Advances in modelling in CFD simulations of turbulent gaseous pool fires

Large eddy simulations (LES) using advanced modelling approaches related to thermophysical, turbulence and combustion modelling are presented and their advantages when compared to some of the standard models used in the fire community are analyzed. More specifically, the consideration of a non-unity Lewis number and the Hirschfelder-Curtiss diffusion model, the inclusion of differential diffusion and Soret effects, the application of a dynamic turbulence model with a variable turbulent Prandtl number formulation, along with the EDC combustion model, have been included in a modified version of FireFOAM 2.2.x. A comparison between the predictions of the new and the standard models available in the code against experimental data of a medium-scale 24.6 kW methanol pool fire is presented. The predictions with the advanced modelling approaches are qualitatively and quantitatively better when compared to the standard models in the code, while having only a 20% increased computational cost.