Numerical investigation of expandable graphite suppression on metal-based fire

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dc.contributor.authorCordeiro, IMDCen_AU
dc.contributor.authorLiu, HRen_AU
dc.contributor.authorYuen, ACYen_AU
dc.contributor.authorChen, TBYen_AU
dc.contributor.authorLi, Aen_AU
dc.contributor.authorCao, RFen_AU
dc.contributor.authorYeoh, GHen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2021-07-08T03:57:16Zen_AU
dc.date.available2021-07-08T03:57:16Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2021-06-19en_AU
dc.date.statistics2021-06-25en_AU
dc.description.abstractAqueous suppression systems (i.e. fire sprinkler, water mist) have been extensively utilised for compartmental fire suppression due to their significant heat extraction ability. Nevertheless, challenges can be foreseen in suppressing water-reactive chemicals as a violent explosive reaction will be triggered, such as alkali metals (i.e. Na, Li) and alkali metal hydrides (i.e. LiH, LiAlH4). In this study, expandable graphite (EG) is proposed as a potential suppressant against alkaline metal fire due to its advantageous thermal properties and chemical stability. In-house user-defined functions (UDFs) are developed to characterise the particle expansion coupled with the heat and mass transfer process between EG and the fluid mixture. The model is incorporated in the large eddy simulation (LES) framework to study the temporal fire behaviours and the suppression effect of EG against the flame plume. The numerical model was validated by comparison of temperature profiles and expansion rate of EG particles along the suppression event against experimental results. The EG was found to be relatively effective in fire suppression compared to the same amount of natural graphite. Parametric analysis was conducted on a range of EG particle size between 400 µm—1000 µm to investigate the suppression mechanisms and the suppression efficiency of EG particles against metal fires. Within the range of the current study (400 µm—1000 µm), the EG particle diameter of 400 µm has achieved the most effective suppression performance and the suppression time of 2 s. It is observed that the smaller size of EG tends to be effective in fire suppression than the larger sizes. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2021. This item has been added to APO for archival purposes. Springer Nature holds exclusive licence to publish. Usage is limited to academic research.en_AU
dc.identifier.citationCordeiro, I. M. D. C., Liu, H., Yuen, A. C. Y., Chen, T. B. Y., Li, A., Cao, R. F., & Yeoh, G. H. (2021). Numerical investigation of expandable graphite suppression on metal-based fire. Heat and Mass Transfer, 58, 65-81. doi:10.1007/s00231-021-03097-8en_AU
dc.identifier.issn1432-1181en_AU
dc.identifier.journaltitleHeat and Mass Transferen_AU
dc.identifier.pagination65-81en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1007/s00231-021-03097-8en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/11031en_AU
dc.identifier.volume58en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherSpringer Natureen_AU
dc.subjectGraphiteen_AU
dc.subjectFiresen_AU
dc.subjectFire extinguishersen_AU
dc.subjectSafetyen_AU
dc.subjectHeat transferen_AU
dc.subjectMass transferen_AU
dc.subjectParametric analysisen_AU
dc.titleNumerical investigation of expandable graphite suppression on metal-based fireen_AU
dc.typeJournal Articleen_AU
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