Prediction of smoke back-layering length under different longitudinal ventilations in the subway tunnel with metro train

Due to the small width and the large train blockage ratio in subway tunnel, the smoke back-layering will be different from that in the wider road tunnel with small vehicle blockage ratio. In the train blockage region of tunnel, the velocity of longitudinal ventilated air-flow interacting with the back-flowed smoke gas is different from that in the upstream tunnel without train blockage. Then the back-flowed smoke gas might be prevented in the train blockage region with higher ventilation velocity, otherwise it would be stopped in the upstream tunnel without train blockage but with lower ventilation velocity. They were taken into consideration separately and an equivalent fire source was introduced by dividing the dimensionless heat release rate of fire source into two parts in the cases where the smoke back-layering length is longer than metro train length. A series of full-scale numerical simulations are carried out with FDS to investigate the smoke back-layering length in subway tunnel with different train lengths and longitudinal ventilation velocities. The simulation results indicate that the influence of metro train length on the smoke back-layering is great and cannot be ignored any more. A global correlation model is proposed based on the dimensionless analysis and simulation results.     

Numerical Investigation of Back-Layering Length and Critical Velocity in Curved Subway Tunnels with Different Turning Radius

Curved tunnels are inevitable subjected to the city underground geological conditions. Due to the catastrophic consequence of tunnel fires with high population density, the related researches on fire safety of curved tunnel are full of significance. Therefore, a series of curved subway tunnels with turning radius of 300–1000 m were investigated numerically by FDS 5.5.3 in terms of the smoke back-layering length and critical ventilation velocity under the heat release rate of 5–10 MW. Theoretical analysis shows that the curved tunnel with the local resistance has an advantage of preventing smoke spreading compared with straight tunnel. The simulation results also indicated that both the smoke back-layering length and the critical ventilation velocity increased with the rising turning radius, and the straight tunnel has the largest values. In fact, the local resistance impact factor for the smoke back-layering length in the curved tunnel, \( k_{f} \), was controlled by turning radius \( R \) and ventilation velocity \( V \). The dimensionless critical velocity increased slightly from \( 0.638Q^{*1/3} \) to \( 0.669Q^{*1/3} \) when the turning radius increased from 300 m to 1000 m. Without considering the influence of turning radius (local resistance), previous models cannot be applied to the curved tunnel. The improved prediction models about smoke back-layering length and critical velocity with the factor of turning radius could provide a technical guideline for the tunnel ventilation designs.     

室外空气对地铁隧道烟气返流长度的影响

在真实地铁隧道内开展热烟试验,验证 FDS 模拟结果的正确性。建立地铁隧道三维物理模型,采用 FDS 研究室外空气设计参数对隧道火灾烟气返流长度和临界风速的影响。研究结果表明,室外空气设计参数对烟气返流长度和临界风速有较大的影响。室外空气温度越低,地铁隧道火灾烟气返流长度越长。 室外空气湿度越大,地铁隧道火灾烟气返流长度越短。室外大气压力越大,地铁隧道火灾烟气返流长度越短。     

A computational study on effects of fire location on smoke movement in a road tunnel

In this work, a numerical model of tunnel fire is developed and aimed to investigate the influence of cross-sectional fire locations on critical velocity and smoke flow characteristic. It is shown that the critical velocity for a fire next to the wall is obviously higher than that for a fire in the middle or on the left/right lane. The ratio is estimated to be 1.12. The predictions of critical velocity from ‘small-fire’ models show a good agreement with that for a fire in the middle or on the left/right lane from CFD. The tunnel height at the fire location is proposed to be instead of the hydraulic tunnel height in the ‘big-fire’ model of Wu and Bakar for a fire next to the wall. The smoke moves backward in a tongue like form as the ventilation velocity is lower than the critical velocity. The back-layering length of a fire in the middle is shown to be approximate twice than that on the left/right lane under the same ventilation velocity, although they share the same critical velocity. Whereas a relatively short back-layering length for a fire next to the wall under the velocity of 2.6 and 2.7 m/s. In addition, a snaky high-temperature profile on the top wall at the initial downstream is observed for a fire on the left lane and next to the wall, and finally a steady and layered smoke flow. The likely cause of this phenomenon is subsequently explained in this study.     

