Validation of a Network Fire Model Using the Ex-Shadwell Submarine Ventilation Doctrine Tests JASON FLOYD 1 , FRED WILLIAMS 2 , and PATRICIA TATEM 3 1 Hughes Associates, Inc. 3610 Commerce Dr., Suite 817 Baltimore, MD 21227-1652 2 Naval Technology Center for Safety and Survivability Chemistry Division Naval Research Laboratory Washington, DC 3 ITT Industries Advanced Engineering and Sciences Division Alexandria, Virginia ABSTRACT There is a need for fire modeling tools capable of rapid simulation of fire growth and smoke spread with complex ventilation in multiple compartments. Currently available tools are not capable of either the speed, the simulation of complex ventilation arrangements, and/or the ability to participate as a federate in a simulation environment. To address this, a new fire model was developed called FSSIM (Fire and Smoke SIMulator) [1]. FSSIM is a network model whose core thermal hydraulic routines are based on MELCOR [2]. FSSIM capabilities include remote ignition, multi-layer heat conduction, radiation streaming, HVAC systems, detection, suppression, oxygen and fuel limited combustion, and simple control systems. FSSIM was used to simulate four tests from the ex-Shadwell Submarine Ventilation Doctrine Tests. Excellent results are obtained in predicting the time-dependent temperature, visibility, and velocities. KEYWORDS: modeling, validation, HVAC INTRODUCTION A new fire model has been developed for simulating fire growth and smoke spread onboard naval vessels. The core physics models are not naval specific; therefore, the model is also applicable to simulating any multiple compartment enclosure. This paper will provide a brief overview of the model’s physics and algorithms. This overview will be followed by model validation using fire test data from the US Navy’s fire test platform, the ex-USS Shadwell [3]. MOTIVATION The impetus for developing a network fire model arose from current needs of the design process for future surface combatants [4]. Fire represents a significant threat to a ship both in terms of its impact on crew health and equipment. Fire growth and spread onboard a combatant can quickly result in crew casualties and a loss of mission capability. Furthermore, the presence of flammable liquids, missile propellants, and explosives onboard a combatant greatly increases the risk represented by a fire. 1253 COPYRIGHT © 2005 INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR FIRE SAFETY SCIENCE FIRE SAFETY SCIENCE–PROCEEDINGS OF THE EIGHTH INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM, pp. 1253-1264