Dynamics of fire whirl in open + closed spaces: fundamental physics + modelling

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A fire whirl is an intense and potentially devastating phenomena which under the correct conditions can result in the formation of a tornado-like structure, i.e., the heat released from a fire changes the dynamics of the surrounding air causing a rotating column of air to form, which in turn increases the flame height and burning rate of the fire. Despite the devastating power of fire whirls, relatively little is understood about their internal structure. In this research, we aim to address this though a combination of (small-scale) physical measurements and high fidelity numerical modelling using Large-eddy simulation (LES). The project aims at (i) using open source platforms to develop and validate an LES flow solvers for modelling this class of flow; (ii) identifying the combinations of causes that are required to form a fire whirl; (iii) establishing a framework for predicting the formation and movements of FWs at different topological and ambient conditions in open and closed spaces.