Numerical Studies on Thermally-Induced Air Flow in Sloping Tunnels with Experimental Scale Modelling Justifications

Study of smoke movement or air flow due to fire in sloping tunnels is important in designing smoke control systems. In contrast to a horizontal tunnel, there is an acceleration along the longitudinal axis due to smoke buoyancy. This phenomenon together with thermal radiation would lead to a complicated heat transfer mechanism of the ceiling jet in sloping tunnels. In the present work, thermally induced air flow arising from fire in sloping tunnels was studied via numerical simulations using the Computational Fluid Dynamics code FLUENT. Prior to the application of FLUENT in simulating the air flow under different conditions, scale model experiments were carried out and the results were compared with simulation results, to establish the reliability of FLUENT in simulating fires in sloping tunnels. For this purpose, a tunnel section model of length 3 m, width 0.8 m and height 1 m was constructed, with a 1.5 kW electrical heating source to model fire. Hot air movement pattern driven by the electric heater was studied with the tunnel inclined at 0°, 10°, 20° and 30° to the horizontal. Four cases of the same configuration as the scale tunnel experiments were simulated using FLUENT, with predicted results agreeing well with experimental results. Having established the suitability of FLUENT in simulating air flow due to fire in sloping tunnels, numerical simulations were carried out to study air flow in sloping tunnels with different scenarios, that is, for tunnels with different gradients and with fire located at different positions in the tunnel. Macroscopic number on heat transfer, including the Rayleigh number Ra, the average and local Nusselt number Nu_ave for sloping tunnels were also studied from the measured results. The correlation between Nu_ave and Ra, which shows the effect of hydrodynamic properties on relative dominance of heat transfer in tunnel fire, was also discussed.     

纵向通风与竖井自然排烟下隧道火灾烟气特性实验研究

中国逐渐发展成为世界上隧道和地下工程最多的国 家,其长隧道数量和长度跻身世界前列。据统计,火灾中85%的 人员死亡是由热烟气造成的,目前隧道中采用较为广泛的排烟系 统有纵向排烟系统、集中排烟系统和横向排烟系统,而针对长隧道 来说,我国广泛采用的是竖井式纵向通风,因此,研究纵向通风与 竖井排烟综合效应下隧道火灾烟气流动特性及温度分布规律具有 重要意义。本文建立了1：10 缩尺寸竖井隧道模型,主隧道长度 16.5 m,宽度1.3 m,高度0.65 m;竖井通过排烟横通道与主隧道 连接,排烟横通道设置在主隧道侧面中部,尺寸为1.2 m 长、0.6 m 宽、0.4 m 高;竖井横截面为半径0.6 m 的1/4 圆,高4.6 m。在 竖井隧道模型中开展了一系列油池火实验,选取2 种方形燃烧池 （20 cm×20 cm、23 cm×23 cm）作为火源,设置2 个纵向火源位置 （位置A：火源中心线与排烟横通道中心线距离0.375 m;位置B： 火源中心线与排烟横通道中心线距离1.375 m）,7 种纵向通风风 速（0,0.18,0.27,0.35,0.44,0.52,0.69 m/s）,定量分析不同工 况下温度分布及烟气逆流长度。研究结果表明：当无纵向通风时, 火焰与隧道地板垂直,且呈轴对称形态;当有纵向通风时,火焰向 下游偏移,且纵向通风风速越大,火焰向下游偏移越明显;当纵向 通风风速为0 m/s 时,由于竖井的存在,火源上、下游两侧烟气温 度分布并非对称,火源下游（竖井侧）烟气温度下降速度较快,与单 洞隧道烟气温度分布明显不同;随纵向通风风速增加,烟气逆流长 度和烟气温度减小,而最大温度偏移距离整体呈增加趋势;当无量 纲纵向通风风速v′＜0.19 时,主隧道最大温升△Tmax 与Q2/3/ Hef 5/3 呈正比,而当无量纲纵向通风风速v′＞0.19 时,主隧道最大 温升△Tmax 与Q? /(vb1/3Hef 5/3)呈正比,但常数系数均小于Li 等预 测模型中的常数系数;竖井隧道内无量纲纵向烟气温度分布符合 Fan 和Ji 等建立的纵向温度衰减模型,衰减系数k′在1.36~1.63 范围内变化,但其值明显大于单洞隧道纵向温度衰减系数k′;另 外,当火源位于位置A 时,最大烟气温度低于火源位于位置B 时 的最大烟气温度,无量纲纵向烟气温度衰减速度慢于火源位于位 置B 时衰减速度。     

A Study of the Critical Velocity of Smoke Bifurcation Flow in Tunnel with Longitudinal Ventilation

