Optimization of emergency ventilation mode for a train on fire stopping beside platform of a metro station

This paper presents a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation investigation of most effective cooperative operation mode of the tunnel rail track area exhaust system and the platform ventilation system for the emergency scenario of a train on fire stopping beside the platform of a subway station. CFD simulations are carried out by fire dynamics simulator (FDS) to analyse and compare the computed field distributions of smoke temperature and visibility, as to find out the most optimal cooperation mode of these ventilation systems. Results show that only starting the over track exhaust (OTE) system can control the smoke more effectively than starting both the OTE system and the under platform exhaust (UPE) system at the same time. In addition, setting the platform ventilation system as exhaust pattern can provide better control performance than setting it as air supply pattern, in counteracting the smoke flowed into the platform from the fire train. Therefore, it is found out and suggested that in such an emergency condition, the most effective strategic cooperative ventilation mode is only starting the OTE system of the tunnel rail track area with the aid of activation the smoke exhaust pattern of the platform ventilation system.