Experimental Investigation on the Discharge of Pollutants from Tunnel Fires

Lihua Zhai, Zhongxing Nong, Guanhong He, Baochao Xie, Zhisheng Xu and Jiaming Zhao
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Lihua Zhai: Guangzhou Metro Design and Research Institute Co., Ltd., Guangzhou 510000, China
Zhongxing Nong: Guangzhou Metro Design and Research Institute Co., Ltd., Guangzhou 510000, China
Guanhong He: Guangzhou Metro Design and Research Institute Co., Ltd., Guangzhou 510000, China
Baochao Xie: Institute of Disaster Prevention Science and Safety Technology, Central South University, Changsha 410075, China
Zhisheng Xu: Institute of Disaster Prevention Science and Safety Technology, Central South University, Changsha 410075, China
Jiaming Zhao: Institute of Disaster Prevention Science and Safety Technology, Central South University, Changsha 410075, China

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 5, 1-12

Abstract: Many pollutants are generated during tunnel fires, such as smoke and toxic gases. How to control the smoke generated by tunnel fires was focused on in this paper. A series of experiments were carried out in a 1:10 model tunnel with dimensions of 6.0 m × 1.0 m × 0.7 m. The purpose was to investigate the smoke layer thickness and the heat exhaust coefficient of the tunnel mechanical smoke exhaust mode under longitudinal wind. Ethanol was employed as fuel, and the heat release rates were set to be 10.6 kW, 18.6 kW, and 31.9 kW. The exhaust velocity was 0.32–3.16 m/s, and the longitudinal velocity was 0–0.47 m/s. The temperature profile in the tunnel was measured, and the buoyant flow stratification regime was visualized by a laser sheet. The results showed that the longitudinal ventilation leads to a secondary stratification of the smoke flow. In the ceiling extract tunnel under longitudinal ventilation, considering the research results of the smoke layer height and the heat exhaust coefficient, a better scheme for fire-producing pollutants was that an exhaust velocity of 1.26–2.21 m/s (corresponding to the actual velocity of 4.0–7.0 m/s) should be used. The longitudinal velocity should be 0.16–0.32 m/s (corresponding to the actual velocity of 0.5–1.0 m/s).

Keywords: tunnel fire; pollutant control; smoke layer height; heat exhaust coefficient (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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