Small longitudinal velocity cannot prevent backlayering in tunnel fire, while excessive longitudinal velocity will destroy stratification of smoke layer and lead to bifurcation flow. As smoke bifurcation flow proceeds, the longitudinal flow is divided into two streams and flow along both sidewalls of the tunnel ceiling. The critical velocity of bifurcation flow is the minimum value at which bifurcation flow starts to occur. To investigate the critical velocity of bifurcation flow, experiments and CFD simulations were conducted. Experiment was carried out in a reduced-scale tunnel, which is 8 m long, 1 m wide and 0.5 m high. The numerical research was performed using FDS. In simulation, the computational region of a tunnel is 200 m long, 10 m wide. The heat release rate (1 MW to 6 MW) and the height (4 m to 8 m) is changed in the 30 simulation scenarios. Theoretical analysis showed that the dimensionless critical velocity of bifurcation flow only depends on the dimensionless heat release rates, and a mathematical equation is proposed. The reduced-scale experiments indicated that the critical velocity of bifurcation flow is 1.48 times that of critical velocity for preventing backlayering, and the coefficient is in agreement with CFD simulation.     

Numerical analysis of tunnel thermal plume control using longitudinal ventilation

A CFD model of the 4th Beijing subway line was used to study the effect of longitudinal ventilation on heat and smoke plume movement in the tunnel. The critical ventilation velocity is correlated with the heat release rate for both a simplified heat fire source model and a complete combustion fire source model with methane gas as fuel. The influences of the heat source length and the fuel gas inlet geometry on the critical velocity are investigated for both fire source models. The results show that the influences of the combustion process and fire source area variation are not included in models based on Froude number preservation theory. Thus, Ri is no longer suitable as a dimensionless number for the critical ventilation velocity when the fire geometry or combustion conditions influence the results. The back-layering air temperature above the front of the fire source can be used to explain the different critical velocity variation regimes for all the simulation conditions.     

Experimental studies on smoke movement in a model tunnel with longitudinal ventilation

Results from a series of fire tests carried out in a horizontal model tunnel (1:10) with longitudinal ventilation are presented. Pool fire with methanol as the fuel was used to simulate the fire source. Temperature and velocity distribution in the model tunnel were measured. The heat release rate, maximum gas temperature under the ceiling, back-layering length and critical velocity were investigated and compared with models proposed previously. Predicted maximum gas temperature under tunnel ceiling by Kurioka’s model agreed well with the experimental data with maximum discrepancy less than 20%. Dimensionless back-layering length was found decreased with the increase of the dimensionless ventilation velocity nearly linearly. Due to the difference between the experimental conditions and validating conditions of models proposed previously, diversities were found between the experimental results and predicted values base on Froude modeling. Maximum discrepancy on critical velocity might be about 40%. Models considering the effect of boundaries and heat loss of smoke more detailedly remain to be further developed.     

Characteristic length scale of critical ventilation velocity in tunnel smoke control

This paper investigates the characteristic length scale in an analytical correlation of critical ventilation velocity. The critical ventilation velocity is defined as the minimum airflow velocity to prevent smoke backlayering and is often used for smoke control in tunnels. Using a one-dimensional assumption of uniform mixing, the correlation of critical ventilation velocity was derived from the Froude number, which considered tunnel height as the characteristic length scale. Using numerical modelling, this study examines the effects of enclosure blockage ratio and tunnel width or aspect ratio on critical ventilation velocity. In particular, the results suggest that the correlation with tunnel hydraulic diameter may provide a better characterization of critical ventilation velocity. This is supported from the experimental data reported by others on the effect of tunnel width. The practical implications of using hydraulic diameter in determining critical ventilation velocity are discussed.     

The Use of Positive Pressure Ventilation Fans During Firefighting Operations in Underground Stations: An Experimental Study

Positive pressure ventilation (PPV) fans are widely used by the fire service during firefighting operations in buildings. Fans are positioned to create a flow through the enclosure. This flow can remove the smoke after the fire or affect the direction of the smoke to support firefighting operations. In subway stations, it is less common to use PPV fans. Here, 106 full-scale tests with up to four fans have been performed in a training building that represents a subway station. The fans were used as extraction fans. The generated flow through the subway station has been measured. The critical velocity for a hypothetical tunnel (W × H: 3.17 × 4.15 m) attached to the subway station has been calculated as 2.37 m/s. Reaching the critical velocity has been used as criterion for ‘success’. All combinations with four fans exceed this velocity, supporting the idea that the fans could be used to facilitate a firefighting operation. The location of the fans was varied. Combinations with three fans on the platform and one at the top of the staircase performed better than combinations with two fans on the platform, one on the landing and one at the top of the staircase. There is an optimum value for the distance between the fans on the platform and the first step of the staircase. This value depends on the angle of inclination of the fans. The fans were not capable of creating a flow that exceeded the critical velocity in the station itself (L × W × H: 60 × 7.15 × 4.53 m). However, a velocity of 2.40 m/s corresponds to a flow rate that will limit the backlayering distance in the station to 15 m. This was only achieved by tests with four fans (three on the platform and one at the top of the staircase).     

