Citation

Alpert RL. Fire Safety J. 1985; 9(2): 157-163.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1985, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In order to develop techniques for the prediction of fire suppression phenomena, a simplified axisymmetric problem of a sprinkler spray directly above the center of a constant fire source is examined. The fire source is simulated either by a hot, buoyant jet issuing from floor level or by a distributed volumetric release of energy. A point source of discrete droplet trajectories at the ceiling is used to simulate a sprinkler spray. Numerical solutions are obtained for the resultant recirculating gas flow induced by the spray and the fire source in a region unobstructed by walls. The water flux which penetrates through the fire plume as well as the cooling effect of the spray are calculated for two maximum spray angles and for a range of water injection velocities. These results appear to be well-correlated by the ratio of the initial vertical component of the spray thrust to the maximum upward thrust of the fire plume.