Cherng Shing Lin

Study on Numerical Simulation of a Fire on Heavy Oil Tank

Oil is important energy nowadays. Most oil products, such as gasoline, coal oil and diesel oil, are important fuel too. Tanks serve as storage to preserve various petroleum products. These dangerous inflammable articles require not only as much safety protection as possible but also safety intervals between tanks. Once a fire occurs to a tank, its combustion expands very fast and violently. Without sufficient intervals, chain reaction is very possible to happen and cause a disaster out of control. Fire of oil tank is not common, thus experience of extinguishing such fire is also extremely lacking. Therefore, it is important to research on tank fire and report quantified data. This study adopted numerical analysis method to simulate a fire in a tank area by applying Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS), and investigate the effect of various related parameter on tank fire. The anticipation of this study is to provide fire protection information of various types of tanks in order to reduce the impact of such fire on environment and resource.

Numerical Simulation of the Performance-Based of the Building Fire Protection Safety Evaluation

In order to understand the fire safety of the various types of buildings, we need more flexible and efficient performance-estimating methods to verify fire protection safety in various types of buildings. Assuming can utilize computer fire simulation software CFAST / FDS + Evac to analyze Taiwans domestic fire cases, in order to understand in the different fires heat flow transfer, and toxic smoke diffuse, and human evacuation to escape, and other important fire parameter characteristics, in the building the fire protection safety evaluating to produce the efficiency. This study is used cases of fires in four-story old-style residential and commercial mixed-use buildings to explain building fire performance-based numerical evaluation methods, and to provide quantitative data and reference information in Taiwan performance-based codes creating and the fire protection to project design is helpful in the buildings.

Field Model Simulation and Analysis for a Residential Building Fire

Under the effects of rapid social-economic development and urbanization, populations dwelling in large community housing buildings have become more concentrated than ever in Taiwan. This might lead to major casualties and property loss if a fire occurs. Therefore, research on fire protection engineering is particularly critical for large buildings. If fire protection engineering considerations are addressed extensively, fire damage can be minimized. This study simulated an actual building fire case of New Taipei City and analyzed the fire field by using the Fire Dynamics Simulator, developed by NIST/USA. In this case, the dwellers of the building had illegally used the patio space to store combustibles. Additionally, the interior of this dwelling contained numerous combustible decorative materials that resulted in a fast expanding fire inside the dwelling. The high temperature smoke generated by the fire moved upwards through the patio because of the stack effect. The dweller had installed a steel window on the opening of the patio illegally, which considerably narrowed the opening and caused the smoke to rapidly accumulate in the patio. This caused the materials inside the patio to burn quickly, and finally resulted in numerous casualties and substantial property loss. The fire characteristics were investigated to obtain transient results regarding influential parameters, such as the temperature of the fire field and concentration of CO, to analyze and discuss the state of the fire field and allowable time for escaping. These results may be applicable for preventing and reducing the future occurrence of such disasters.

Firefighting Capacity Assessment in Armed Forces Hospitals

As the general public begin to attach greater importance to the firefighting capacities of large public infrastructures, it is high time for an overhaul of the medical, leisure and teaching infrastructures and so on concerning their firefighting capacities. In response to the especially drastic increase in the demands for medical resources, armed forces hospitals are being opened to the public for medical and teaching purposes. In order to meet the daily needs and maintain their operations in a sustainable manner, these hospitals have gone through many spatial and furnishing alterations, hence the changes in their original constructional and fire protection design. These changes, however, might lead to an increase in the risk factors. With Taoyuan Armed Forced General Hospital, which is fairly large in size, as the fireground for the simulation, and the previous cases of fire in the hospital as the basis for the numerical simulation analysis, this study is set out mainly to investigate and validate the impacts of the firefighting facilities (which are consistent with the fire codes and regulations) on the efforts of the people inside the hospital to escape from a fire under such a variety of circumstances as when the space is closed, open, or as the fire sources change in nature and position. Compartmentalization and precautions are used in the process to minimize fire losses. The main objective of this study is to develop some fire safety education materials for such public places as government organizations and schools.

A Case Study on a Fire Disaster in a Textile Factory

A large number of factories have been sequentially established in Taiwan following the economic take-off several decades ago. However, this growth in number has led to the prevalence of fire hazards. Factory fires typically cause substantial casualties and property losses, and have therefore become a focal point for research. In the present study, the researchers employed the Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) software developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to simulate and evaluate a factory fire scene in Taiwan. The fire continued for approximately 74 h, rendering this outbreak the single longest building fire and rescue in Taiwan. By analyzing relevant data, the researchers established a numerical model of the fire scene to simulate, evaluate, and analyze the influences that temperature, smoke conditions, and smoke layer height parameters had on the fire scene. The findings enabled the researchers to better understand the damage conditions that occur during fire outbreaks. The results of this case study can serve as a reference for designing and improving future fire prevention and safety plans.

