Research Overview

Department of Fire Protection Engineering

University of Maryland

College Park, MD 20742, USA

http://www.fpe.umd.edu

February 2015

Faculty Research Areas

M. di Marzo suppression, detection

M. Gollner wildfires, flammability, structures

K. E. Isman suppression systems

A.W. Marshall fire flows, combustion, suppression

J. A. Milke structures, detection, egress

S. I. Stoliarov pyrolysis, flammability, fire growth

P. B. Sunderland soot, fire dynamics, diagnostics

A. Trouvé turbulent combustion, fire modeling

Full-Time Faculty

Faculty: M. Gollner, A. Trouve

Ph.D. Student: W. Tang, C. Zhang

Visiting Students: M. Durant

Title: Real-time wildland fire modeling

Sponsor: National Science Foundation

Collaborators: UC San Diego

Objective: NSF-funded Development of a

cyberinfrastructure for real-time wildfire monitoring

and prediction

Wildland Fires

WIFIRE – Real Time Wildfire Predictions

Example of a test simulation performed with FIREFLY showing the time evolution of the burnt

area (in blue) on a complex terrain. (a) t = 225 s; (b) t = 1275 s (Trouve)

Faculty: M. Gollner

Ph.D. Students: W. Tang and C. Miller

B.S. Student: R. Hakes, J. Scheer

Title: Buoyant instabilities influencing fire spread

Sponsor: US Forest Service

Collaborators: M. Finney, S. McCallister (USFS),

K. Saito (Kentucky)

Objective: Determine the mechanisms responsible for

wildland fire spread (new instabilities discovered) and

characterize the process in a simple manner for

operational firefighting.

Wildland Fires

Fundamental Wildland Fire Spread Research

Faculty: M. Gollner

Ph.D. Students: C. Miller

Title: Discrete Fuel Effects on Flammability and

Flame Spread

Sponsor: Minta Martin Foundation, Bryan Chair

Objective: Model flame spread through discrete fuels

such as wooden dowels and dispersed PMMA in order to

model wildland fuels and spread through wire trays

Ignition and Flame Spread

Fuel Density Effects on Flammability & Spread

Faculty: M. Gollner

Ph.D. Students: Ajay V. Singh

Title: Local Burning Rates and Heat Flux for Boundary Layer Diffusion Flames Under Forced Flow

Sponsors: Minta Martin Foundation, University of Maryland

Objective: Understand the relationship between temperature profiles, local convective and radiative heat fluxes and burning rates to improve theoretical and numerical modeling of flame spread.

Ignition and Flame Spread

Detailed Boundary Layer Flame Measurements

[1] Singh, A.V. and Gollner, M.J., Proc. of the Combust. Inst., Vol. 35, 2015, pp. 2527-2534.

Distinguished Paper at the 35th International Symposium on Combustion

Faculty: M.J. Gollner

B.S. Students: R. Hakes, S. Canton and K. Kohler

Title: Pathways to Fire Spread in the Wildland Urban Interface

Sponsors: NFPA Fire Protection Research Foundation

Objective: Review literature on exposure conditions, reactions of components and systems and mitigation strategies for the WUI. Now performing an analysis to identify gaps in information needed to inform prevention and protection strategies.

Suppression

Pathways to Fire Spread in the WUI

Firebrands blowing off of vegetation during the

Etiwanda fire.

October, 2007 San Diego wildfire

Faculty: M.J. Gollner, A.W. Marshall

Ph.D. Students: P. Maisto

Visiting Students: J. Triller

Title: Characterizing smoke transport in naturally-ventilated green buildings

Sponsors: Department of Homeland Security, Fire Grant

Collaborators: B. Meacham (WPI)

Objective: Apply PLIF, PIV, and other non-intrusive diagnostics to model smoke transport in green buildings. The addition of wind on smoke dispersion will enhance the benefit to firefighters from the project.

Green Buildings

Fire Safety in Green Buildings

Faculty: Marshall, Trouvé, Sunderland, Baum

Ph.D. Students: Zheng, Vilfayeau, White, Myers, Jordan, Link

Title: Quantifying Fire-Spray Interactions

Sponsors: NSF MRI, NSF GOALI, FM Global, UTRC

Objective: Characterization and Model development for fire suppression spray interactions with fire plumes (kinematic), flame sheets (cooling and dilution), and flame radiation (scattering and absorption).

Suppression

Spray Suppression

*

Faculty: Marshall, Quintiere

Ph.D. Students: Kahrmann

M.S. Students: Layton

Title: Characterizing Buoyancy Induced Dispersion via Scale Modeling

Sponsors: NIJ

Objective: Apply PLIF, PIV, and other non-intrusive diagnostics for use in dispersion studies. Current focus is salt-water dispersion experiments (used for: applied studies of smoke transport and detector response; plume dispersion studies; CFD model validation).