A study on long tunnel smoke extraction strategies by numerical simulation

The performance of different smoke extraction strategies for a long vehicle tunnel was investigated for a 100 MW fire scenario. Computer modeling was used for the investigation with a numerical simulation method. The selection of single-point extraction (SPE) opening strategy versus multi-point extraction (MPE) opening strategy was analyzed. In the single-point extraction (SPE) opening strategy, the smoke spread was found to be contained between the fire site and the point of smoke extraction. This result was obtained when the tunnel air velocity reached the critical velocity for preventing back-layering of smoke. For multi-point extraction (MPE) strategies with more than one opening, the smoke spread to all the extraction openings. Moreover for MPE strategy, air velocities were found to be slower near the middle openings and could be less than the critical velocity. Distributions of smoke spread, CO, visibility and temperature were analyzed. It was found that visibility of smoke and temperature were the key factors for safe evacuation of the personnel in tunnel. The SPE system was found to be more effective than the MPE system for partial transverse ventilation systems.     

A numerical study on smoke movement in longitudinal ventilation tunnel fires for different aspect ratio

In this study, numerical simulation was carried out to analyze the effect of the aspect ratio on smoke movement in tunnel fires using FDS 3.0. Temperature distribution under the ceiling showed a relatively good agreement with experimental results within 10 °C. It confirmed the possibility of application of FDS code to tunnel fires. Results from varying of the aspect ratio showed good agreement with experimental data. Temperature near the fire source decreased with the increase of the aspect ratio. But, the rate of the temperature decrease was reduced by the decrease of the heat loss in the spanwise direction. Clear height of the simulation by the analysis of the velocity distribution was about 3% higher than that of the experimental result. Numerical results predicted the back-layering distance and the critical velocity reasonably.     

列车着火后停留在隧道内的火焰烟气逆流临界风速

防止烟气逆流的临界风速是隧道火灾通风排烟系统设计的主要指标。国内外对纯烟气逆流的临界风速研究较多,对阻塞明显且夹带火焰的烟气逆流问题研究得则很少。通过模型试验和数值模拟,对列车着火阻塞在隧道内形成的夹带火焰的烟气逆流及其临界风速进行分析。考虑列车对隧道的阻塞比和火焰热辐射作用的影响,利用能量方程推导出计算临界风速的新公式,并与Oka-Atkinson公式、Wu-Bakar公式等计算纯烟气逆流的临界风速公式进行比较。结果表明新公式更适用于夹带火焰的烟气逆流的情况。同时还发现,列车中部着火和头部着火情况下的临界风速相近,但与列车尾部着火的临界风速不同;隧道内有列车着火和隧道内着火但无列车情况下的临界风速也有所不同。     

高海拔隧道全尺寸火灾烟气及温度场特征试验研究

通过对海拔为4100m的高海拔隧道进行全尺寸火灾试验,揭示高海拔隧道火灾烟气下沉及温度场变化特征。试验采用三种不同尺寸火源(0.8m2、1.0m2、2.0m2),对隧道火灾烟气蔓延特征、火区最高温度、隧道拱顶纵向温度分布进行研究。试验研究结果表明：隧道火灾试验初期及燃烧稳定阶段,火源附近隧道上层烟气与下层冷空气分界明显,火灾后期烟气下沉严重;较小风速有利于高海拔隧道小规模火灾烟气逆流层纵向和垂向蔓延的控制。隧道火灾温度场研究表明：隧道火灾温升速率随火源热释放率增大而增加;火源附近20m范围内温度衰减速率较快,远火源区域隧道拱顶纵向温度衰减较慢,趋于平缓;通过对火源上方拱顶烟气温度分析,发现隧道火灾探测采用差温报警模式较定温报警模式更加有效,并得出10℃/min的温升速率可基本满足高海拔隧道小规模火灾的初期报警;隧道拱顶纵向温度分布规律导致火源远场烟气下沉严重而近火源区域烟气层化较好的特征。高海拔隧道火灾温度分布特性试验研究,可为高海拔隧道火灾动力特性研究提供依据,为高海拔隧道人员疏散逃生提供指导及建议。     