Firefighting Tactics during a Fire Event at a Textile Factory

Many factories contain chemical substances, raw materials, and finished and semi-finished products; thus, a factory fire can cause substantial property losses and endanger lives. The Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology was used in this study to simulate a fire event at a textile factory in Taiwan. The circumstances of a 2010 fire event in Zhubei City were recreated using data from the fire department and print media, exploring changes in temperature, smoke, and the concentrations of harmful gases (i.e., carbon monoxide; CO). Criteria were established for judging the firefighting techniques used during the fire event. In other words, simulated results of the FDS were used to analyze and assess the planning and use of firefighting tactics to enhance the efficiency of firefighting and rescue techniques, decrease casualties and property losses, and increase the reference value of this study in its application to fighting future factory fires.

Firefighting Tactics during a Fire Event at a Nightclub

Entertainment centers are typically equipped with flammable materials. In addition, consumers (and employees) of these establishments are relatively unfamiliar with their internal environments, escape routes, and fire safety equipment. Therefore, fire hazards often result in severe casualties and property loss. In this study, Fire Dynamics Simulator was used to simulate a severe nightclub fire recently occurred in Taiwan. Data were collected from field observations and media reports to establish a numerical model for the actual fire. Important fire dynamic parameters such as temperature distribution, smoke diffusion and carbon monoxides concentration were computed using the model. The results of this analysis can be used to formulate/analyze the firefighting and rescue tactics for similar fires, which would decrease the risk of disaster occurrence and increase rescue efficiency, thereby reducing casualties and property loss.

Numerical Simulation of Vehicle Crashes

Based on the European New Car Assessment Program, which offers rigorous testing conditions, this study developed a numerical model for the computer simulation of crash analysis and analyzed two crash situations: a high-speed vehicle crashing into a wall and a high-speed test vehicle crashing into a static vehicle. The Simulation model was constructed using the superior functions of the Patran software, and the Pam-crash software was employed to perform various calculations for analysis. In crashes, the structure of vehicle bodies are greatly compressed and deformed because of high-speed impact force, which simultaneously generates high speed acceleration. Vehicle structural deformation constricts the driver and passengers, and acceleration can cause them physical harm. Thus, the objective of this study was to identify the sources of harm to driver and passengers when crashes occur. The research results can be a reference for vehicle manufacturers in future vehicle development and a reference for future academic research.

Numerical Modeling of Fire Dynamic Behavior for a Five-Story Building

This study is based on a real fire accident that occurred in Keelung City, Taiwan. The fire site was situated in an old five-story building that was renovated for recreational purposes. When the fire broke out, a stack effect formed instantly because the fire source was gasoline, the initial location of the fire was the stairway, and the fire burned rapidly with a cut-off downward evacuation exit. Customers were unfamiliar with the escape routes and fire-extinguishing equipment, leading to the loss of five lives. This study applies the Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) to develop a computer numerical model and simulate the actual conditions of the fire accident. The major fire dynamic behavior parameters are computed to evaluate the transport of flames, smoke particles, and toxic gases within the enclosed building. Recommendations for fire safety in this type of architectural structure are provided to reduce the reoccurrence of similar disasters.

Fire Computer-Simulated Fire Scene Verification of Entertainment Establishments

Entertainment establishments generally have a high volume of visitors and must pay special attention to enhance fire prevention and safety. In the past 30 years, many cases of serious fires have occurred in entertainment establishments in Taiwan, causing numerous casualties and significant property losses. Examples include the fire incidents at the Welcome Restaurant in Taichung City (64 people were dead) and at the Lunch in Restaurant and the Mythology World KTV in Taipei City (33 people were dead). Consequently, fire protection engineering research for entertainment establishments is extremely important. In this study, a specific bar-type entertainment establishment located in Taichung in 2011 was used as the research subject (9 people were dead).Field model-based fire dynamics simulator (FDS) software was used to reconstruct a numerical model for conducting a case study of the fire scene. Changes in the heat transfer, smoke flow, upper layer temperature, and CO concentration were investigated. This study also verified the fire field the evacuation of people. It is hoped that the results can provide a useful reference for fireproofing or prevention projects in similar entertainment establishments.