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Assessment of an Evaporation Model in CFD Simulations of a Free Liquid Pool Fire Using the Mass Transfer Number Approach

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Abstract

In the present paper an evaporation model is implemented and assessed in a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code named ISIS. First, the influence of the cell size and time step on the temperature field is studied via simulations with a prescribed fuel Mass Loss Rate (MLR). Then, the evaporation model is assessed using predictive simulations. The experimental scenario is a 30 cm-diameter heptane pool fire. The average fuel Mass Loss Rate Per Unit Area (MLRPUA) is predicted within 5.5% deviation from the experimental value. In addition, an analysis of the temperature and heat fluxes at the surface of the liquid, the mass transfer coefficient and the temperature inside the liquid is performed.

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Notes

  1. The CFD code ISIS can be freely downloaded from the following website: https://gforge.irsn.fr/gf/project/isis/.

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Acknowledgements

Jose Felipe Perez Segovia is a PhD student funded by Bel V. The authors are grateful for the technical support provided by S. Suard, L. Audouin, H. Prétrel, G. Boyer, M. Mense, and F. Babik from IRSN.

Funding

This study was funded by Bel V.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Flow, Heat and Combustion Mechanics, Ghent University, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 41, Ghent, Belgium

    J. Felipe Perez Segovia, Tarek Beji & Bart Merci

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  1. J. Felipe Perez Segovia
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  2. Tarek Beji
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Correspondence to J. Felipe Perez Segovia.

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Perez Segovia, J.F., Beji, T. & Merci, B. Assessment of an Evaporation Model in CFD Simulations of a Free Liquid Pool Fire Using the Mass Transfer Number Approach. Flow Turbulence Combust 101, 1059–1072 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10494-018-9943-1

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