基于阻滞影响的隧道临界风速研究

临界风速的研究对于隧道火灾时的烟气控制、消防救援、人员逃生等有重要意义。临界风速的计算受到火源和洞内车辆阻滞的影响,为了给出考虑上述阻塞的临界风速计算公式,建立了考虑隧道火灾时火源和洞内车辆阻塞数值计算模型,分析了火源处阻塞或上游车辆阻塞单一因素对临界风速的影响;修正了考虑火源处阻塞的临界风速计算公式;提出了一个新的同时考虑火源上游阻塞以及火源断面阻塞的无量纲临界风速计算公式,并与实验结果进行对比验证其准确性。研究表明:本文公式平均误差在10%以内,临界风速随阻塞比增大而减小,火源处阻塞对临界风速的影响显著于上游车辆阻塞。     

列车阻塞效应下铁路隧道火灾临界风速研究

针对现有临界风速研究较少考虑隧道内阻塞物或仅讨论隧道内存在小阻塞物的情况,以某一铁路隧道为研究对象,构建铁路隧道列车火灾数值计算模型,分析列车阻塞对铁路隧道临界风速的影响。研究结果表明：无阻塞情况下,本文数值模拟结果与Li模型的吻合度较高;随着阻塞比增加,临界风速呈下降趋势。基于模拟数据分析,修正了临界风速下降率ε和隧道阻塞比φ的对应关系,得到隧道列车火灾临界风速理论模型,并利用已有的隧道火灾实验数据及CFD模拟结果验证了模型的可靠性。     

超大断面水平隧道纵向通风临界风速CFD分析

首先介绍了临界风速研究的基本思路及国内外主要研究成果.结合国内某长大公路隧道设计,建立一长300m、水力高度10.64m的水平隧道模型,通过CFD模拟确定超大断面隧道临界风速的影响因子及相应的准则关联式.模拟表明:与火灾热释放速率相比,环境温度的影响可以忽略不计;与Atkinson(模型试验)及Buxton(大尺度试验)相似,临界风速随热释放速率的变化分为两个区域,与低热释放速率时不同,一旦热释放速率超过40MW,临界风速的变化明显趋于缓慢.     

Effects of Ventilation and Water Spray in a Model-Scale Tunnel Fire

At the present time, eight new long tunnels are currently being constructed in Taiwan and plan to utilize sidewall sprinkler nozzles to conduct fire protection. To explore the effect of ventilation and water spray on tunnel fires, this research used a 1/5.5 model scale tunnel to perform experiments, while using a heptane oil pan of 0.45 m diameter as the fire source. Under five different ventilation velocities, the cooling effects of water spray on tunnel fires was discussed while controlling the water density at 2.3 mm/min. The critical velocity without water spray was 1.24 m/s, which fits empirical equations by past research. Under a ventilation velocity of 0.87 m/s, the smoke backlayering would be 2 m without water spray, while none was present with water spray. Overall quantitative analysis shows the significance of water spray in affecting backlayering, and it can be acknowledged that water spray can prevent backlayering from larger fires under the same velocity. This research used visual and temperature measurement methods to determine the location of backlayering, and it is recommended that maximum temperature gradient be used in future research as the basis for smoke backlayering location.     

Evacuation of a Metro Train in an Underground Rail Transportation System: Flow Rate Capacity of Train Exits,Tunnel Walking Speeds and Exit Choice

Including in total 135 participants in the ages 19–69 years (recruited from the general public), an unannounced full-scale field evacuation experiment was performed in the Stockholm underground metro system on the night between October 17 and 18, 2014. The purpose was to collect data on the flow rate of people in train exits during the evacuation of a train in a tunnel and on the walking speed of people when moving long distances on an uneven surface in a tunnel, and to study exit choice and behaviour during an evacuation. Consequently, the experiment involved the evacuation of a rail car (a Bombardier C20 train) in a tunnel as well as the subsequent evacuation of the tunnel itself; the latter meant that the participants either could evacuate to the closest station (~400 m) or to an available emergency exit (~200 m). Among other things, the experiment demonstrated that the averaged flow rates of people in the train exits varied between 0.19 p/s and 0.22 p/s (0.14–0.16 p/m s when considering the train exit width of 1.4 m) and that the averaged walking speeds in the tunnel varied between 1.1 m/s and 1.2 m/s (no smoke present). Furthermore, all 135 participants found and used the available emergency exit, which had been equipped with a technical system consisting of a loudspeaker that broadcasted a combined alarm signal and a pre-recorded voice message.