Horizontal Heat Flux Spread in an Inner Corner of Buildings

This study investigates fire separation distances as essential means of passive fire protection in building design. The focus is on the inner corner configuration of building exterior walls, which represents the worst-case scenario for façade fire spread outside of a building. The inner-corner confi...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Daniela Šejnová Pitelková, Petr Hejtmánek, Vladimír Mózer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-10-01
Series:Safety
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2313-576X/10/4/88
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1846102883783671808
author Daniela Šejnová Pitelková
Petr Hejtmánek
Vladimír Mózer
author_facet Daniela Šejnová Pitelková
Petr Hejtmánek
Vladimír Mózer
author_sort Daniela Šejnová Pitelková
collection DOAJ
description This study investigates fire separation distances as essential means of passive fire protection in building design. The focus is on the inner corner configuration of building exterior walls, which represents the worst-case scenario for façade fire spread outside of a building. The inner-corner configuration appears to increase the intensity of the radiative heat flux due to reflection and reradiation of heat. Comprehensive approaches for determining fire separation distances around the various façade geometries can be found, but none of them is focused on detailed descriptions of the unprotected area in an inner corner. A medium-scale scenario was chosen and was experimentally validated with a radiant panel for a better understanding of heat flux spread. This paper compares the experiment with analytical and numerical models. The analytical model is based on the Stefan–Boltzmann law and the calculated configuration factor as per Eurocode 1. The numerical model combines radiative and convective components of the heat flux because convection is non-negligible near the heat source. Experimental data confirm the prediction based on the numerical and analytical model and show agreement. The final increase in heat flux due to the corner configuration investigated at the medium scale reaches up to 29%.
format Article
id doaj-art-c850050f0d104cd1bd25ce23bc4c1ca1
institution Kabale University
issn 2313-576X
language English
publishDate 2024-10-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Safety
spelling doaj-art-c850050f0d104cd1bd25ce23bc4c1ca12024-12-27T14:52:00ZengMDPI AGSafety2313-576X2024-10-011048810.3390/safety10040088Horizontal Heat Flux Spread in an Inner Corner of BuildingsDaniela Šejnová Pitelková0Petr Hejtmánek1Vladimír Mózer2Department of Architectural Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Thákurova 7, 166 29 Prague, Czech RepublicDepartment of Architectural Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Thákurova 7, 166 29 Prague, Czech RepublicDepartment of Architectural Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Thákurova 7, 166 29 Prague, Czech RepublicThis study investigates fire separation distances as essential means of passive fire protection in building design. The focus is on the inner corner configuration of building exterior walls, which represents the worst-case scenario for façade fire spread outside of a building. The inner-corner configuration appears to increase the intensity of the radiative heat flux due to reflection and reradiation of heat. Comprehensive approaches for determining fire separation distances around the various façade geometries can be found, but none of them is focused on detailed descriptions of the unprotected area in an inner corner. A medium-scale scenario was chosen and was experimentally validated with a radiant panel for a better understanding of heat flux spread. This paper compares the experiment with analytical and numerical models. The analytical model is based on the Stefan–Boltzmann law and the calculated configuration factor as per Eurocode 1. The numerical model combines radiative and convective components of the heat flux because convection is non-negligible near the heat source. Experimental data confirm the prediction based on the numerical and analytical model and show agreement. The final increase in heat flux due to the corner configuration investigated at the medium scale reaches up to 29%.https://www.mdpi.com/2313-576X/10/4/88fire separation distancescorner areaheat fluxFDSexperiment
spellingShingle Daniela Šejnová Pitelková
Petr Hejtmánek
Vladimír Mózer
Horizontal Heat Flux Spread in an Inner Corner of Buildings
Safety
fire separation distances
corner area
heat flux
FDS
experiment
title Horizontal Heat Flux Spread in an Inner Corner of Buildings
title_full Horizontal Heat Flux Spread in an Inner Corner of Buildings
title_fullStr Horizontal Heat Flux Spread in an Inner Corner of Buildings
title_full_unstemmed Horizontal Heat Flux Spread in an Inner Corner of Buildings
title_short Horizontal Heat Flux Spread in an Inner Corner of Buildings
title_sort horizontal heat flux spread in an inner corner of buildings
topic fire separation distances
corner area
heat flux
FDS
experiment
url https://www.mdpi.com/2313-576X/10/4/88
work_keys_str_mv AT danielasejnovapitelkova horizontalheatfluxspreadinaninnercornerofbuildings
AT petrhejtmanek horizontalheatfluxspreadinaninnercornerofbuildings
AT vladimirmozer horizontalheatfluxspreadinaninnercornerofbuildings