Dispersion measurements; impinging plume

(above); centerline unconfined plume (right)

Preliminary visualization

of a plume in cross-flow

Plumes

Dispersion

Faculty: Marshall, Trouvé

Ph.D. Students: Voegele, Raffan

Collaborator: Cadou (UMD)

Title: Detailed Experiments and Model Development for Thrust

Chamber Film Cooling

Sponsor: NASA Marshall

Objective: Characterize the detailed mixing and transport processes near

film cooled surfaces to support near-wall CFD model development.

Film cooling effectiveness and near wall diagnostics

Heat Transfer

Near Wall Mixing and Heat Transfer

Fire Detection

Faculty: J.A. Milke

Student: R. Zevotek

Title: “Analysis of Data from Cooktop Fire Experiments”

Sponsor: UL

Objective: Development of precursor signatures that can be distinguished from

those associated with normal cooking and are capable of predicting an impending

fire to provide adequate warning to homeowners in order to intervene.

Precursors to Cooking Related Fires

Faculty: J.A. Milke

Student: R. Hanson

Title: “Assessment of Fire Risk in US Residences”

Sponsor: State Farm

Objective: The research project included a holistic review of the previous

activities in residential fire safety and developed a risk model to assess the role

of key parameters affecting the fire risk in one- and two-family dwellings.

Residential Fire Safety

Fire Risks in Contemporary US Homes

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5%

10%

15%

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Mattress Bedding OtherFurniture

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Item First Ignited

FS1 FS2 FS3 FS4 FS5

Faculty: Stoliarov

Students: Y. Ding (Ph.D. candidate), J. Swann (M.S. candidate)

Sponsor: NSF CAREER

Objective: To develop quantitative understanding of char growth

dynamics and its relations to the thermal decomposition chemistry and

heat transfer in a wide range of polymeric systems including a new

generation of biodegradable materials.

Pyrolysis and Oxidation

Understanding Flammability of Charring Polymers

Partially Pyrolyzed

Polycarbonate

Work Flow

Ignition and Flame Spread

Upward Flame Spread on Polymers

Faculty: Stoliarov

Students: I. Leventon (Ph.D. candidate), K. Korver (M.S. candidate)

Sponsor: FAA

Objective: To develop an empirical model that generates a detailed

flame-to-surface heat flux profile for a given mass loss rate and couple

this model with a newly developed 2D pyrolysis solver to predict early

stages of flame spread on polymeric surfaces.

UMD Flame

Spread Test

Experiment versus Model Prediction

Faculty: Stoliarov

Students: M. McKinnon (Ph.D. candidate), G. Martin (M.S. candidate)

Sponsor: FAA

Objective: To develop a systematic procedure for the measurement and

validation of kinetic, thermodynamic and heat transport properties of

fiber-reinforced and layered composites utilized in transportation and

building applications.

Pyrolysis and Oxidation

Parameterization of Burning Models for Composites

UMD Controlled Atmosphere Pyrolysis Apparatus Experimental mass loss rate (MLR) and model

prediction for the pyrolysis of low-pile carpet

components in a nitrogen atmosphere

Ignition and Flame Spread

Effectiveness of Gas-Phase Flame Retardants

Faculty: Stoliarov

Students: F. Raffan (Post-doc), C. Hamel (M.S. candidates)

Sponsor: BASF, ICL-IP

Objective: To develop experimental methodologies for the

measurement of impact of gas-phase-active flame retardant additives

on ignitability and burning intensity of solid materials using mg-sized

samples.

UMD Microscale Flame

Calorimeter

Polystyrene (PS) and brominated

polystyrene (PS-Br) heat release rate

histories

Phosphorus-induced

flame extinction

Faculty: Stoliarov, Sunderland

Students: X. Liu (Ph.D. candidate)

Sponsor: Ford

Objective: To develop a methodology for characterization of thermally-

induced failure of lithium ion batteries (LIBs). To create an engineering

model of the failure process and apply it to the analysis of a wide range

of overheating scenarios.

Applied Studies

Thermally-Induced Failure of Lithium Ion Batteries

UMD Copper Slug Battery Calorimetry Apparatus

Heat generation by the processes inside

LIB during its thermal failure

Faculty: Stoliarov

Students: A. Friedman (M.S. candidate)

Sponsor: ARL

Objective: To examine feasibility of using a low frequency and high

amplitude sound waves for suppression of localized aircraft fires.

Suppression

Flame Suppression with Low Frequency Sound

Experimental Setup

Sound Pressure

Profile at Resonator

Opening

Flame Response

FPE Faculty: Sunderland

M.S. Student: A. Boussouf

Postdoc: V. Lecoustre

Collaborators: A. Mosleh, R. Radermacher

Title: Flammability and Risk Assessment of R-32 Refrigerant

Sponsor: Daikin Industries

Objectives: Assess the fire risks of R-32 leaks using

experiments, CFD simulations, and risk analysis.

