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An integral model for the transient pyrolysis of solid materials
Author(s) -
Moghtaderi B.,
Novozhilov V.,
Fletcher D.,
Kent J. H.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
fire and materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.482
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1099-1018
pISSN - 0308-0501
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-1018(199701)21:1<7::aid-fam588>3.0.co;2-t
Subject(s) - charring , extinguishment , pyrolysis , char , computational fluid dynamics , solid fuel , combustion , transient (computer programming) , computer science , mechanical engineering , environmental science , engineering , process engineering , materials science , waste management , composite material , aerospace engineering , chemistry , operating system , organic chemistry , political science , law
The modelling of the spread of fire and its extinguishment still represents a significant challenge. As part of a combined experimental and computational study of fires we have developed a general Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model of fire spread and extinguishment. The primary objective was to produce a flexible computational tool which can be used by engineers and scientists for design or research purposes. The present paper deals with the description and validation of a solid pyrolysis model which has been applied, as a sub‐model, in this general computer fire code. The pyrolysis model has been formulated using the heat‐balance integral method. The model can be applied to slabs of char forming solids, such as wood, as well as non‐charring thermoplastic materials, such as PMMA. Results are compared with analytical solutions, numerical simulations and experimental data. In all cases the integral model performs well. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.