MMI ENGINEERING CAPABILITY STATEMENT

Fire & Smoke Modelling Using Computational Fluid Dynamics

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is a technique whereby the fundamental equations of fluid motion are solved within a computational domain. Meshing algorithms are used to subdivide the domain, which often comprises a large bounding box encompassing a simplified geometric representation of the relevant structures (such as an offshore platform), into millions of small control volumes. The CFD solver then iteratively solves the governing equations for mass, momentum and energy. As no assumptions are made a priori regarding the fluid flow with CFD, the number of modelling scenarios is potentially infinite. As such, CFD is an extremely versatile and useful engineering tool. Variations in hole/pool size, release location and direction, flow rate, blow-down systems and atmospheric conditions (such as wind direction and speed) can be included in the CFD simulation set. In summary, MMIs fire modelling capability includes: Modelling of jet fire and pool fire releases for a variety of sizes and locations. Incorporation of blow-down systems and failure scenarios (jet fires) through pseudo-transient and fully-transient simulations. Assessments of the impact of wind direction and speed.

Isosurfaces of smoke concentration from a CFD simulation of process-related fire.

Flame front and temperature contours for an offshore jet fire release. Results from the CFD simulations provide important information for major accident hazard evaluation, including assessments of the effectiveness of proposed mitigation strategies. Key outputs from fire modelling simulations include: Flame front, showing interactions with primary structures. Temperature contours. Thermal radiation flux contours. Movies of flame development and regression due to the deployment blow-down systems.

At MMI Engineering, CFD is employed extensively to simulate Major Accident Hazards within the Oil and Gas industry, such as jet and pool fires within complex process areas. Results from CFD simulations often reveal important flow features not available from more simplistic phenomenological models, for example the interaction of a flame with a platform structure or the complex nature of smoke dispersion leeward of an offshore platform. These results provide valuable insight for our clients into the nature of their particular scenarios. MMI consultants have extensive experience in CFD modelling both in industry and academia. The modelling software most commonly employed is ANSYS-CFX, an industry-leading commercial CFD package. State-of-the-art turbulence, combustion and radiation models are used for fire and smoke modelling. In addition, several innovative sourceterm models have been developed by MMIs consultants that provide input into CFD simulations that allow a wide range of relevant scenarios to be modelled. These include pipeline and vessel blow-down models, a bubble plume model for subsea releases, and a smoke-production model for the combustion of complex hydrocarbon fuels.

Smoke Modelling using CFD

The internal and external dispersion of smoke following an accidental fire event often has significant safety implications, including escape impairment due to smoke inhalation or lack of visibility, ingestion of smoke into HVAC systems, and the detrimental effects on escape systems such as HeliOps or enclosed lifeboats. Although a combustion model may be used to represent the smoke source in CFD simulations, often a volumetric source of mass, momentum and heat is employed instead. MMI have developed source models specifically for this purpose, so that the smoke composition and flow rate can be calculated following fuel-rich or oxygenrich combustion of complex hydrocarbon fuels.

Fire Modelling using CFD

The combustion of a jet or pool release can be incorporated into a CFD model through the use of a specialised combustion model. Account is taken of both the flame front and the dispersion of combustion products.

MMI Engineering, 2011

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MMI ENGINEERING CAPABILITY STATEMENT

Contact
Simon Thurlbeck Tel: +44 (0) 1925 230655 Email: sthurlbeck@mmiengineering.com Website: www.mmiengineering.com

Carbon monoxide concentration contours showing escape impedance (red) following a process-related fire. Conventional outputs from CFD simulations include concentrations of the primary toxic gases within the smoke, particularly carbon monoxide (CO). However, MMI have developed a technique whereby the combinative nature of hazards due to toxicants and irritants within the smoke (such as CO, carbon dioxide, oxygen-depletion, hydrogen cyanide etc.) are accounted for by calculating an overall time-toincapacitation or time-to-death due to these effects. This gives an immediate indication as to escape or muster is possible and/or safe. In summary, MMIs capability regarding smoke modelling includes: Modelling of internal and/or external smoke dispersion following an ignited accidental release. Definition of accurate volumetric smoke source terms including toxic gas concentrations. Estimating smoke visibility within an internal structure, such as an accommodation block during a galley fire. Incorporation of the effects conditions on smoke dispersion. of atmospheric

Time-to-incapacitation contours for smoke-inhalation. Key outputs from smoke dispersion analysis using CFD are: Smoke concentration isosurfaces indicating the dispersion of the combustion products. Concentration contours for various toxic gases. Time-to-incapacitation and time-to-death contours due to smoke inhalation.

MMI Engineering, 2011

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