Applied Studies

Flammability of R-32 Refrigerant

R-32 autoignition (left),

and FDS temperature

predictions (right).

FPE Faculty: Sunderland

Ph.D. Students: P.M. Anderson, H. Guo

Title: Soot Oxidation in Hydrocarbon-Free Flames

Sponsor: NSF

Objectives: Use a novel flame system to develop

improved correlations of soot oxidation kinetics.

Emissions

Soot Oxidation

Soot oxidation rate versus height Ternary flame system

FPE Faculty: Sunderland

Postdoc: V.R. Lecoustre

Collaborators: R.L. Axelbaum, D.L. Urban, B.H. Chao

Title: Flame Design: A Novel Approach to Clean Efficient Diffusion Flames

Sponsor: NASA Glenn

Objectives: Study microgravity spherical flames to identify the effects of

dilution on soot formation and flame extinction. Flight tests will occur on ISS.

Emissions and Extinction

Flame Design

Identification of PAH main pathways in premixed flames with varying

flame temperature

FPE Faculty: Quintiere, Sunderland

Students: C. Beall, M. Kim

Title: Experimental Investigation of Emulated Burning Rate at Various Gravity

Levels

Sponsor: NASA Glenn

Objectives: Use gases to emulate condensed fuel burning in microgravity. Heat

flux gages are embedded in the burner face. Flight tests will occur on ISS.

Fire Dynamics

Burning Rate Emulator

BRE emulations in normal gravity

FPE Faculty: Sunderland

Postdoc: V. Lecoustre

Collaborators: G.S. Jackson, K. McGrattan

Title: RADCAL Enhancements for Radiative Emission and Absorption

Sponsor: NIST

Objectives: Incorporate recent measurements of radiation into

RADCAL.

Radiation

Improved Radiation Modeling in FDS

FTIR transmissivity of ethylene FTIR versus RADCAL spectra of MMA at 597 K.

FPE Faculty: Sunderland

Ph.D. Student: J. Pagliaro

Collaborator: G.T. Linteris

Title: Combustion inhibition and enhancement of premixed

methane–air flames by halon replacements.

Sponsor: Boeing

Objectives: Understand why some halon replacements cause

increased pressures in full-scale tests at FAA.

Suppression

Inhibition by Halon Replacements

Apparatus Peak pressures

Faculty: A. Trouvé – PhD students: S. Vilfayeau, J. White, T. Myers

Title: “Modeling of Under-Ventilated Fires and Fire Suppression”

Sponsors: NSF, FM Global, UTRC (GOALI program)

Collaborators: N. Ren, K. Meredith, Y. Wang (FM Global); A.W. Marshall, P.B.

Sunderland (UMD)

Objective: Develop a CFD model to describe flame extinction under fire conditions

(including effects of mixing times, air/fuel vitiation, evaporative cooling by water spray)

2014 Results: Formulation of new flame extinction model. Evaluation in a reduced-scale

compartment configuration and a canonical slot burner configuration (FDS/FireFOAM).

Publications: Fire Safety. J. (submitted); Proc. Combust. Inst. 35 (2015) 2563; Combust.

Flame 161 (2014) 2933.

Flame Extinction in Fires

Combustion

FDS FireFOAM

20.9%

O2

13.2%

O2

50 cm

FDS FireFOAM

FireFOAM

Faculty: A. Trouvé – PhD student: J. White – Post-doc: V. Lecoustre

Title: “Modeling of Emission and Transport of Thermal Radiation in Fires”

Sponsors: NSF, FM Global, UTRC (GOALI program)

Objective: Evaluate performance of spectrally-averaged (gray) and spectrally-resolved

(wide-band) models to describe gas/soot radiant emissions in fires. Evaluate performance

of wide-band models to describe thermal radiation transport through water sprays.

2014 Results: Comparative study of gray and wide-band models in a simple canonical

configuration relevant to fire problems (RadCal).

Flame Radiation Properties in Fires

Thermal Radiation

FDS FireFOAM

20.9%

O2

13.2%

O2

50 cm

Faculty: A. Trouvé – Post-doc: V. Lecoustre

Title: “Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) of Soot Formation and Oxidation in Diffusion

Flames”

Sponsor: NSF (OCI, PetaApps Program), DOE (NERSC)

Collaborators: H.G. Im (U. MI), D. Haworth (Pennstate U.), T. Lu (U. Connecticut), R.

Sankaran (Oak Ridge Ntl. Lab.), K.-L. Ma (U.C. Davis)

Soot Formation and Emission in Fires

Soot Emissions

Objective: Develop a massively-parallel,

high-fidelity, direct numerical simulation

(DNS) solver to simulate soot-flame-

radiation interactions in turbulent

combustion

2014 Results: DNS simulations of soot

breakthrough in canonical laminar

flame/vortex interaction configuration;

formulation of a new theoretical criterion

to predict soot breakthrough (S3D).

