An experimental study on vertical temperature profile of facade fire plume ejected from compartment with an opening subjected to external wind normal to facade

This paper investigated the vertical temperature profile of facade fire plume ejected from compartment with an opening subjected to external wind normal to the facade, which has not been quantified in the literature. Experiments were carried out using a cubic compartment (dimensions: 0.4 m) with an opening attached by a vertical facade. The vertical temperature profile in the facade fire plume under different ventilation conditions (opening geometries) and wind speeds was measured by thermocouple arrays consisting of 42 K-type thermocouples installed along the facade wall. It was found that the temperature at a given height decreased with increasing wind speed, as the air entrainment into the plume was stronger than that without wind. Then, a correlation was proposed based on physical analysis on the variation of total convective heat release rate (virtual origin) and air entrainment (correlation coefficient) into the facade fire plume, to describe the front wind effect on the vertical temperature profile. Experimental data for different opening geometries (ventilation factor) and wind speeds can be well correlated by the proposed correlation. The new findings and the proposed correlation provide a fundamental base for understanding basically the facade fire behavior with an opening under external wind normal to facade.