as well as the area of the platform wall above the opening to the alcove. There is also more smoke from drop-down of the burning foam onto the carpet, both in the alcove and on the platform. In the simulation, the flames have moved into the alcove and are spreading across the ceiling. In both images, the smoke or hot gas layer has developed across the ceiling of the enclosure.

At 60 seconds after ignition, the ceiling and the walls of the alcove have become fully involved with fire in both of the images. Flashover has already occurred in the experiment and flashover is about to occur in the simulation. In both cases, flames are extending out of the alcove across the ceiling and the smoke layer has become thicker and darker.

70 seconds after ignition shows a significant increase in the amount of the smoke in the enclosure. The smoke layer has descended to within 1.5 m (5 ft) of the floor. The flames have spread along the wall behind the platform and can be seen at the lower edge of the smoke layer in both the video frame and the image from the simulation. The smoke in the experiment appears lighter in color than it actually is due to light that is being reflected from floor level halogen lights that were used to improve the visibility for the video cameras.

The fire continues to grow in both the experiment and the simulation. The smoke layer has continued to descend. The interface height of the smoke layer is approximately 0.75 m (2.5 ft) above the floor at 80 seconds after ignition for both the experiment and the simulation. Both images also show the flame extension on the left wall of the enclosure. The upper portion of the left wall near the platform had foam installed over the paneling.

At 90 seconds after ignition, most of the visibility in the enclosure has been lost due to smoke filling. A small layer of clear area can be seen near the floor in both the experiment and the simulation. This is due to fresh air being drawn into the fire enclosure through the open doorway.

March 27, 2017

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