A Fire Dynamics Simulator approximation of non-toxic smoke

Abstract Experimental research in fire safety engineering is often characterized by a low repeatability mainly caused by the destructive nature of the fire phenomena. One of the ways that these shortcomings might be avoided is by using numerical simulation for research in this particular branch of engineering. Accuracy in numerical simulation comes through validation of the results by comparison with experimental testing, and in this regard, this paper presents the use of the PyroSim fire simulation program, which is a user interface for the Fire Dynamics Simulator software package, for the purpose of simulating non-toxic smoke in a way that accurately describes its behavior and properties observed in experimental testing. A full-scale experiment has been conducted for the purpose of determining the optical properties of non-toxic smoke produced by a smoke machine and this paper presents the way that this smoke can be accurately represented in the simulation program, for the purpose of providing a basis for future simulations of experiments using smoke machine generated smoke. The methodology employed can be used in further research involving simulated smoke, such as CFD representations of firefighter training, people evacuation from smoke-filled enclosures and smoke exhaust in buildings.