CFD: Fire safety planning and escape planning using computer simulations
One of the greatest challenges in safety, these days, is the ability to estimate as accurately as possible the effectiveness of the protection measures provided as part of the overall safety planning: In buildings, institutions, industrial structures, commercial facilities and halls.
Protecting the inhabitants deals with two major aspects: protection from direct exposure to fire or smoke, and the ability to escape from the fire or smoke traps to a safe location (as known as safe egress). Safe egress is not limited to fire cases but is also relevant whenever rapid evacuation is required such as during a terror attack.
For this purpose, a good, reliable simulation is required for simulating the fire propagation, and subsequently to explore the escape options for the inhabitants. It is precisely in this that our simulation department excels and leads.
Below is a simulation of smoke diffusion in an auditorium (or movie theatre) during a random fire at the stage area. The colors on top of the frame represent the air dynamics at the theatre’s ceiling area. Airflow is mainly controlled by the artificial ventilation system and the turbulence caused by the fire.