| Author: | Hui, Pui-shan |
| Title: | Evaluating hazard of thermal radiation from hot smoke layer in building enclosures |
| Degree: | M.Eng. |
| Year: | 2005 |
| Subject: | Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations Corridors -- Fires and fire prevention -- Evaluation Buildings -- Smoke control systems -- Evaluation Heat -- Radiation and absorption |
| Department: | Department of Building Services Engineering |
| Pages: | xii, 104 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | In Hong Kong, corridor geometry is governed by local building codes for means of escape in case of fire. However, the hazard of exposure to thermal radiation from a hot smoke layer has not been addressed in fire safety designs of some corridors. This study attempted to develop a method to evaluate the thermal radiant heat flux from hot smoke layer to an evacuee in different fire environments and corridor geometries. A thermal radiation model, which describes the thermal radiant heat transfer between the human head and the hot smoke layer, was developed and verified by experiment with a thermal manikin exposed to radiant heat source. With that model, based on the exposure time limits at different average radiant heat flux received, the minimum safe walking speeds of the evacuee to avoid skin pain under typical fire sizes and a range of corridor length and width were determined. And that speeds were compared with the safe egress criterion, that is, the crowd density and the walking speeds of the population, to assess the corridors design for promising safe evacuation. Results revealed that the radiant heat flux upon the evacuee’s skin is largely governed by the fire size, and the influence by the corridor geometries, especially for the cases with smaller fire size, is relatively less significant. Safe evacuation to avoid thermal skin bum largely governed by the fire size, while the corridor geometry design can only assist in achieving safety in a narrow range of fire size. The safe walking speed obtained by the thermal radiation model can be used in advising the safety level of egress for corridors design, in the view of thermal radiant heat hazard from smoke. By applying the suggested thermal radiation model, to avoid thermal injury from hot smoke layer, the type of premises and the corresponding corridor geometry should be addressed in future codes for safe corridor design. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | restricted access |
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| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| b18100144.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 2.82 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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