Numerical Analysis on the Effect of the Tunnel Slope on the Plug-Holing Phenomena

Ji Tae Kim, Ki-Bae Hong and Hong Sun Ryou
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Ji Tae Kim: School of Mechanical Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Korea
Ki-Bae Hong: School of Mechanical Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Korea
Hong Sun Ryou: School of Mechanical Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Korea

Energies, 2018, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-8

Abstract: Preventing the plug-holing phenomena of a natural ventilation system in a shallow underground tunnel is important for improving the ventilation performance, and the tunnel slope has a significant influence on the smoke flow. In this study, the effect of the tunnel slope on plug-holing in a shallow underground tunnel was analyzed by numerical method. The tunnel slope was increased by 0–8 degrees and the fire source was assumed to be 5 MW, which is equivalent to one sedan vehicle. As a result, the possibility of plug-holing decreased as the tunnel slope increased. However, when the tunnel slope is more than 4°, the fresh air from the entrance of the tunnel and smoke are diluted before reaching the shaft, so the flow temperature passing through the shaft is lowered, and the ventilation performance begins to decrease. In particular, plug-holing does not occur at the tunnel slopes of 6 and 8°, but the ventilation performance is expected to decrease because the temperature of the smoke discharged to the shaft is much lower than the general smoke temperature. Therefore, it is necessary to design the natural ventilation system considering the influence of the tunnel slope.

Keywords: plug-holing; tunnel slope; fire; natural ventilation; ventilation performance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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