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Enclosure fires

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Backdraught<br />

Sample calculation: The speed of the incoming air current<br />

The room has the dimensions 2.4 × 2.4 × 6 m 3 and the opening<br />

is wide, roughly a third of the room’s height, i.e. 0.8 metres. The<br />

opening is about 2.2 metres wide. The smoke gas temperature is<br />

about 150°C. This gives a rough smoke gas density of 0.84 kg/<br />

m 3 . The air density is about 1.2 kg/m 3 , representing b.<br />

b = (1.2 – 0.84)/0.84 u 0.42<br />

v* is obtained from reference 32. This value is connected to the<br />

size of the opening in relation to its geometry, in this case, the<br />

wide opening.<br />

v* = v/(g × h × b) 0.5 , which gives:<br />

v = 0.35 × (9.81 × 2.4 × 0.42) 0.5 u 1 m/s<br />

Based on the equation above, this gives a speed of about 1 m/s,<br />

which visually seems to be a good approximation. It is<br />

important not to use this result as an exact value, but just as an<br />

approximation. You should also note on this subject that it can<br />

take a number of seconds for a combustible mixture to reach<br />

the ignition source, if it is placed far inside the room.<br />

The above equation is also useful for applying to the outgoing<br />

air current and it is important to mention that it can take many<br />

seconds for the air current, which has refl ected against the back<br />

wall, to reach the door opening again. In this case, the mixture<br />

in the room may be very well mixed and ignition can result in a<br />

very rapid heat release rate with fatal consequences.<br />

182

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