Publications: Combust. Flame (submitted);

Aerosol Sci. Technol. 48 (2014) 379.

Faculty: A. Trouvé – PhD student: C. Zhang – MS student: M. Theodori

Title: “Data-Driven Wildland Fire Spread Modeling”

Sponsors: NSF (OCI), UMD/ConE

Collaborators: M. Rochoux (Environnement Canada); S. Ricci (CERFACS, France); I.

Altintas, J. Block, R. de Callafon (UCSD); E. Ellicott, K. Ide, M.J. Gollner (UMD)

Objective: Demonstrate the feasibility of coupling fire sensor technology with fire

modeling software for improved predictions of wildland fire dynamics. Evaluate data

assimilation methodologies (as used in weather forecasting applications).

2014 Results: Development of a prototype data-driven wildfire model based on an

Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF). Evaluation in prescribed fire experiment (FireFlux).

Publications: Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci. (submitted); Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci. 14

(2014) 2951; Proc. 11th Intl. IAFSS Symp. (2014).

Data Assimilation

Simulation of wildfire propagation (regional scale)

Wildfire Spread

Observed front

Initial fire front position

ROS parameters Simulated front Forward model

Inverse model

Control variables

Ensemble Kalman Filter

FIREFLY simulator

Faculty: A. Trouvé – PhD student: S. Verma

Title: “Large Eddy Simulation (LES) of Flame Spread in Wildfires”

Collaborators: M. Finney (US Forest Service); M.J. Gollner (UMD)

Flame Structure in Wildfires

Wildfire Spread

Objective: Perform detailed numerical simulations of the

dynamics of wildfire flames; identify origin of organized

vortical structures; evaluate relative weight of

convective/radiative heat transfer; provide companion

computational tool to UMD experimental program (Gollner)

2014 Results: Preliminary LES simulations of thermal

boundary layers subjected to representative unstable

buoyancy-driven effects (FireFOAM).

Simulation of Rayleigh-Taylor instability in thermal boundary layers

Faculty: A. Trouvé – MS student: C. Pongratz

Title: “Methods to Increase Maximum Velocity of Makeup Air for Atrium Smoke Control

- CFD Study”

Sponsor: ASHRAE

Collaborator: J.A. Milke (UMD)

Objective: Evaluate the effects of velocity and location of make-up air flow used in fire

smoke control systems for atrium configurations. Develop a technical basis for a possible

change in current codes and guidelines (e.g., NFPA 92).

Modeling of Smoke Control Systems

Smoke Transport

2014 Results: Evaluation of effects of high

make-up air velocity on smoke layer depth

(FDS); formulation of correction to

classical smoke formation correlations.

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Faculty: A. Trouvé – MS student: X. Pi

Title: “Low-Frequency Oscillations in Under-Ventilated Compartment Fires”

Collaborator: S. Suard (IRSN, France)

Objective: Study the unstable dynamics of compartment fires in configurations featuring

a mechanical ventilation system and under-ventilated combustion conditions

2014 Results: Formulation of a simple zone model to simulate unstable combustion-

pressure-ventilation interactions in a compartment fire. Preliminary simulations and

comparisons to experimental data from IRSN.

Unstable Behavior in Compartment Fires

Compartment Fires

Faculty: A. Trouvé – PhD student: Z. Ghorbani

Title: “Fuel Pyrolysis Under Oscillatory Radiant Heat Flux Conditions”

Objective: Evaluate unsteady response of solid flammable materials

2014 Results: Theoretical evaluation of unsteady response of non-charring and charring

materials exposed to time-dependent heat loading. Numerical evaluation in canonical

configuration corresponding to cone-calorimeter-like conditions and sinusoidal

oscillations in radiant intensity.

Pyrolysis Modeling

1D simulation of PMMA mass loss rate in cone calorimeter test (f = 0.5 Hz, A = 10 kW/m2)

Fuel Source

1D simulation of PVC mass loss rate in cone calorimeter test (f = 0.5 Hz, A = 10 kW/m2)

Faculty: A. Trouvé – PhD students: S. Verma, C. Kittur

Title: “Validation of Supersonic Film Cooling Numerical Simulations Using Detailed

Measurements and Novel Diagnostics”

Sponsor: NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

Collaborator: C. Cadou (UMD)

Objective: Evaluate performance of LOCI-CHEM (RANS solver developed by NASA) in

a canonical supersonic film cooling configuration (studied experimentally at UMD).

Evaluate benefits of LES approach using OpenFOAM.

2014 Results: Preliminary comparisons between LOCI-CHEM/OpenFOAM results and

experimental data.

Modeling of Supersonic Film Cooling

High Speed Flows